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                                TO THE GLORY OF GOD
                                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Study No 10               GOD'S  PEOPLE


                 Understanding God's People

        THE BODY OF CHRIST

            "And God has put all things under His (Jesus') feet and made
            Him  the  supreme  Head of the Church -- which is  His  BODY,
            filled  with  Himself,  the Author and Giver  of  everything,
            everywhere."  Ephesians 1:22,23. L.B.

        Definition:    The  Body  of  Christ  is  that  group  of  bloodwashed
        Believers  who have been joined to Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit and
        are  His Servants for the completion of the task of witness  which  He
        began. Acts 1:8.

            The  Apostle Paul found it convenient to use the example of a body
        to illustrate  the function of the various members in the local  group
        of  Believers.   This  group is  more  frequently referred to  as  the
        Church.  Jesus gave to the Believers the authority of His Name and the
        Power of the Holy Spirit. Mark 16:17,18.

            In  this  capacity  the Church is acting on His behalf and in  His
        stead to the establishing of the Kingdom of God.

            The many Believers (The Church) are united in this task, with each
        person  having  a part to play and working as a Body of  many  members
        (some seen, some unseen) with Jesus as the head.

        Functioning In The Body Of Christ

            From  the  beginning of time God has always desired to dwell  with
        His people in some tangible manner.   In Genesis,  He walked with Adam
        in  the garden,  in the cool of the evening,  talking and  manifesting
        Himself to them openly.   When Sin came, because God is Holy and could
        not fellowship with sin (even though He loved the sinner) He  provided
        other ways to have fellowship with the creation He loved so much.

        A. The Altar

            Firstly,  fellowship was restored through the altars of  sacrifice
            where sin was covered by a substitutionary death of a spotless and
            blameless animal.   With the  sin covered, God was able to commune
            and  enjoy  fellowship with the sinner.   By  this  method,  God's
            servants from Adam to Moses met with Him. Ex. 20:24.

        B. The Tabernacle

            God  moved on from the Altar.   He gave Moses the pattern for  the
            Tabernacle  for  the  Wilderness  wanderings of  the  Children  of
            Israel.   This  was  a  means whereby the Fullness  of  God  could
            tabernacle  in the midst of His People.   Much could be said  over
            this pattern.   Every detail of construction was given so minutely
            to Moses.   The three stages of approach to the Shekinah Presence,
            the  pieces of furniture,  and their measurements and  order,  all
            have their significant application to God's redeemed people today.
            God met with His people by means of the Tabernacle.

            Order of Construction:

            a. Moses  received  the  pattern  from  God.   Ex. 25:9 & 40.  The
               congregation  of Israel is called the Church in the Wilderness,
               Acts 7:38, of which Moses is a type of Christ Ex. 4:16.

            b. God-gifted men  received the pattern from Moses and formed  the
               Abiding place (Tabernacle) of God's presence and  name.   These
               men  miraculously  made the Holy vessels which served the  Lord
               and were set apart for His service. Ex. 31:1-12.
               Note:  Bezaleel  made the beautiful  vessels of the  Tabernacle
               from the free will offering of the people Ex. 25:1-9.

            c. Consider that in the Church in the Wilderness (the congregation
               of Israel), there was Moses, the High Priest, priests, Levites,
               Princes,  the people -- One Body of many members.   This Church
               had  its  foundation in the call of Abraham  and  has  survived
               through the everlasting covenant Gen. 17:7.

        C. The Temple

            In the Promised Land, David sought to have fellowship with His God
            continually,  by  means of a fixed abode for Him.   God heard  his
            prayer,  and the plan for the Temple was given.  Another means for
            God  to dwell in the midst of His people and have fellowship  with
            them  as  in the beginning before man fell.   Notice that  in  all
            these plans from heaven,  blood had to be connected with every one
            of them.   "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of
            sins."   David was not allowed to build the Temple because of  his
            wars.   God  wanted  a peaceful man to  build  it.   Solomon,  the
            fruitful,  third  King of United Israel did the building.   Notice
            that his was the third reign of 40 years,  in succession.  ie. 120
            years.   No  doubt  when  wars and fighting  cease  amongst  God's
            people,  the Temple will be built again.   Read the Book of Haggai
            in this connection.

            Although  David did not build the Temple he gathered much  of  the
            material  which was used by Solomon in the construction.   Compare
            this with the Ministries involved in the Samaritan Revival. Acts 8

            Constructing the Temple

            The  material was collected and prepared in various  places,  away
            from the site.   The preparation work was done first.   The stones
            were  hewn  out,  shaped  and smoothed before being moved  to  the
            Temple  site.   The  work of preparation was perfect  and  nothing
            needed  to be done at the site except put everything in  order.  1
            Kings 6:7.

            Compare: The work of preparing God's Temple (1 Peter 2:5) has been
            going  on  for many years.   Large  foundation  stones,  beautiful
            vessels, rich tapestry, polished timbrels have been in preparation
            in various places (Denominations), but the  cry of the Holy Spirit
            is  going out today and the material (people) is  coming  together
            (unto  the Lord Jesus).   The foundation is laid.   It is time for
            the  gifted  men (gifts of men) to come forth and  build  on  that
            foundation.    Today   the   Holy  Spirit  has   transcended   the
            Denominational  barriers  and  thousands of Believers  of  various
            'tags'  are coming together,  unto the Lord to praise and  worship
            Him.   God  is  not the Author of confusion.   He has  always  had
            Spiritual  oversight  in the Church and in the Body  of  Believers
            today,  unified  by  the experience of the Baptism with  the  Holy
            Spirit the  Lord Jesus will have Ministries to the Body of Christ.
            Notice:   Solomon's  Temple  was  beautiful.   At  the  dedication
            service,  120  trumpeters blew a united note and the glory of  God
            fell and slew the Ministers of God. 2 Chron. 5:13,14.  This Temple
            was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.   After the captivity the  Temple
            was  rebuilt,  God  said of the Latter House,  its Glory shall  be
            greater  and  it shall be a house of  Peace.  Hag.  2:9.   Let  us
            rejoice for we shall be liviny stones in this latter house, shaped
            after the pattern of the Chief Stone the builders rejected.

        D. Jesus

            God moved on from the Temple, He is always moving, as He is Light,
            and if we do not move with Him,  our light becomes darkness.  This
            time  God came and dwelt with His people in a tabernacle  made  of
            flesh  and bone.   "The Word was made flesh and dwelt (tabernacled
            in the original) among us,  and we beheld His glory  ("Shekinah"),
            the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and
            truth". John 1:14.

            As before,  there was no other access to the Father except through
            the pattern laid down by God,  for the period of time it was given
            for,  so  when Jesus came,  He said "No man cometh unto the Father
            but by me."

            It  was useless an Israelite trying to get to God by means of  his
            own  private  altar,  when the Tabernacle was there  to  be  used.
            Certainly God had given the Altar into the Tabernacle, and private
            altars  were no longer God's way.   In the same way it was useless
            trying to reach the Father through the Tabernacle when the  Temple
            stood there.   God had moved on and He expected the people to move
            on with Him.

            When Jesus came, Temple  worship ceased, and the Shekinah Presence
            disappeared  from  the Holy of Holies,  and abode in a temple  not
            made with hands.   Jesus said "Destroy this Temple,  and in  three
            days  I  will raise it up!"  He was talking about the  new  temple
            that  God  had moved on to.   See Is.  66:3.   Certainly  God  had
            ordained  sacrificing oxen and lambs,  but now they were swallowed
            up in the "Lamb of God",  who was offered once and for all  times,
            Heb.  7:27.   It  is useless trying to reach God by sacrifices and
            works today,  for Jesus is the only Way and the only Door.  Notice
            again, that blood is involved.

            Jesus  had incorporated in Him,  the pattern of  the  Altars,  the
            Tabernacle  and  the Temple and all were done away  with,  through
            Him.   He had God's presence and Name recorded in Him, just as all
            the previous patterns had had.   Note:  Jesus set the pattern, yet
            He  was  the pattern.   He is the Apostle and High Priest  of  our
            profession,  Heb.  3:1.   Jesus was the abiding place of God  Col.
            2:9, yet He fulfilled every area of Ministry to the people.  Jesus
            was  taken  up to heaven to sit at the right hand of  the  Father.
            How  was  God to dwell with His people now,  and where was  He  to
            record  His Name and presence.   How was He to produce  a  pattern
            that  would fully incorporate all the other patterns and also have
            His Son,  Jesus,  as the Only Way and Door to Himself?  The answer
            to this is the church.   This is God's latest pattern from heaven,
            incorporating all that has gone before,  and the present means  of
            communion with Him.   The Church has the blood of Jesus.  The name
            of  Jesus (that name which is above every name).   The presence of
            Jesus (The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus in the Church.

            The  Holy Spirit glorifies the Son and the Father is glorified  in
            the Son. John 16:13,14; John 14:13.

            Many and varied are the modern ideas that are imagined in the Word
            "church" so we must turn from the ideas and voices of man,  to the
            Word  of  God,  to see what the Lord means by "The  Church".   His
            interpretation  is  the  only one that matters  to  the  inquiring
            Christian after all.   What is the Church?   What is its function?
            Who runs it and who builds it?   Let us examine the Scriptures and
            see what they teach.

        E. The Church

            The original is "ecclesia" - "called out".  Abraham was called out
            of Babylon.  The Children of Israel were called out of Egypt. Acts
            7:38  etc.   Notice that a building is not called out...but people
            are.   The Church is not made of natural wood and stone, but flesh
            and  blood.   "Ye also as living stones are built up  a  spiritual
            house..." 1 Pet.  2:5.   When the meeting is over, the Church goes
            home,  and  the  wood  and stone building stays  on  its  section!
            Unfortunately, today more time and labour is put into the material
            edifice  that men call the church,  than is put into "called  out"
            men and women, that God calls the Church.  "Where two or three are
            gathered together in my name,  there am I in the midst".  His Name
            and presence recorded, because this is the Church in session!  The
            Church  began on the Day of Pentecost and in its  normal,  healthy
            united  condition,  it is God's vessel to meet Mankind.  Read John
            17:21.  Praise God, we shall be one. Eph. 3:10.

            To  join  the Church,  you must be added by the Lord.  Acts  2:47.
            Note verse 41.   Believed..Baptised...Added to the  Church!   Many
            people on our church membership rolls,  will not be on God's roll.
            An  experience  is  needed.   John 3:3 and 5.   All must  be  born
            again...first  born.  Heb.  12:23.  Body,  soul and spirit. 1 John
            5:7-8.

            The  Epistles give us several similes for the Church,  to help  us
            to  understand her function.   She is called...the Body of  Christ
            (with Christ as the Head) Eph.  1:22-23...a City,  Matt. 5:14, and
            Rev.  21:9-11.  (This was the city whose builder and maker is God.
            The city Abraham was looking for!).   Branches of the Vine, 1 John
            15,  the Building of God,  1 Cor.  3:9;  and a Brotherhood,  Matt.
            12:49-50.   The church is to be changed into the  Lord's image,  2
            Cor. 3:18, Eph. 5:26,27, as it grows, Eph. 2:21.

            Conditions Today

            Everywhere  we look,  we see division,  splits,  and sects of  all
            kinds  in  the  Christian ranks.   These  conditions  confuse  the
            sinner,  sicken  the  Christian  and  cause the  weak  members  to
            backslide.   It is not God's will that there should be any  schism
            in the Body.   Scripture supports this. 1 Cor. 12:25; 1 Cor. 1:10.
            A schism is a division,  and always manifests  itself in some kind
            of sectarianism,  which Paul calls "carnality". 1 Cor.3:3.  Strife
            and  wars come into our midst because of what we believe,  instead
            of whom we believe.   Doctrinal differences cause fences to be put
            up  between  God's  sheep to segregate them into  the  variety  of
            Denominational  groups  that we have today.   Each  group  hanging
            tightly  onto  their  little bit of light as  if  no  other  light
            existed!   However,  when  the Lord sends the floods of  spiritual
            rain, the fences will be washed away, and the pieces of light will
            come together to form a rainbow of promise to the dying world.  As
            long  as  you  have  a desire to ask your brother  which  sect  he
            belongs  to,  you yourself are still sectarian!   God deliver  His
            people  from this carnality,  for it is enmity towards  Him,  Rom.
            8:6-7 and delays conversions. John 17:21.

            A  Denomination  is  usually formed by a revival  of  some  truth,
            gathering  together  a  group of people who all see  eye  to  eye.
            These  folk draw up a list of what they believe,  and if you  will
            agree to their tenets of faith,  you may  become a member of their
            group.   Then when God sends more light to His people,  the listed
            tenets of faith do not allow for anything  further from heaven and
            so those people who accept the light from God, have to come out of
            their group or Denomination,  in order to walk in the light.  This
            is  why  we have so many Denominational groups today,  all  having
            split  off  each other progressively as God has  revealed  further
            truth.   Each split off has made the same mistake as their parent,
            in building their walls of beliefs,  thus causing the next revival
            to come outside the "walls".  The Body of Christ has always been a
            "come out" people,  moving on with God.  Each revival always finds
            its most bitter  enemies  in the  group that last had  fresh light
            from the  Lord!  It is  interesting to  see the  three stages of a
            group or denomination:

            a) all for the glory of God.
            b) for the sake of the movement itself.
            c) for the political ambitions of the leaders!

            In the beginning of the Church,  after the Day of Pentecost, there
            was one unity of many members, with Christ as the Head, all living
            in  one accord,  because of the Apostles doctrine.  Acts  2:41-47.
            (Compare 2 Chron.  5:13-14,  and Ps. 133:1-2).  How far from this,
            we  are  today!   How can we get back to the pattern?   Through  a
            restoration of the God given ministries.

            Ephesians chapter 4, verses 11-13, tells us that there is only one
            way  to perfect the Church - that is through the  five  ministries
            listed.   Apostles  and Prophets  for the foundational work,  Eph.
            2:20,  Evangelists to propagate the good news,  Teachers to  teach
            the  Apostles' Doctrine,  and Pastors to feed and lead the  sheep.

            These ministries must be God-given and set.   Not according to our
            systems  today,  where  we  vote and choose  ourselves.   Can  you
            imagine Moses being voted into office,  or Joshua,  Gideon, David?
            Imagine  Paul being voted into the Apostleship!   These  men  were
            set  of God,  and not of man,  and their ministries made room  for
            them.  These men were taken from their fishing nets, their seat of
            custom,  or  other  occupations and spent a number of years  being
            taught  of  the Lord.

            There  is  no Bible teaching against Bible Colleges,  in fact  the
            only references are for it.   However,  there must be places which
            develop  the  minister to have a sense of dependency  on  God  and
            sensitivity  to the Holy Spirit.   Man made leaders of the  Church
            will  produce  only death and confusion and God will  judge  them.
            Jer. 2:8, 12:10, 10:21, 23:1-5.

            Because of such false leaders,  the latter rain is suspended. Jer.
            3:1-3.   However,  the  Lord has promised to give us pastors after
            his own heart.  Jer.  3:15-17.  Even though such men and women may
            have studied at a Bible College, their message will be direct from
            the Lord and will not be man produced.   Notice  how a  man-taught
            vessel  will say "someone has said",  while a Spirit-taught vessel
            will say "I say unto you".

            We find Teachers today,  teaching from books,  instead of teaching
            from  the Word of God,  and the more uninteresting and dry he  is,
            the greater "teacher" he is considered to be!   How contrary  this
            is  to  the  Bible pattern,  where the  greatest  teacher  - Jesus
            Himself  - gave  the  deepest teachings in language that  a  child
            could  understand.   You can be sure that something is wrong  with
            the  "teacher"  when what he is giving is "too deep for anyone  to
            understand!"  The wayfaring man,  though a fool,  shall not err in
            the  true  path of the Lord.   Like Eve in  the  Garden,  we  find
            Ministers  after  knowledge of the senses,  instead  of  knowledge
            of the spiritual. Dan. 11:32.

            Satan  would   blind  peoples  eyes  to   the  need  of  God-given
            ministries  for  the  Church,  and say "these things are  not  for
            today".  The body of Christ must be a ministering Body, with every
            individual member doing their part, and giving their piece towards
            the whole,  that all may be edified and built up.   Just as in our
            physical bodies,  every cell has a job to perform,  so in the Body
            of  Christ everyone (from the Elder to the new convert) has a  job
            or  ministry to perform!  Read 1 Cor.  12:14-31.   Everyone has  a
            ministry  to perform and it is their duty to God,  to perform  it,
            that all may be blessed.  Rom.  12:4-8.   There is  judgement,  to
            those who bury their ministry,  and won't function in the body, as
            there  cannot  be a perfect Body until every joint  supplies,  and
            every cell co-ordinates.   Note Luke 19:11-26, and Matt. 25:14-30.
            Buried  Talents!   Each one of us needs to know what our  ministry
            is, so that we can "wait upon it", and make "full proof" of it, in
            the assembly.

            Do you know what your ministry is?  Ask the Lord to show you, that
            you  may  be a blessing to all of God's people everywhere  as  you
            function in your correct place,  instead of being an awkward  fit,
            in somebody else's place!   The Lord is the author and finisher of
            our faith,  and in the same way,  he is the Author and Finisher of
            our ministries.   He does not give you a ministry that you can not
            do,  or a function that makes you wonder continually if you are in
            the will of God.   He see to it, that you KNOW your place, and are
            happy  and  contented  in it!   Prophecy is good to  confirm  your
            ministry, but when it conflicts with your inward convictions, that
            you  believe are from God,  then you have a right to question  the
            prophecies.   God's callings are His enablings,  and He is not the
            author of confusion!   If you do not know your place in the  Body,
            perhaps  God will reveal it to you,  as you meditate and pray over
            these  studies,  and let the Holy Spirit speak to you,  with  that
            still small voice, in the inner man.

                                END of STUDY TEN