Scripture Reading: Isaiah 52:7-12

The Body of Christ

(Part 2)

Intro.

1. Review Part 1: What the body of Christ is and its value.

2. Part 2: Some of the blessings of the church Jesus built (Matt. 16:18).

I. BLESSINGS FOUND IN THE CHURCH (BODY) OF CHRIST.

A. The Church is the Fullness of Christ, Eph. 1:22-23.

1. Nothing God offers us is received outside of Christ, 1:3, 10; Col. 1:14-19.

a. Baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27); Into His body, 1 Cor. 12:13.

b. One is not in Christ and saved unless you are in His church.

2. The church receives all of Christ’s blessings, Eph. 1:23 (3).

a. Nothing of Christ is found outside His church (2 Cor. 6:16-18).

b. Therefore, we must be in His church to be saved.

B. The Church is Reconciled to God and Man, 2 Cor. 5:18-19; Eph. 2:13-18.

1. Reconcile: Enemies restored to favor (“peace,” 2:14-15, 17).

2. Reconciliation is in the “one body” (church) of Christ:

a. Sinners are reconciled to God in the “body,” 2:16, 18.

b. Jews and Gentiles reconciled to each other in “body,” 2:14-16.

3. No reconciliation if not in the body of Christ (enemy, lost).

C. The Church is the One Body that Belongs to Christ, Eph. 4:4; Matt. 16:18.

1. How many did He build? How many bodies does He have?

2. Men have built churches without His approval (cf. denom. and dates).

3. Must be in His body, His church, to be saved by Christ.

D. The Church is Saved by Jesus, the Savior, Eph. 5:23.

-Salvation is available to all, but received by believers who are members of His body, the church, 1 Tim. 4:10; Acts 2:41, 47.

E. The Church is Willingly Submissive to Christ, Eph. 5:24.

1. Authority to believe, teach, and live comes from Christ’s word, Col. 3:17; Matt. 28:19-20.

2. When a church does not submit to the authority of Christ in its doctrine, teaching, organization, and behavior is not “of Christ.”

F. The Church is Sanctified by Christ, Eph. 5:26.

1. It is purified, cleansed, and purged from sin.

2. By the baptism of Christ, Mark 16:15-16 (John 3:5).

3. Not in His church and not saved if you have not been baptized into Christ to be cleansed of your sins, Rom. 6:3; Acts 22:16.

G. The Church Will be Glorified with Christ, Eph. 5:27.

1. Only a pure church will be presented to Christ in glory, 2 Cor. 11:2; Col. 3:1-4.

2. Churches of men are corrupted with sin and error.

3. Churches of Christ may also be corrupted by sin.

4. They cannot expect and will not receive glory with Christ, Rev. 3:10-12.

Conclusion

1. The church one is a member of makes a difference.

2. Only the body of Christ – the church of Christ – will be saved in heaven, while all the churches of men will be lost.

3. “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord…” 2 Cor. 6:17-18

By: Joe R. Price

Posted March 1, 2022