Personal Devotion, Church and The Body of Christ

Print

God said through Paul that it is better to remain single, if possible, while at the same time God says we are to be church, which is two or more gathered together. My takeaway? When I’m being Church, my experience of Jesus is actually higher than during my individual devotional times. In our New Testament reality, there is a power seen when we come together that isn’t found when I am on my own.

“I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.”
1 Corinthians 7:7-8

“And I tell you once more that if two of you on earth agree in asking for anything it will be granted to you by My Heavenly Father. For wherever two or three people come together in My name, I am there, right among you!
Matthew 18:20 PHILLIPS

Body of Christ: Many as ONE

Body of Christ: Many as ONE
Wow, I always thought my most intimate moments with God were supposed to be just Him and me. But in Church, I am functioning as the Body of Christ. It isn’t as if I am not in the Body when I am on my own, but when we come together, our unified meeting is multiplied. While this doesn’t negate my need for a personal devotional life, it does emphasize the Church in importance. It’s not that I don’t have to maintain my individual relationship with the Father ­– I do. But more than that, the objective of Church is to bring my individual relationship into the unity of the Body of Christ.

I mean, brethren, the appointed time has been winding down and it has grown very short. From now on, let even those who have wives be as if they had none.
1 Corinthians 7:29 AMPC

We are Church

We are Church
A Lone Ranger approach to our Christian lives is not the goal. I’m not a maverick in the Spirit; I am one in Christ’s body. I’m a treasure hunter looking for that Perfect Pearl, which is Him. In Christ we become one, individual members of His unified Body.

When I come together in the Body of Christ, I usually come full, not lacking. Not that there aren’t seasons where the Body feeds me, but this should be the exception, not the rule. Many come to church expecting to simply be fed, kind of a “dine and dash” scenario. Whereas the actual Body of Christ consists of members who have the fullness of His Life and seek to feed. The Spirit flowing in the Body of Christ allows fruit and Life to come from the newest convert to the most seasoned saint. Life is the byproduct of the Body of Christ.

Church is the Life of Christ: One Body under One Head. In Church the many members come together as One to let His Life express itself. This is Church! God’s call of us to remain single, whether married or not, is the untying of ourselves from any earthly entanglement so we are expressing His Life as Church to our world.

Now He is the head of the body which is composed of all Christian people. Life from nothing began through Him, and life from the dead began through Him, and He is, therefore, justly called the Lord of all. Colossians 1:18 Phillips

RSS
Facebook19
Visit Us
Follow Me
Tweet
GAB
Telegram
Copy link
SOCIALICON
SOCIALICON
Subscribe
Notify of
4 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Pauline
5 years ago

“Many come to church expecting to simply be fed, kind of a “dine and dash” scenario. Whereas the actual Body of Christ consists of members who have the fullness of His Life and seek to feed.” When you say the “actual” Body of Christ, are there believers who are not the Body of Christ? Don’t know the answer to that; just thought to ask. The “dine and dash” group, sad to say, are the majority in our fellowship and it actually seems to bring about a powerlessness in the whole Body. And I’m not exempt, John — there have been… Read more »

Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  Pauline

Are you looking to get me in trouble? ?The distinction I’m making is the “Body of Christ” vs. simply people attending a church service. I believe there might be many attendees of church who actual aren’t apart of the Body of Christ. Like Keith Green used to say, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonald’s makes you a hamburger!” I don’t think it is a problem to go occasionally unprepared because life happens, but there is such richness when you come full ready to give. It’s like an uncle who comes to every… Read more »

Robin
5 years ago

Beautiful. Just beautiful!

Admin
5 years ago
Reply to  Robin

?