The third statement that Paul expressed is that the church is one body composed of individuals. Ephesians 1:23 and Colossians 1:18 teach that the church and the body are the same. It is ridiculous to hear people say that they love the Lord but do not want the church. If a boy asks a girl to marry him, she cannot say that she loves his head but hates his body. She takes it all or takes nothing. A head without a body would be of no value.
In Ephesians 4:4-6, there are seven “ones” that culminate with God. If someone came into town preaching the “God of your choice,” he would not get many followers, but he is hailed as a great and broad-minded person when he embraces all churches. If there is one God, there can only be one church according to Paul. When Jesus made His statement in Matthew 16:18, He was saying in essence that there would be no choice.
In 1 Corinthians 12:20, Paul argues that the body is composed of many members. Just as I have a body composed of many members, so the church has many members within it. After the Corinthians believed and were baptized, the Lord added them to the church and therefore to the body of Christ (Acts 2:47). When we think of the church as a body we should think of it as a living organism.
Denominations today believe that the church is composed of the different denominations, but Paul said it was composed of individuals. Also, some today have the erroneous concept that the church is the building, hence the expression, “Going to church.” But the church is nothing more than individuals who are “called out” of the world and of sin and into righteousness and holiness (2 Thessalonians 2:14).
Kyle Campbell
