We are One Body in Christ

My husband brought up the subject of “church” with me this morning, so we talked together about that and what it means and what church is biblically, and what it is supposed to be like and operate like biblically speaking. For he was looking into that subject for himself. And we also discussed the subject of what church is not, from a biblical perspective. Then later I read the next passage of Scripture in line for my daily reading, and this passage of Scripture is one very good biblical example which answers those questions.

First of all the church is not what so many have turned it into being. It is not a building which is called “church.” It is not a physical place you go to once or twice a week and then you leave and go someplace else. It is not a church denomination ruled by denominational heads. It is not a business incorporated (merged, joined, united) with the government and the world, being marketed to the people of the world, following worldly means and methods of what to do to draw in large crowds of people from the world.

[Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; Acts 5:27-32; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Philippians 3:18-19; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 13:5-8; Revelation 18:1-5]

The church is the body of Christ, the universal body of believers in Jesus Christ who by faith in Jesus Christ have died with Christ to sin and who are now to be living to please God in walks of surrender to God in obedience to his commands. Collectively we are the church. And we are to gather together for the teaching of the Word (not just one teacher), for prayer, for biblical Christian fellowship, for the breaking of bread, and in order that we might encourage and exhort one another to walk worthy of God.

[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]

And all of us within the body of Christ have been given gifts of the Spirit which we are to actively be putting into use for the building up of the body of Christ to maturity in our walks of faith in obedience to our Lord. And we have all been given spiritual ministries (our body parts) within the body of Christ, the church, which we are to be doing for the strengthening and encouraging of one another, within the body of Christ, in our walks of faith, in obedience to our Lord in holy living and in the forsaking of all sins.

The purpose of our gatherings is not to be lopsided, where only a few get to do the ministering while the majority sit as spectators who get to sing along with songs picked out by only one person, and who get to listen to sermons usually taught by only one person (their sermons not usually tested by anyone). There is not to be no room for the rest of us to utilize the Spiritual gifts we have been given in the body parts which God assigned us for the mutual encouragement of one another in our walks of faith. We all matter!

And this passage of Scripture does not list all the gifts of the Spirit or how they are to be used. So also read 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 and Ephesians 4:1-16 and the other Scriptures posted above to get most of the full picture.

The point is that the church is not what is commonly being called “church,” but it is the collective body of believers in Jesus Christ throughout the entire world. And it is important that we gather together in the sharing of our gifts and ministries, assigned to us by God, for the mutual encouragement of one another in our walks of faith in the Lord Jesus. But we can have as few as two of us or more in a gathering, and we are supposed to gather daily, and location can be anywhere appropriate, including on the internet, like now.

Zeal for Your House

Based off Jn. 2:17; Ps. 69:9
An Original Work / August 1, 2016
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.
Lord, I love my times with You.
I love to worship You and sing Your praises.
Time in Your Word brings me closer to You,
List’ning to You speaking to me,
Gently guiding me in truth.

Lord, You are my life’s example,
Showing me how I should live.
I love to walk with You where’er You lead me.
No greater joy have I when serving You.
Loving, giving, resting in Your strength,
I’m yielding to Your will.

Zeal for Your house, it consumes me.
See the church turned upside down:
Marketing ventures taking place of worship,
Men of the gospel turning into clowns.
Gospel message made appealing,
So the world will feel at home.

Lord, we need a great revival.
Turn their hearts, Lord, back to You.
Open the blind eyes, turn them all from darkness,
Lord, to the light. May they return to You,
Turn from their sin, forsake idols,
Be restored to God again.


We are One Body in Christ
An Original Work / October 14, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love