Body of Christ

"Any believer, follower of Christ."

As long as you define believer in accordance with the bible, not just some mental assent, but a LIFE CHANGED by having a personal relationship with christ....

 

I believe there is a universal component of the Body of Christ made up of all believers AND a local component made up of baptized (by immersion) believers who join together under the authority of the Bible.

 

My view as well. Interestingly, Paul, in I Cor 12, described the congregation at Corinth as the body of Christ, not just a body of Christ.

 

Thanks for the caveat, Dr Bob.

Could I follow up with a question? In I Cor 12:13 "...we are all baptized into the body of Christ...." is THE in the Greek in this verse? Just curious.

Either way, I still think the only body there is is the local congregation.

 

I don't think it is, but I don't have my Greek text available at the moment.

I don't think you'll be able to support that belief scripturally in light of several passages (including these verses in 1 Corinthians 12).

 

I would agree. The body of Christ does have have universal component -- "the communion of the saints" as we say in the Apostles Creed --that is comprised all Christians.

I also agree that it is a specific, local body of believers - the church, where there is preaching of the Word, the administration of the sacraments (or "ordinances" for Baptists) and church discipline.

Tom, would you say that our church (PCA) is not "a/the" (you and Dr. Bob work that one out) body of Christ?? Just curious...

 

The "body of Christ" = all born again believers.

A "body of Christ" = all born again believers making up a local church.

 

Don't think so. I'm not sure about the logistics of getting all the saints into one place at one time, but there'll be no need for local congregations where Jesus is. We'll all be together in one great general assembly.

 

We'll probably be arranged as to what part of the body we were.

I've been assigned to the "snot" table.

 

I could buy into the "universal" component of the Body of Christ if someone could explain to me exactly what its purpose is. As far as I can see, it's useless.

In answer to your question about PCA, I think a Presbyterian church is about as close to being a true New Testament church as it can be without being one. In my view, its view on baptism disqualifies. This doesn't mean that the gospel is not being preached and the lost are not being saved in Presby churches.

There are many evangelical organizations preaching, teaching and evanglizing, none of which qualifies as a NT church for various reasons. Franklin Graham's and R.C. Sproul's ministries, for example.