The Nature of the Church and Our Relationship to One Another

1. The Nature of the Church and Our Relationship to One Another The role of faith and how to increase in it. Believing and the realm of the heart. True knowledge – knowing Christ VS. only knowing about Christ.

2. We are the very Body of Jesus You do not belong to “a body” – but “the body”. There are not many bodies of Christ. • Rom 12:4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, • Rom 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. • 1Cr 10:17 Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. • 1Cr 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. • 1Cr 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. • 1Cr 12:20 But now there are many members, but one body. • Eph 2:16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. • Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; • Col 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

3. We are part of one another, belonging to one another. • Rom 12:5 - "so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."

4. God lives among us corporately • 1 Corinthians 3:16 - Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? • 1 Corinthians 3:17- If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. • 1 Peter 2:5 - you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. • Eph 2:21,22 - in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

5. We are to be knit together • Col 2:2 - that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself. • Knit together - süm-bē-bä'-zō Meaning “to unite or knit together: in affection”

6. The Body is to have love and affection for one another. • Phil. 1:8, “For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” • The Greek word for affection is splagchnon, which literally means emotion from the inward parts. • I Thessalonians 2:8 “Having thus a fond affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you have become very dear to us.” • Let’s be knit together more by having strong affection, longing, and prayer for one another throughout the week. • Praying and interceding for one another knits us together in our hearts.

7. We need Christ in one another • 1 Corinthians 12:21- And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you.” • Independence from one another is not God’s way.

8. We build and grow each other • Eph 4:15 - but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, • Eph 4:16 - from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

9. When we love each other or harm each other, we do it to Christ • Act 9:3-5 As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, • Mat 25:37 - "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.‘ • When love is not returned, we are still loving Jesus. • When we seek independence from one another, or we don’t want to be with one another, we are seeking independence from Christ. • Paul “longed to be with” his brothers and sisters.

10. Let’s seek to edify one another • 1Cr 14:4 - One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. • 1Cr 14:5 - Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. • 1Cr 14:12 - So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. • 1Cr 14:17 - For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. • 1Cr 14:19 - however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. • 1Cr 14:26 - What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. • Through the Holy Spirit we have gifts, insights, prayers, scripture, discernment, and love to build one another up.