Together as One

Is it so surprising that the Church has several different names?  We are the Church, the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ.  Each one reflects the character of our nature as we are one together Together, we’ll briefly explore how they bring impact.

Spirit to Spirit

As the Church, we are worshippers.  We revel in his presence and fellowship with him.

John 4:24 says, “For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Since we are made in his image, our spirit is what connects us to our Creator and Heavenly Father.  You cannot physically connect with God face to face.  Even when Moses went to the mountain, he saw God as a burning bush.  The glory of a face to face encounter would have crushed Moses’ mortal body.  (Exodus 3)

Yes, the mercy and grace of God was so intent on being present with us, that he sent his Son, the Christ, in the flesh, to interact with man, teach us, and even prove to doubting Thomas that Jesus was none other than God incarnate.

John 20:24-29
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

He took all our shame, sin, and infirmities with him to the cross and conquered them and the grave, so that we could walk in victory.  He bore it all for our freedom.  (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Matthew 8L:17 says, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses”

So the physical connects with the physical, and the spiritual connects to the spiitual.  We are made alive in Christ, and our spirit, connects to the spirit of God.

Together in Christ, we are also the Body of Christ. 

But Paul clearly tells us that all the parts of the body of Christ must work together and smoothly. Ephesians 4:4 says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling”. and Ephesians 4:15-16 tells us, “speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 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.”

Christ is the head of the body (Collossians 3:18) and he leads us and direct us as one together. Although though there are many different parts with many different functions, we are all fulfilling the work of the Body through Christ. There is to be no division among us, and when one member of the body hurts or suffers, we carry that burden together (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).

We all carry the mission together.

Romans 12:4-5
“For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Yes, we have our differences and we have our disagreements, but learning to work together and reason together is vital. It’s part of every family relationship. Learning boundaries is also important because we are all at different levels of maturity, in our emotions and our spiritual growth.

The Bride is Glorious

As the Bride of Christ we have a relationship between Christ and the body of believers, known as the church. The Bridegroom, Christ, has lovingly and sacrificially chosen the church to be his bride (Ephesians 5:25–27).

In biblical times, there was a betrothal period where the bride and groom were separated until the wedding. Similarly, the church, as the bride of Christ, is separated from her Bridegroom during the church age, also known as the age of grace. During this time, she was to remain faithful to the Bridegroom even though they were apart (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:24).

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you have received the gift of eternal life.   Together, we are “The Bride of Christ”.  The imagery of marriage is used to help us understand that he desires to have a personal and intimate relationship with him, as we walk  with him daily. To hear his voice and follow his leading, and be in tune with his prompting at all times.  This requires spending time with him. He wants us to intimately know his heart, and allow him to intimately know each part of our hearts. Even the parts we want to hide.  This is where the Bride grows in maturity and commitment to a stronger walk in the resurrection power his made available to us.

Ephesians 5:27 speaks of the reason for his intimate and sacrifical love for the Bride, his Church.

“He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.”

One day, the church will be united with Christ, and the official “wedding ceremony” will take place. We will be together with Christ as his bride (Revelation 19:7–9; 21:1-2).  Until we see the Bridegroom face to face, we must continue to grow in the love and relationship we have with the Bridegroom.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to be sensitive to your Holy Spirit, so that I will hear your voice and follow the prompting of your Spirit, as you lead me in all I do and say.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit that waters of your living water will flow from me to touch others around me.  Help me to establish a deeper and more intimate walk with you each day.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen