From the ScripturesGod
is the Saviour of all mankind - 1 Timothy 4:10
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The distinction between being a ‘member of the Body of Christ’
and being a ‘Christian’ |
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A
religion may be defined as the belief in, and worship of (through some system
of rites and rituals), some powerful supernatural being(s) worthy of
allegiance. Christianity
(with 2 billion adherents) is accounted as one of the four main religions of
the world, the others being Buddhism (360 million), Hinduism (900 million),
and Islamism (1.3 billion). Thus, at present, it still has the largest number
of adherents throughout the world. Yet there are many millions of people who
worship their god, or gods, who do not come under these umbrellas. Atheism is
also a religion, but here, the knowledgeable
ego is the ‘god’ that is worshipped as supreme. Not one
of these religions has a standard in doctrine and practice acceptable to all
of its adherents; each is made up of different sects and sub-sects with
variations in operation. Christianity is no exception. The ‘Christian’ Umbrella The
Christian religion, ‘Christianity’, professedly has its base in its Scripture
comprising of Old and New ‘Testaments’. But, using God’s revelations in
Scripture as a smorgasbord for a buffet selection of doctrine and practice,
it comes up with a variety of operating systems, around each of which some
denomination finds its own peculiar standard. It is a confusing, chaotic
situation in which the divinely revealed truth becomes lost. For
itself, Scripture declares: 2Tim.3:16,17
All scripture is inspired by
God, and is
beneficial for teaching, for exposure, for correction, for discipline in
righteousness, that the man of God may be
equipped, fitted out for every good act." But
Scripture also insists that it is to be handled with precision and respect,
and studied with dedication. We should note who speaks the verse or passage,
to whom it is addressed, and the contexts (both immediate and overall) in
which it appears. What is directed to one particular group of people should
not be indiscriminately applied to another. This is an imperative, especially
in the study of Paul’s letters, for it is in this area that most distinctions
to properly understanding revelation occur. The accurate renderings of words
and passages, even to the usage of the correct prepositions, have a major
role to play in our grasp of revelation. 2Tim.2:15
Endeavor to present yourself
to God qualified, an unashamed worker, correctly
cutting the word of truth. Scripture
actually directs us to endeavour to
correctly cut the word of
truth. This strongly implies that it is easy to wrongly cut it. Christianity has opted for the less
difficult path – and then toils and
labours, often through devious methods, to rationalize its erroneous positions. Scripture,
at the same time, instructs that a
pattern of sound words be held on to, so that the meaning and intent of
any passage does not become distorted. 2Tim.1:13
Have a pattern of sound words,
which you hear from me, in
faith and love which are in Christ Jesus." For
example, Jesus is the ‘Son of God’
and this is scriptural; but Christianity has chosen to make Him ‘God, the Son’, a term and
concept never found in
Scripture. This false position naturally gives rise to the preposterous
doctrine that Mary, a human being, is the ‘Mother of God’! Truly, if we ignore the clear directions of
Scripture, error results – and error begets further error. The Two Evangels In the
book of Galatians there is a distinction made between two evangels - one of (belonging
to) those of the
Circumcision through Peter, and - the other of (belonging to) those of the Uncircumcision
through Paul. Gal.2:7-9
... I have been entrusted with the evangel of the Uncircumcision, (tęs akrobustias) according
as Peter of the Circumcision
(tęs peritomes) (for
He Who operates in Peter for the
apostleship of the Circumcision operates
in me also for the nations), and, knowing the grace which is being given to me, James
and Cephas and John, who are supposed to be pillars, give to me and Barnabas
the right hand of fellowship, that we, indeed, are to be for the nations, yet they for
the Circumcision- Under the
evangel of the Circumcision, faith together
with works, are necessary for justification – one without the other is
not acceptable. Jas.2:14
What is the benefit, my brethren, if anyone should be saying he
has faith, yet may have no works? That faith can not save him. Jas.2:22-24
You are observing that faith worked together with his works, and by
works was faith perfected.... You
see that by works a man is being
justified, and not by faith only. Under
that of the Uncircumcision, however, justification is given through faith apart from works, and this faith is a
gift from God, His approach present,
and not self-generated. Rom.3:28
For we are reckoning a man to be justified by faith apart from works of law. Eph.2:8-10
For in grace, through faith,
are you saved, and this is not
out of you; it is
God's approach present, not of
works, lest anyone should be boasting. For
His achievement are we, being created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God makes
ready beforehand, that we should be walking in them. Gal.2:16
…a man is not being justified by works of law, except alone through the faith of Christ Jesus, [dia pisteös Christou Ięsou] we also believe in Christ Jesus [eis Christon Ięsoun] that we may be justified by the faith of Christ [ek
pisteös Christou] and not by works of law, seeing that by works of law
shall no flesh at all be justified. Phil.3:9
and may be found in Him, not
having my righteousness, which is of law, but that which is through
the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God for faith: The
Galatians (who had believed the evangel
of the Uncircumcision brought to them by Paul) were censured for not
keeping their evangel distinct and separate from the evangel of the Circumcision that was being introduced by
others (who deserved to be anathematized). The mixture of the two results in a distortion of the evangel of Christ
and is no evangel at all –
for God did not send such a mixed message to anyone! Gal.1:6-9
...you are transferred
from that which calls you in the grace of Christ, to a different
evangel, 7 which is not another, [not another message from God to them] except
it be that some who are disturbing you want also to distort the evangel of Christ." 8 But
if ever we also, or a messenger out of heaven, should
be bringing an evangel to you beside that which we bring to you, let him be anathema!" 9 As we have declared before and at present I am saying again, if anyone is bringing you an evangel beside that which
you accepted, let him be anathema!" Had the
message been the same one for both the Circumcision and the Uncircumcision, as
Christianity insists, the Galatians cannot be
accounted as having transferred from
one evangel to the other. It would have made no difference, and the
anathema would be unjustified. Paul, The Apostle Of
The Nations Saul was
called out in spectacular fashion and reserved for a special ministry in
God’s purpose. Act.9:15
Yet the Lord said to him "Go, for he is a choice
instrument of Mine, to bear My name before both the nations and kings, besides the sons of Israel, Act.22:21 And He said to me, 'Go! For I shall
be delegating you afar to the nations.' Act.26:15-18
Now I say, 'Who art Thou, Lord?' Now the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, Whom you are
persecuting." 16 But rise and stand on your feet, for I was seen by
you for this, to fix upon
you before for a deputy and a witness both of what you have perceived and that in which I
will be seen by you, 17 extricating you from the people and from the nations, to whom I am
commissioning you, 18 to open their eyes, to turn them about from
darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, for them to get a pardon of sins and an allotment among those
who have been hallowed by faith that is
in Me. When he
began preaching Jesus Christ in Act.9:19,20
…Now he came to be with the disciples in 20 And immediately, in
the synagogues, he heralded Jesus, that He is the Son of God. Christians When
working with Barnabas in Jerusalem, he ministered among ‘the sons of Israel’, until persecution forced him to Tarsus, his
hometown. Later on, Barnabas brought him to Antioch where he ministered among
the believers there for a whole year. It is here, for the first time, that these disciples from among the ‘sons of Israel’ were termed ‘Christians’! Act.11:25,26 Now he [Barnabas] came away to Tarsus to
hunt Saul, 26 and finding him, he led him to Antioch. Now it came that they are gathered a whole year, also,
in the ecclesia, and teach a considerable throng. Besides, in Antioch first, the disciples are styled "Christians." Sometime
later, Saul and Barnabas were delegated by these Christians to send famine relief to their fellow-believers
in Act.11:27-30
Now in these days prophets came down from 28 Now one of them, named Agabus, rising, signifies
through the spirit, the great famine which is about to be on the whole
inhabited earth, .... 29 Now according as any of the disciples thrived, each of them designate something to send to the
brethren dwelling in Judea, for dispensing; 30 which they do also,
dispatching to the elders through the
hand of Barnabas and Saul. Act.12:25 Now
Barnabas and Saul return out of Jerusalem, completing the dispensing,... Saul and
Barnabas returned and resumed their ministry among the Christians in Act.13:1-3
Now there were in prophets and teachers, both Barnabas and Simeon, ...and
Saul. 2 Now, at their ministering to the Lord and fasting,
the holy spirit said, "Sever,
by all means, to Me Barnabas and Saul for
the work to which I have called them." 3 Then, fasting and praying and
placing their hands on them, they dismiss them. From
around this time and on, Saul is identified in Scripture as Paul; never again as Saul. Act.13:9
Now Saul, who is
also Paul, being filled with holy spirit,.... It is
only from that severance that Paul begins to carry out his commission to work
among the nations, ministering to those of them who were being called under
the evangel which he received directly from Jesus Christ. Gal.1:11,12 For I am
making known to you, brethren, as to the evangel which is being brought by me, that it
is not in accord with man." 12 For neither did I
accept it from a man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Act.26:17,18 extricating you from the people and from the nations, to whom I am
commissioning you, 18 to open their eyes, to turn them about from darkness to light and from the authority of Satan to God, for them to get a pardon of sins and an allotment among those
who have been hallowed by faith that is
in Me. Paul never refers to the believers
of the evangel he was bringing as ‘Christians’! That term is used, in
Scripture (three times only), exclusively for Jews who believe in Jesus as their promised Messiah. Act.26:28 Yet Agrippa to Paul:
"Briefly are you persuading me, to make me a Christian!" [King
Agrippa, a Jew, accuses Paul of attempting to make him a believer in Jesus as
the Messiah through His resurrection from among the dead] 1Pet.4:15,16 For let not
any of you be suffering as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as an
interferer in other's affairs;" 16 yet if as a Christian,
let him not be ashamed, yet let him be glorifying God in this name, Members of the Body
of Christ On the
other hand, Paul refers to the believers in the evangel of the Uncircumcision
as members of ‘the body of Christ’. 1Cor.12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members of a part, Eph.1:22.23 and subjects all under His feet,
and
gives Him, as Head over all, to the
ecclesia which is His body, the complement of the One completing the all in
all." Eph.4:3-6
endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit with the
tie of peace: 4 one body
and one spirit, according as you were called also with one
expectation of your calling;" 5 one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, Who is over all and
through all and in all. Eph.4:12 toward the adjusting of the
saints for the work of dispensing, for
the upbuilding of the body of Christ, Eph.5:23 ...Christ is Head of the ecclesia, and He is the Saviour of
the body." Col.1:24 I am now rejoicing in my
sufferings for you, and am filling up in my flesh, in His stead, the
deficiencies of the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the ecclesia" Col.3:15 And let the peace of Christ be
arbitrating in your hearts, for
which you were called also in one body;
and become thankful." Correctly
cutting the word of truth, it should be clear that we, believers in the
evangel of the Uncircumcision, should identify ourselves as ‘members of the body of Christ’ rather
than as Christians. |
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