Is the Church Christ?

[Marilyn C]

11 hours ago, Mr. M said:

Revelation 21: 9 Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain,

and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

Hebrews 12:

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 

23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven,

to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.

Hi MM,

The OT saints will receive their inheritance of the city, the NJ as promised. However, the Body of Christ have their inheritance on the Lord`s own throne in the highest. 

`To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne...` (Rev. 3: 21)

`God....seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but in the AGE TO COME, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church which is His Body.` (Eph. 1: 20 - 23)

 

[believeinHim]

I do not believe the church is Christ anymore, As it has split off in to too many different sects of Religion. I believe the Body of Believers is who Christ is now. Anyone who is a professing Christian, Who believes in Jesus, Who listen to and lets the Holy Spirit work through them, And constantly prays to God to protect and watch and take care of them, This is Christ is now.

My parents just went back to the Baptist church with me, Decided it wasn't for them, Decided they would go back to a mega church, Then decided entirely against it all again anyway. They fear viruses in air tight spaces, Where you don't move around, And you sit or stand in one spot with people introducing on top of, And breathing and singing on top of you. This would also include air tight shows and concerts in where people are on top of you, As well as anything that you are stuck in a small space, With multiple people close to you, Breathing and or Singing or Talking upon you. We are all still Christians. We all still believe in Jesus.

This is the body of Christ. The Believers are the body of Christ now. The virus and just thinking about that, Is no longer Christ to me. I do love church, But I can't go anymore unless I get there myself and quarantine afterwards for a couple of days. I am fine with it this way, Actually, Now. Shopping and dining out is OK, As long as you can choose where you sit. And as long as you move around and don't stay in one spot, And avoid aisles with people on them. Having the doors open and close all of the time, Is also good for not keeping it air tight as other customers leave and come in. This may be off topic, But it has made me realize that the church is not Christ anymore.

It's the Body of Believers. 

[Marilyn C]

4 minutes ago, believeinHim said:

I do not believe the church is Christ anymore, As it has split off in to too many different sects of Religion. I believe the Body of Believers is who Christ is now. Anyone who is a professing Christian, Who believes in Jesus, Who listen to and lets the Holy Spirit work through them, And constantly prays to God to protect and watch and take care of them, This is Christ is now.

My parents just went back to the Baptist church with me, Decided it wasn't for them, Decided they would go back to a mega church, Then decided entirely against it all again anyway. They fear viruses in air tight spaces, Where you don't move around, And you sit or stand in one spot with people introducing on top of, And breathing and singing on top of you. This would also include air tight shows and concerts in where people are on top of you, As well as anything that you are stuck in a small space, With multiple people close to you, Breathing and or Singing or Talking upon you. We are all still Christians. We all still believe in Jesus.

This is the body of Christ. The Believers are the body of Christ now. The virus and just thinking about that, Is no longer Christ to me. I do love church, But I can't go anymore unless I get there myself and quarantine afterwards for a couple of days. I am fine with it this way, Actually, Now. Shopping and dining out is OK, As long as you can choose where you sit. And as long as you move around and don't stay in one spot, And avoid aisles with people on them. Having the doors open and close all of the time, Is also good for not keeping it air tight as other customers leave and come in. This may be off topic, But it has made me realize that the church is not Christ anymore.

It's the Body of Believers. 

Hi believeinHim,

And I believe it has always been the Body of believers.

`God...gave Him, (Jesus) as Head over all things to the church which IS HIS BODY.`(Eph. 1: 22 & 23)

The word `church,`in Greek is Ekklesia, meaning the called out ones. Called out of Israel and the nations to be the New Man. (Eph. 2: 15)

[Vine Abider]

45 minutes ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi MM,

The OT saints will receive their inheritance of the city, the NJ as promised. However, the Body of Christ have their inheritance on the Lord`s own throne in the highest. 

`To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne...` (Rev. 3: 21)

`God....seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE ALL principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but in the AGE TO COME, and has put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church which is His Body.` (Eph. 1: 20 - 23)

 

"The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve Him."  Rev 22:3

[Marilyn C]

51 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

"The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve Him."  Rev 22:3

Hi VA,

Yes, the authority and power of the Lord will be in that city however it is NOT His seat of authority in the highest.

`God....seated Him, (Jesus) at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in his age BUT IN THAT WHICH IS TO COME, and He gave Him as Head over ALL THINGS to the church which is His BODY, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.` (Eph. 1: 20 - 23)

 

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi VA,

Yes, the authority and power of the Lord will be in that city however it is NOT His seat of authority in the highest.

`God....seated Him, (Jesus) at His right hand in the heavenly places, FAR ABOVE all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in his age BUT IN THAT WHICH IS TO COME, and He gave Him as Head over ALL THINGS to the church which is His BODY, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.` (Eph. 1: 20 - 23)

 

Two thrones?

[Marilyn C]

28 minutes ago, Vine Abider said:

Two thrones?

Actually three thrones - 

1. Over King David`s throne on earth.

2. In the New Jerusalem in the lower heavens.

3. In the highest on heavenly Mount Zion.

 

This indicates that the Lord has appointed rulership in every realm under Himself. He has & is working to make these rulerships righteous and holy.

[existential mabel]

@Marilyn C where does the 3rd heaven fit into this?

[Vine Abider]

Over on the thread discussing the New Jerusalem, I posted some interesting verses pertaining to this topic.  At the end of Ephesians two it talks about how we are being built together into a dwelling of God in Spirit.  Then in Rev 21 it says there is no need of the sun as God and the Lamb are its light.  But I'm seeing we're included in this too as Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden."  Matt 5:14 and this one in Proverbs 20:27, "The spirit of man is the lamp of the LORD." 

Many other verses about believers reflecting the Lord's light and glory too . . .

[Vine Abider]

20 hours ago, believeinHim said:

I do not believe the church is Christ anymore, As it has split off in to too many different sects of Religion. I believe the Body of Believers is who Christ is now. Anyone who is a professing Christian, Who believes in Jesus, Who listen to and lets the Holy Spirit work through them, And constantly prays to God to protect and watch and take care of them, This is Christ is now.

As Marilyn says below, it's always His ekklesia, so it always contains Christ.  Now regarding how much Christ is seen in various groups - that's a different matter.  One good example of this is in the Lord's letters to the seven churches at the beginning of Revelation. These ekklesias (called out gatherings) were all over the place, and some doing some pretty funky stuff.  But He still loved them all, and encouraged them to overcome the things He shone light upon.

Likewise today . . . no matter what a mess we see man has made of the church, He's still the one who said that it was His responsibility to build it!  By sight it looks bad and discouraging, but by faith we believe He will finish well what He started!

19 hours ago, Marilyn C said:

Hi believeinHim,

And I believe it has always been the Body of believers.

`God...gave Him, (Jesus) as Head over all things to the church which IS HIS BODY.`(Eph. 1: 22 & 23)

The word `church,`in Greek is Ekklesia, meaning the called out ones. Called out of Israel and the nations to be the New Man. (Eph. 2: 15)

(BTW - when I see the rose in your moniker, I think of the lines in the song, "Like a rose trampled on the ground - You took the fall, and through it all thought of me above all.")