The Lord is speaking to us about our identity as the Body of Christ and last Sunday the Lord showed us what it means to recognise the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 11:29). God's purpose in Christ is to create one new man, the people of God, through whom He desires to reveal His holiness (see Ezekiel 36:23-38; Eph. 2:11-22). Through faith in Christ the believer is not only reconciled to God but also to His people so that in Christ the believer is made one with Christ (vertical relationship - 1 John 4:15) and one with His Body (horizontal relationship - Eph. 2:15,16). The believer must realise his new identity by faith by living according to his new relationship to God, the Church and His people (Israel - Eph. 2:12,13; Rom. 11:17,18). Consequently to recognise the Body of Christ is to honour and distinguish the Body of Christ (Jesus and the Church) as holy. To not recognise the Body of Christ is to profane the Lord's body and blood and the Church (see 1 Cor. 10:14-22; 11:17-33). The believer must understand that s/he has been baptised into Christ's Body, which is the Church and that s/he therefore has a new identity and responsibility. The people of God are called to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3), the unity purchased by the blood and body of Christ. Being unforgiving, divisive and being inconsiderate of other believers is to "despise" the Church (1 Cor. 11:22) and is to not recognise the Body of Christ. The Lord's Supper is both the proclamation of what Christ has done for us as well as the recognition of the believers' unity in Christ as His Body, the Church (1 Cor. 11:26-29).
We praise God for His revelation to us!
This Sunday at 3pm we will be meeting for a baptism service at the Baptist Church in Eschersheim (Haeberlinstr.3, F-Eschersheim).
Quote of the week
"A man ought to examine himself before he eats the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." 1 Cor. 11:28,29
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