WHAT IS THE BODY OF CHRIST?

[Arsenios]

There are different ideas about people before Jesus came.

That is why we are discussing this, yes?

But Paul uses Abraham as an example of faith for us Christians.

God chose Israel through whom to bring Christ into His Creation... She was His Chosen People... And of course, they killed the Prophets, and Crucified Christ Himself...

I do not think God would use a sinner or unsaved person to be our example > Galatians 3 > Paul speaks of how "the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus".

Christ IS the Blessing of Abraham, is He not?

I do not think a person who is a sinner and unsaved could be so used to bless us who are children of God.

There were many such men, "of whom the world is not worthy", who were men of great and surpassing faith, who did not receive a quick death, but instead held it off in favor of a prolonged one, that they might receive "a better Resurrection"... Yet the Promise they did not receive... Until... Until... Until Christ descended into Hell, and overcame the power of Death, and brought them up from that House of Death into Paradise with Himself...

So Abraham was Saved, and died, went into Hell, into Shoul, the House of the Dead, until rescued by Christ from its dreary gloom, and in Christ found his Resurrection from the Dead... So this Salvation which Abraham had prior to Christ NEEDED Christ to be perfected... And the Perfecting of their Faith is Christ... They had the "maturity" of faith which we so often do not have ourselves, but they did not have Christ, which we who have been Baptized into Christ do have... Hence Scripture records Christ Himself saying that the Least of those in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the greatest of the Old Testament Prophets prior to Christ... Another way of saying this is found in Scripture where it is recorded: "Our Righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and the Pharisees." [my paraphrase] And that the Way of Christ is narrow, blocked and constricted and is only found by few...

And Genesis 22:18 shows how Abraham's obedience has helped to cause "all the nations of the earth" to be "blessed"

Indeed so...

Thank-you...

Arsenios

 

[com7fy8]

@Arsenios I have not seen power miracles which I can verify as an eyewitness, but I know people who are examples of how to be gentle and humble and all-loving in how they relate.

 

[Arsenios]

@Arsenios I have not seen power miracles which I can verify as an eyewitness, but I know people who are examples of how to be gentle and humble and all-loving in how they relate.

My guess is that you are among them -I get that...

The Christian Faith across two millennia has always had men and women, whom you would never guess were such, walking and praying in such Power... They tend to follow Christ in remaining concealed in the operation of that Power, some more successfully than others, and some are called to a more public ministry. eg The Spiritual Fatherhood of a monastery, or the Episcopacy of the Church.

Some - perhaps most - live out their lives in remote places in constant prayere and labors, in caves, or underground in forests, or unknown in their monastic cells, or other isolation... They live and move in union with Christ throughout the world as Christ directs, while never leaving their closet of prayer, and they do things that only God can do... You never know when or where or how they may show up...

I have encountered a few of these in my journey into the Orthodox Faith...

And just as Christ did not venture much out of the House of Israel, neither do these venture much out of the Ekonomia of the Orthodox Faith, yet they can and have done so... Most are unknown... Those known are the Saints we commemorate daily, according to their Feast Day in the Church Calendar... Of Whom the world is unworthy... The rest will never be known to the world, but will be bright in the Age to Come... They do exist... They can be encountered...

And you will find them all, to a person, to be "gentle and humble and all-loving in how they relate."

I sometimes think that Billy Graham might be the only publicly known Saint that God has given to the Protestant Churches in the US... A uniquely American Saint!

But enough!


Arsenios

ps - Why do you call me @Arsenios?

 

[Micah888]

And so the question then becomes: "How does one become a member of the Body of Christ?" Through the New Birth
Does faith in God make one a member? Absolutely
Were Old Testament Saints members? They are now.
Does believing that Christ is your Savior make you a member? Absolutely
Does having a spiritual relationship with God make you a member? Absolutely

All of this is really one relationship. The supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit (or the baptism with the Holy Ghost) not only produces the New Birth, but brings the Holy Spirit to dwell within the spirit of the saint.

At the same time it is the Holy Spirit who supernaturally "baptizes" or immerse or joins each and every saint to the Body of Christ (which is only visible to God). All those who have been saved by grace through faith and washed in the blood of the Lamb are both children of God and members of the Body of Christ.

 

[“Paisios”]

I sometimes think that Billy Graham might be the only publicly known Saint that God has given to the Protestant Churches in the US... A uniquely American Saint!

Coming from your Orthodox perspective, I am curious as to what you see that would qualify him as a Saint? And would/could the Orthodox Church ever formally recognize a heterodox preacher as a Saint?

 

[Danthemailman]

The body of Christ/the church is the body of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:18 - And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Colossians 1:24 - I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church.

 

[Protestantismvsthebible]

The Church!
The new & eternal covenant!
The kingdom, vineyard, household of faith and new Jerusalem!

One, Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic!

One: Unity of faith! Unity of the body of Christ!

Holy: because her founder was Holy, and she sanctifies!

Catholic: universal communion of saints thru baptism!

Apostolic: Founded by Christ on the apostles to continue His mission with His power & with His authority!
Mt 16:18, Mt 28:19, Jn 20:21
Apostles means one who is sent, as in acts 2 Peter and the apostles choose Mathias to take the place of Judas, and so on to the apostles of our day! Apostolic succession!

The Church is the body of Christ!
The same power, authority, & mission!
Jn 10:16 He that heareth you (the church or the Apostles) heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

Jn 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

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.

Mt 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.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Jn 8:42 And ye (the Apostles, the church) shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jn 16:13 when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:

The church is the Way, the Truth, & the Life cos it is His Church!


The church is believers who are baptized into Christ (Mk 16:16 Mt 28:19 1 pet 3:21) in Union with the apostles (eph 2:20) in Union with Peter (Mt 26:18) in Union with Christ in God! (Jn 20:21) A covenant established by God not man (not Luther Calvin or any man) for communion with man thru grace (eternal life in Christ,) unto salvation!