#4  UNITY OF THE BODY

1)   ONENESS OF THE BODY
  "I will build..." Matt 16:18
  "There is one body" Eph. 4:4
  Not "was or shall be" True today   Eph 2:14-16 Rom. 12:4,5;
  1 Tim 3:15--House--Church of
SEE: 1 Cor 10:17 "WE" the body as a  whole
   This is what we ARE
   Lord's Supper What we do
   1 Cor 12:12,13 "We" the whole
      "    "    27  "Ye" the local
    Eph 2:21       "ALL" the whole
    "  2:22       "Ye"  the local
 Church of God   1 Cor 10:32
 Churches of God 1 Cor 11:16
N.B.Local is an expression of  the whole--not a replica--  miniature

         SOME DIFFERENCES
 Body                                     Local
Positional                         Practical
    1 Cor 12:13                     1 Cor.1:1,2

2-Christ-Builder               Men-Build
  Matt 16:18                         1 Cor 3:10

3-Head of th Body           Three heads
   Col 1:18                            1 Cor 11:3

4-Male nor Female          Not so
  Gal 3:28                             1 Cor 14:34

5-Indestructible               Can be destroyed
  "gates of hell"                      1 Cor3:18--Rev 2:

6-Indivisible                     Divisions
  1 Cor 1:13                          1 Cor 1:10

7-No Unsaved                Unsaved
    Gal 2:4- Eph 5:27              2 Pet 2:1

8-ALL are in                   Within--out
    N-Without                        1 Cor 5:11

We are to express in our gatherings  THIS ONE BODY

                         PRACTICES TO KEEP
The unity of the Spirit Eph. 4:2
    Keep it, we cannot make it and it cannot be broken 1 Cor 12:13

                   HOW DO WE KEEP THIS UNITY?

1) By recognizing every believer as part of that body--individually--
     not the system to which they go
2) By calling ourselves Christians only. sad so many "BRETHREN"
     My wife--Donaldson she never calls herself by that name. Rev 3:8
3) By seeking harmony with   neighbouring assemblies--N.T.
    Assemblies were uniform in many ways--Acts 15: --Acts 16:5--
    1 Cor.4:17--7:17--11:16--14:33
4) By receiving to the assembly all that the Lord adds. Acts 2:41, 46
    Rom 15:7- not "because" by "AS"  the Lord received us.
5) By using the One load and One Cup in the Lord's Supper 1 Cor 10:
    16,17
6) By a mutual care one for another  1 Cor 12:25

 con't

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