Ephesians Lesson 21 of 39 part 2

Paul is constantly referring to "The Body of Christ" and why is that so? Because of what we've been learning of Christ as found in the first three chapters of the book of beginnings, Genesis. Consequently it has to be what we call a "Pauline phenomenon". But here's the thing, when we've been baptized by God's hand with the cutting away of the seed shell, the foreskin of the heart, we are then filled or restored in the promised Newness of Eternal Life with the ontological essence of Christ which was Adam's state in chapters 1 and 2 of Genesis, we are Restored. To see the significance of this and when it takes place, look at our study on the Passover, for it is within it that the operation takes place.

This, as we’ve said so often, is why we're so adamantly in favor of the departure. The Body of Christ will not fit into any major Tribulation, oh, there maybe many small tribulations but the major one is a Jewish thing that overflows and covers all. It would be as out of place as fish out of water, and it would flop even more, because we just don’t belong there. So we have to realize that some of the things are confined to what we call "the revelation of the mysteries", in the building of the kingdom of God. Into which many sons will be received as they learn Christ. This has been the greatest of all battles between the forces darkness and Light as recorded by John in Revelation. Here's the secret; the eye only sees what the brain is prepared to comprehend. What has your brain been prepared to comprehend, or been made willing to comprehend?

So let’s read verse 6 again of Ephesians 3.

Ephesians 3:6
"That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers, of his (God’s) promise in Christ by the gospel:"
As you see, by believing this Gospel it makes all of this possible. This Gospel of the Grace of God, that He’s going to save hell bound sinners if they’ll just simply trust Him with all their heart, for this is what Christ died for. Now we have to stop and qualify that. We're not talking about an easy believeism or an easy Grace. We're not talking about someone who says, "Oh yeah, I believe that Jesus died, and I think I believe that He rose from the dead." We're not talking about that kind of person. We're talking about the person who just out of his whole being rests on the fact that Christ died for him, and rose from the dead and that he is now “IN Christ”. We believe it. We're to receive it! We’d better be willing to be martyred for it, because that’s the very heart and soul of our life, and that’s what Christ died and rose from the dead for. And as a result of our believing it, He has placed us into the Body. 

Now for a moment let’s back up to 1 Corinthians chapter 12, and again these are all verses that we’ve looked at before. When we were in 1Corinthians we brought in these verses in Ephesians. And now since we’re in Ephesians we’ll use the Corinthian verses. And some day, if the Lord tarries and we get into Colossians, we’ll come back and use Ephesians and Corinthians with Colossians, because you see this is the way the Scriptures work. I'll say this we're not doing a verse by verse study in either 1 or 2 Corinthians as the primary verses are what we're using through each of us should study them to get an understanding.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13a
"For as the body (this human body) is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body: (so Paul is talking about the human body with all of it’s members, our hands, feet, eyes, all of these members make up our physical body.) so also is Christ (or the Body of Christ, the Church!)." For by one (Holy) Spirit are we all..."
We have to stop at the word "all" because we have so many groups today that maintain that unless you have done this or that, you’re not spiritual, or some even go so far to say that you’re not even saved. But you see Paul doesn’t do that. Paul says that every believer, whether he’s a giant in the faith, or is weak and still carnal, all have been baptized into the One Body of Christ. We've read sometime ago that in California alone there’s something like 1500 denominations. Remember what Jesus said about a house divided, it opposes itself and that is exactly what religion does, in strife and fear. That’s not according to this Book. Regardless, if we’re a believer of this Gospel, we have been placed into the One Body of Christ. Now look how Paul defines it.