Body of Christ Vs. The Church


Pastor J. R. Wilhite, author   Close Window

Some of you may not like what you are about to read, and that is because it means that you still have a ways to go on your walk with the Lord. There is nothing I can do about that. You can either accept the truth, look at where you are, and try to move forward or ignore it and justify where you are by stating what ever you want and even by saying this study is wrong. No matter what you may say, the truth is the truth and it will not change just because you do not like it. When I noticed it 5 years ago I did not like it either and for a while I tried like the dickens to find verses to justify my beliefs, but it did not work. I kept coming back to the same place and the truth.

The truth is the body of Christ and the church are two separate things. You can be saved and are of the church and never be of Christ, but you can never be of Christ without first being of the church.

So first let's see what the church is:

Matthew 16:15-18

Matthew 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Remember in our study on Christ, Christ is a Greek word, which in English means "The Anointed One" (Luke 4:18, Is 10:27) .

Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

Here Jesus told Peter that he did not understand or come to know the Christ (The Anointed One) by mental knowledge, or being there with Jesus. God revealed it (a revelation) to him; so Peter had a revelation in his spirit.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Here is where Jesus named Simon as "Peter" and in Greek the word is "Petros":

     Strong's Number: 4074-GSN 
 
     Transliterated:  Petros 
 
     Pronounced:      pet'-ros 
 
                      a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than 
                      3037 GSN); as a name, Petrus, an apostle: 
                      KJV--Peter, rock. Compare 2786 GSN. 

As you notice it is a piece of the rock, not THE rock. Jesus is the cornerstone, but "the rock" is revelation knowledge from God via the Spirit of who Jesus is as the Christ and Son of God.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Now the Greek word for rock here is "petra":

Strong's Number: 4073-GSN

 
     Transliterated:  petra 
 
     Pronounced:      pet'-ra 
 
                      feminine of the same as 4074 GSN; a (mass of) 
                      rock (literally or figuratively): KJV--rock. 

As you can see "petra" is THE rock.

So what is the rock (petra) to which Jesus is referring? It is not Peter, because Peter is a piece of the rock. Jesus said, "upon this rock". Well, He was just talking about the revelation Peter had. So the church is built upon the revealed (revelation) knowledge from God of Jesus as the Christ and true Son of God. "Jesus" translated is "salvation". So, if you are of Jesus you have salvation, and when you are of Christ you are of the Spirit of God in, on, and through you. The Son of God refers to our inheritance in God's kingdom.

So we are the church as far as the revealed knowledge goes, but we are not the Body of Christ. The church is when we are connected to God through the spirit, and operating in the revealed knowledge of Christ.

If you have any problems with this, read the following verses:

John 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

So, now you have three verses - in two of them Jesus spoke directly about who was to teach us. We learn from and through the spirit. Yes, God uses man to teach us via the spirit, but that can be dangerous if you can not discern spirits. If you do not know which spirit is using the man who is teaching then it could be of the other side. That is why God wants us to learn directly. Of course this means having the right relationship with Him to be able to do so.

How do we have that relationship? By prayer (constantly), His word (Bible) on a daily basis, and the most important thing is listening (SHUT UP and be quiet).

How do we know we are saved?

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

How do we know if the spirit we are hearing is the right spirit?

1 John 4:1-3

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

If you test the spirit and it is of God, and you are hearing, then be still and learn. This makes you a part of the church or as Jesus said "Petros" (Peter).

So now we know we are the church let's see what Christ is:

"Christ" is a Greek word that means "The Anointed One and His Anointing". Anointed means being soaked on, in, and throughout. Jesus told us that being anointed was having the Spirit of the Lord upon Him:

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the LORD {is} upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the good news (gospel) to {the} poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to {the} captives " And in I Cor. 1:24 "but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, The Anointed One and His Anointing (Christ) the power of God and the wisdom of God." we are told that Christ, or the Anointed One and his Anointing is the power and wisdom of God.

In Is. 10:27 (KJV) we are told that the anointing removes burdens and destroys yokes. A yoke is anything that weighs you down, like sin, sickness, debt, etc.

All through the Old Testament times the Jews were told of a coming of the Anointed One, and how when the Anointing came it would bring yoke destroying, burden removing power. Remember what I Cor. 1:24 says, "Christ (The Anointed) the power and wisdom of God." Who else could destroy yokes? God, of course! So the Jews were looking for the Messiah which is Hebrew for the Anointed One. The Jews admit Jesus was a prophet and a teacher and that He did great works; they just don't admit He was the Christ (the Anointed One).

So what do we know so far?

Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) in English mean The Anointed One.
To anoint is to rub on and in, so Anointed is already rubbed in and on.
The Spirit of God comes to us through His Spirit (Anointing). What it brings is the power and wisdom of God. So Jesus did what He did via the Holy Spirit, because He was anointed (rubbed in and on) with God's Spirit (power and wisdom of God).

In the next Bible Study I will go deeper into how we are anointed of God and what it means to us.

Until then read the following:
Is. 10:27 (KJV only)
Is 61:1-3
Luke 4:18-20
John 14-15
I John 2:20-27

Jesus is the word become flesh (John 1:14). God is the soul (mind, will and emotions) of the trinity. Christ was the manifestation of God in Jesus. If we are of Christ we are of the manifestation of God on, in and through us.

So we know Christ is the Spirit of God in, on and through us, and church is the revealed knowledge of what Jesus is as the Christ and the Son of God by the Father to us.

So we get the Spirit in us at salvation, but not on and through us. After we are of Christ we grow, and after a certain period of time we do mature. Paul took 8 years before he went forth. I was 8 years in Christ before certain things started working the way I expected them to early on. It is interesting, 8 is the number of new beginnings. Just because at the 8year point things start working and it seems everything is wonderful with the Lord, it does not mean that you are not finished in your walk or growth. Oh no! It just means you have hit one of those really meaningful plateaus where you can enjoy life a little before going on to the next.

I would say, in comparison to the physical age of a person with relationship to maturity, that I am about 12 years old now. Where Kenneth Copeland is about 20 and others along Copeland's group also are about 20. Of the apostles Paul was the oldest and even at death I don't think he was much older than 30. You see we are very imature even at our greatest growth, so imagine what we are before we even start. No, I am not bragging; I am trying to point out that we must be very careful or else we will fall as did Job.

Here is the point of interest that may wake up a few of you.

Tribulation will come and those of Christ will be raptured and those of the church will not. Why?

2 Thessalonians 2

  1. And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

The body of Christ is that which "withholdeth the anti-christ".

1 Corinthians 1

  1. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

You see the power to restrain is the power and wisdom of God. We know that is in Christ, and that is only found in the body of Christ.

Also look in Revelation 1-4 - the fact that Jesus only addresses the church and not the body of Christ is because the body is already removed. All that is left behind is the church (and the unbelievers).


The problem is there will be those who believe that since they are still here it was not the rapture so they play right into the anti-christ hand. You see the anti-christ will be one who was a leader, a minister before the rapture. He will be one who many knew and admired. So, when he says it is not the rapture or he would not still be here, those of the church left behind will believe it and add credit to him and give him power here.

A lot of those will end up back sliding because those who left were also the people who adhered to moral standards. With out them the morals will slip at first and then snowball until within a short time (a year or two) there are none left. That is what Jesus was talking about when those fence sitters will get off the fence and either join the crowd or be so offended that they will be martyred for the name of the Lord.

Of course, the new group which is part of the Body of Christ will be forming for the second rapture (at mid-tribulation), so Satan can make his appearance for the last half of tribulation.

My prayer for you is:

3 John 1

2. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth

Remember to show faith when you pray, then praise and give thanks.

God Bless You as you hear His words and follow His leading.


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