CONFERENCE IN COLUMBUS OHIO


	CONFERENCE IN COLUMBUS OHIO JANUARY 28 - 29, 2006 THE BODY OF CHRIST Message One: The Reality of the Body of Christ I. The Body, the church, is constituted with the divine life of the Triune God as its substance and Christ's resurrection as its realm. A. The ultimate apprehension of it comes through the full knowledge of Christ by continuously abiding in a spirit of wisdom and revelation. "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him," (Eph. 1:17) B. It is constituted with the riches of the glory of the Lord's inheritance in the saints and participated in with those who live in the hope of His calling with the eyes of their heart having been enlightened. "The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," (Eph. 1:18) C. It is constituted with the surpassing greatness of His power with the operation of the might of His strength for us to participate in. "And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the operation of the might of His strength," (Eph. 1:19) D. It is substantiated through the headship of Christ in His resurrection. "And He subjected all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church," (Eph. 1:22) E. It is the fullness of the One who fills all in all. "Which is His Body, the fullness of the One who fills all in all." (Eph. 1:23) II. The aspects of the Body A. The Body, the church, is the new man, created with Christ as his life, element and person to accomplish God's eternal purpose. "Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace," (Eph. 2:15) B. The Body, the church, was produced through the death of the physical body of Christ to reconcile all believers, and having slain all the enmity, so making peace. "Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace, And might reconcile both in one Body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity by it." (Eph. 2:15-16) C. The Body, the church, is the kingdom of God, constituted with all the saints as the fellow citizens and no one should be strangers and sojourners. "So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints……" (Eph. 2:19) D. The Body, the church, is the household of God, where all the saints are members for God to have an abode. "……you are……members of the household of God," (Eph. 2:19) 1. The Body, the church, is the temple in the Lord as His testimony. "In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;" (Eph. 2:21) a. Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets "Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,……" (Eph. 2:20a) b. With Christ as the unique cornerstone "……Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone;" (Eph. 2:20b) c. With the saints being fit together, growing with the growth of God. "In whom all the building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord;" (Eph. 2:21) 2. The Body, the church, is the dwelling place of God for His rest, by the saints being built together in spirit. "In whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in spirit." (Eph. 2:22) E. The Body, the church, is the bride of the Lord to satisfy Him 1. He is the head of the church and the Savior of the Body. "For a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body." (Eph. 5:23) 2. He sanctifies her. "That He might sanctify her……" (Eph. 5:26a) 3. He cleanses her by the washing of the water in the word. "……cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word," (Eph. 5:26b) 4. He might present her to Himself glorious, without spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish. "That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:27)