Appreciating the "Church Life" (aka body life)

[Vine Abider]

I've heard the phrase "the church life" for several years here where I fellowship locally, but it wasn't until recently I started to appreciate more regarding what that really means. The phrase isn't to be found in scripture exactly, so I've actually had a little aversion to it whenever I would read it or hear someone mention it.

But in the last week or so I've gotten a new appreciation. There is life in the body of Christ, and we are all members of that one body and are joined to one another - we are joints of supply to each other!  It's what God has done and He has placed each of us as members in the body as He sees fit, (1 Cor 12:18) to help us in many eternal ways.

And we need one another to speak faith to each other, encourage each other, love each other, care for each other - in this way be are being infused with faith and are being built up a spiritual house for the habitation of God in Spirit!  (1 Pet 2:5 & Eph 2:22)

Therefore my spirit rejoices to get with the saints regularly, meaning several times a week.  I'm realizing more that this is how our loving Father has designed things in order to dispense the riches (of Christ) in His household to all of us.  This is God's economy (administration).  As we get together to pray, praise and worship Him, our faith is built up to do these things more & more!

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  1 John 1:3

What an amazing relationship of love we've been called into!

To the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He's graced us in the Beloved!  Eph 1:6 

[AdHoc]

15 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

I've heard the phrase "the church life" for several years here where I fellowship locally, but it wasn't until recently I started to appreciate more regarding what that really means. The phrase isn't to be found in scripture exactly, so I've actually had a little aversion to it whenever I would read it or hear someone mention it.

But in the last week or so I've gotten a new appreciation. There is life in the body of Christ, and we are all members of that one body and are joined to one another - we are joints of supply to each other!  It's what God has done and He has placed each of us as members in the body as He sees fit, (1 Cor 12:18) to help us in many eternal ways.

And we need one another to speak faith to each other, encourage each other, love each other, care for each other - in this way be are being infused with faith and are being built up a spiritual house for the habitation of God in Spirit!  (1 Pet 2:5 & Eph 2:22)

Therefore my spirit rejoices to get with the saints regularly, meaning several times a week.  I'm realizing more that this is how our loving Father has designed things in order to dispense the riches (of Christ) in His household to all of us.  This is God's economy (administration).  As we get together to pray, praise and worship Him, our faith is built up to do these things more & more!

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.  1 John 1:3

What an amazing relationship of love we've been called into!

To the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He's graced us in the Beloved!  Eph 1:6 

A very important point. The word is "Ekklesia" and means, "the GATHERING of the called-out ones". Ephesians 4:1-15 gives the reason for the "Gathering" - so that each joint or member brings its supply to build the next. This is a central theme of 1st Corinthians too, and here a crucial point is sometimes missed. The wording of Chapter 3 seems to allow a brother or sister NOT to work. It actually seems a safe way because our work is to be tested by fire. No work, no test, and no fire. But it is not so. At the end of Matthew Chapter 7 it is made clear that ALL are building. The brother who does not the word of Christ is also building - but on sand.

We are all building, whatever course we take, and dire is the warning attached to slothfulness. "If you "marr" (lit. Gk) my House, says the Lord, I will "marr" you." (1st Cor.3:17).

But another point needs some light. 1st Peter 2 says that it is a spiritual House. Therefore, the building by the saints mst be spiritual. Sometimes that which supplies the spirit gets blurred with that which builds the SOUL. The overriding principle in the New Testament is that the "SOUL" ("Psuche"-Gk.) is to be denied where it seeks to interfere with the spirit. So a careful evaluation of all Church activities must be maintained. For instance having a modern acoustic band for the music. This needs a certain upkeep and personalities are involved. Modern music can be very enticing for the soul and different people appraise it differently. Added to this, the New Testament Assembly is designed, by the Lord, to be adaptable to hostile surroundings. The hundreds and hundreds of saints in Russia and China that ended up in jail and even the grave, will testify that even a quiet song in a Wutong in Beijing can bring the authorities to investigate.

The point is not to spoil the fun of 100 youths in a hall in San Diego, but that "fun" belongs to the SOUL and not the spirit and should not cause loss for the Assembly.

In this same philosophy, the work of the Deacons should be carefully established. the Ekklesia is NOT a social work. Marriage problems, alcoholism and domestic violence are supposed to be met by self-denial, not with the formation of a "ministry team".

The All-Mighty is very clever. he foresaw everything a trillion years ago. he could have regulated it in the Bible. So, if its not there - don't touch it. We love doing things for the Lord. But in Matthew 7:21-23 doing an un-commanded thing makes you "a worker of iniquity" - no matter how good.

[Vine Abider]

1 hour ago, AdHoc said:

A very important point. The word is "Ekklesia" and means, "the GATHERING of the called-out ones". Ephesians 4:1-15 gives the reason for the "Gathering" - so that each joint or member brings its supply to build the next. This is a central theme of 1st Corinthians too, and here a crucial point is sometimes missed. The wording of Chapter 3 seems to allow a brother or sister NOT to work. It actually seems a safe way because our work is to be tested by fire. No work, no test, and no fire. But it is not so. At the end of Matthew Chapter 7 it is made clear that ALL are building. The brother who does not the word of Christ is also building - but on sand.

We are all building, whatever course we take, and dire is the warning attached to slothfulness. "If you "marr" (lit. Gk) my House, says the Lord, I will "marr" you." (1st Cor.3:17).

But another point needs some light. 1st Peter 2 says that it is a spiritual House. Therefore, the building by the saints mst be spiritual. Sometimes that which supplies the spirit gets blurred with that which builds the SOUL. The overriding principle in the New Testament is that the "SOUL" ("Psuche"-Gk.) is to be denied where it seeks to interfere with the spirit. So a careful evaluation of all Church activities must be maintained. For instance having a modern acoustic band for the music. This needs a certain upkeep and personalities are involved. Modern music can be very enticing for the soul and different people appraise it differently. Added to this, the New Testament Assembly is designed, by the Lord, to be adaptable to hostile surroundings. The hundreds and hundreds of saints in Russia and China that ended up in jail and even the grave, will testify that even a quiet song in a Wutong in Beijing can bring the authorities to investigate.

The point is not to spoil the fun of 100 youths in a hall in San Diego, but that "fun" belongs to the SOUL and not the spirit and should not cause loss for the Assembly.

In this same philosophy, the work of the Deacons should be carefully established. the Ekklesia is NOT a social work. Marriage problems, alcoholism and domestic violence are supposed to be met by self-denial, not with the formation of a "ministry team".

The All-Mighty is very clever. he foresaw everything a trillion years ago. he could have regulated it in the Bible. So, if its not there - don't touch it. We love doing things for the Lord. But in Matthew 7:21-23 doing an un-commanded thing makes you "a worker of iniquity" - no matter how good.

And, as we've addressed before, everyone is made an able minister of the new covenant!  It is for freedom that Christ set us free. yet while all things are lawful, not all things are profitable for the building up.  The systems men put in place, and that includes the vaunted clergy/laity system, will not build up - only Christ working through us will . . . there are many counterfeits to this genuine building up of the Spirit.

Only the Spirit begats that which is spirit, and our soulish endeavors will do nothing to build the ekklesia of Christ - not one iota. 

That is why there needs to be the freedom of the members to live out Christ and nourish one another. The body of Christ is a living organism and will flow life to each member - an organization cannot.

I am SO blessed and praise God for the local fellowship he's had me in these last 25 years!  I receive and share the experience of Christ with every member. As one song says, 🎵"Praise God He put us here, never to leave oh we're abiding, abiding in the vine!"🎶

[Neighbor]

17 hours ago, Vine Abider said:

Therefore my spirit rejoices to get with the saints regularly, meaning several times a week.  I'm realizing more that this is how our loving Father has designed things in order to dispense the riches (of Christ) in His household to all of us.  This is God's economy (administration).  As we get together to pray, praise and worship Him, our faith is built up to do these things more & more!

 

And...Somewhere in the background are several staff and volunteers making the facilities available, functional, and ready to use. For those people the church life  never ceases, it is a 24/7 proposition.

[Vine Abider]

4 hours ago, Neighbor said:

And...Somewhere in the background are several staff and volunteers making the facilities available, functional, and ready to use. For those people the church life  never ceases, it is a 24/7 proposition.

And with our little gathering of around 60 adults with no paid "positions," that be us doing all those things - just more excuses to get together with other members of the body and enjoy Christ in the body/family! 

[AdHoc]

The grand Type of what @Vine Abider alludes to is the TITHE of Israel. Three time a year Israel was to gather at Jerusalem and the Temple and FEAST. The Law demanded that "no one appear empty handed", and further demanded that the Levite, the widows and the orphans were included in the Feats WITH THE LORD'S TITHE. Israel's aspirations were their LAND and their DIET. Everything centered around their FIELDS, THEIR FLOCK, THEIR HARVEST AND THEIR BELLIES. The Feasts were there when an Israelite took the first and best tenth of what he was working the Land for, and distributed it among other Israelites. So also the Church.

The God Land is the most comprehensive Type of Christ in the Bible. The Christian, like the jew, must work the LAND. In our case it is what we were SPIRITUALLY blessed with during the week. If I spend 15 minutes with my Lord every morning, and if my day is committed to Him, even when I concentrate on other things, I will enjoy the riches of Christ. It might be that He is my Burnt Offering. Or it might be that He is my Rock. Tomorrow I enjoy Jesus as my mountain - so high, so beautiful, so permanent. And on Friday His Word was a two-edged sword convicting me of my fallen thoughts. Just think. I will enter the Assembly, the GATHERING, with a large TITHE of spiritual experience. I will be able to share for ten minutes. My sharing will touch several members.

Now, imagine 16 or 20 people do this. What a wealth of spiritual growth will take place. The new Christian will learn 20 things in one session. And now we must ask ourselves; What organization is needed for that? Maybe one of the Elders must ask a brother to let another speak because he is so eager. Maybe a sister will ask a deacon for his handkerchief because she forgot her head covering and wants to prophesy. Maybe the host will give every one a cup of tea or coffee after the Assembly. THAT will need some planning. I have been in Meetings in Central Africa that lasted all day. The average African does not have a car. Most must walk for two or three hours to the Meeting, and then another three hours home. Do you think he/she will come all that way for a Nicolaitan system where one uninspired brother (or sister) prattles from university notes?

I remember giving a message on Baptism. It lasted an hour because I dealt with six reasons for being Baptized. When I finished, there as silence. And then some humble older brother from a back row said; "Brother, I think you are not finished". They had not walked all that way for half a story. That meeting in Accra lasted seven hours that day - seven hours where perhaps 40 brothers and sisters contributed - some more than others. We went home saturated with the Word that day.

This is the mind of God for His House;

16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. (Dt 16:16–17)

[Vine Abider]

24 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

The grand Type of what @Vine Abider alludes to is the TITHE of Israel. Three time a year Israel was to gather at Jerusalem and the Temple and FEAST. The Law demanded that "no one appear empty handed", and further demanded that the Levite, the widows and the orphans were included in the Feats WITH THE LORD'S TITHE. Israel's aspirations were their LAND and their DIET. Everything centered around their FIELDS, THEIR FLOCK, THEIR HARVEST AND THEIR BELLIES. The Feasts were there when an Israelite took the first and best tenth of what he was working the Land for, and distributed it among other Israelites. So also the Church.

The God Land is the most comprehensive Type of Christ in the Bible. The Christian, like the jew, must work the LAND. In our case it is what we were SPIRITUALLY blessed with during the week. If I spend 15 minutes with my Lord every morning, and if my day is committed to Him, even when I concentrate on other things, I will enjoy the riches of Christ. It might be that He is my Burnt Offering. Or it might be that He is my Rock. Tomorrow I enjoy Jesus as my mountain - so high, so beautiful, so permanent. And on Friday His Word was a two-edged sword convicting me of my fallen thoughts. Just think. I will enter the Assembly, the GATHERING, with a large TITHE of spiritual experience. I will be able to share for ten minutes. My sharing will touch several members.

Now, imagine 16 or 20 people do this. What a wealth of spiritual growth will take place. The new Christian will learn 20 things in one session. And now we must ask ourselves; What organization is needed for that? Maybe one of the Elders must ask a brother to let another speak because he is so eager. Maybe a sister will ask a deacon for his handkerchief because she forgot her head covering and wants to prophesy. Maybe the host will give every one a cup of tea or coffee after the Assembly. THAT will need some planning. I have been in Meetings in Central Africa that lasted all day. The average African does not have a car. Most must walk for two or three hours to the Meeting, and then another three hours home. Do you think he/she will come all that way for a Nicolaitan system where one uninspired brother (or sister) prattles from university notes?

I remember giving a message on Baptism. It lasted an hour because I dealt with six reasons for being Baptized. When I finished, there as silence. And then some humble older brother from a back row said; "Brother, I think you are not finished". They had not walked all that way for half a story. That meeting in Accra lasted seven hours that day - seven hours where perhaps 40 brothers and sisters contributed - some more than others. We went home saturated with the Word that day.

This is the mind of God for His House;

16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee. (Dt 16:16–17)

Brother, that is so awesome what you conveyed!  Just yesterday I was thinking how I wished that all Christians could experience this kind of open fellowship and meeting!  The is no substitute and nothing else measures up to the spontaneous and fresh sharing of saints in gathering together.  NOTHING!

And, as you said, what is brought to the gatherings is an overflow of a member's touch with the Lord prior to that.  EVERYONE has a song, a hymn, a speaking from the word, a testimony of the Lord working/speaking in their life, etc.  And, if someone is lacking, then they are nourished by the others!

Hallelujah for this feast!

Edited June 26, 2023 by Vine Abider
typo & clarity

[Alive]

This was my experience for most of my years in the Lord…Amen.