BODY OF CHRIST

PLEASE read all listed Scriptures.

1 Corinthians 12:27. All believers in Christ belong to the same mystic Body of Christ. Each of us have responsibilities, privileges and benefits in it. According to verses 15-19, our self opinions do not negate our membership in it. Also it provides benefits that only responsive members can receive, Eph.4:16. We need to be active in it.

I freely admit that I need each of you. I need what God has put in you as a member of the Mystic Body of Christ. None of us can say that we don't need the other members. Neither can Jesus Christ, though He is the head of the Body, 1 Cor. 12:21. No member is unneeded, and that can be a comfort to us.

I urge you to faithfully attend church because we all NEED for you to do it. When God saved you, He intended for you to fulfill a certain function in the Body of Christ, for the sake of others, and for yourself. You need to interact with other people so that the fullness of God's grace can work in you. Much of God's grace works in the corporate Body of Christ, as in 1 Cor. 14:26. We have to be present to experience such grace.

Though many people get saved outside of a church, yet a church member usually leads them to Christ. Happily, God's grace can work through any member to get people saved. Praise God. Also, God's grace can work through many members to do what one member cannot do by itself.

QUESTION: How can any member affect any others if there is no contact? How shall we exhibit the fruit of the Spirit or bestow any Christian grace upon others without associating with them? How shall even the Gospel of Christ affect people for salvation if they never hear it? Rom. 10:14.

I trust that something of God's grace in this ministry will affect you through this letter. You need that, and I, as a minister, need to offer it to you. Though people attend different churches, yet all believers are members of the same Body. Though I minister to one church group, yet I belong to the Body of Christ, and I need to minister God's grace for the benefit of others. To God and Jesus Christ be all the glory. Amen.

EXCERPTS FROM SUNDAY MORNING.

Jude 20. The activity of "building up ourselves on our most holy faith" is a process. Note that it doesn't say: "building up your faith", but: "building up YOURSELVES". We know from Romans 10:17 that we can obtain and increase our faith by hearing God's Word. But to build up ourselves on that faith is a process.

The moment that a person is born again (John 3:3-5, Rom.10:9-10), we are just as saved as we will ever be in this world. But we are spiritual infants, and must grow up into Christ in all things, Eph.4:15. We are to increase in the knowledge of God, and that comes by studying His Word, and through experience with Him, as His grace affects us.

All of us have met people whom we felt were "strong Christians". They became strong, by believing and applying what the Scriptures teach. That is the way that the Patriarch Abraham grew strong. Romans 4:17-21, Amplified Bible.

As an example, most people are not "strong" in their first efforts to witness to others about salvation through faith in Christ. But if we study and learn what the Bible says, we can become very strong in doing that. The same is true for other activities which the Bible enjoins upon us. The Bible speaks of being established in the faith. It speaks of being "strong in the Lord (Eph.6:10)", and tells us how.

While it is true that God saves us by His grace, through faith (Eph.2:8-9) yet we have our part to play in working out our salvation, Phil.2:12.

Basically then, "building up ourselves on our most holy faith" means to constantly practice the Word of God, in Christian living. 1 Tim.4:7 urges us to exercise ourselves unto Godliness. As in physical exercise, strength and expertise is gained, so in spiritual exercise we gain strength, and are enabled to move on to deeper things in God.

At one time Jesus told the Apostles that they could not bear some things that He had to tell them yet. They had been with Him for over three years, and they could see Him in person, but they were unable to receive what was to come later. They had to have a special revelation from God to assure them that the Gentiles could be saved as they were, Acts 11:18.

An apparently common problem among believers is that people may hear a message preached in church, but neglect to apply it in daily living. Though ministers are not infallible, yet God does use them to deal with the congregation. Each of us need to avoid doing like James 1:23-24 says.

Every believer who is eager to follow Christ, wants to increase in faith, and Christian character. We deeply want to know our Lord better, and to experience more and more of His grace in our own lives. Amen. But the Bible does not say in vain to build up ourselves on our most holy faith. Though the book of Jude is a single chapter book, it is just as inspired as is John 3:16.

Therefore, in our private and public life, in church and out, we need to be mindful of this little verse in Jude 20. In it God has provided a supernatural means for helping us. I.e., by praying in the Holy Ghost. That means praying in other tongues. See 1 Cor.14:14-15 and Eph.6:18. In Romans 8:26 we are told that the Holy Spirit makes intercession for us.

I have written a small book about faith. It deals with basic and advanced aspects of Biblical faith. Faith is important for us, because without faith, it is impossible to please God. Heb.11:6. I believe that this little book can help and bless you. It is entitled Faith That Comes By Hearing and is available on [CD] or NetChapel.com.

I love you,