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Unification of the Body of Christ |
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Posted By: abelajohnb
This is a message that has been on my heart for some time - perhaps close to the better part of a year. It has been a hard learned lesson. Thankfully it has been taught to me by a loving Lord and His Word. None the less, it was still a hard lesson to apply to my own life, but I have come to understand that it is a matter at the very heart of God.
I hope you will be able to find the heart of this short message. It is much shorter then what I felt I would initially share, when I got around to doing so, as over the last few months I have written a great deal of this matter in my private journal. I know the Lord is still implanting further aspects of this into my heart and perhaps one day will be able to bring it all together in a full text format for both my own life application, and for the glorification of others as well.
Unification of the Body of Christ:
A few years ago a local pastor started teaching on the topic of "Your Identity in Christ" that has totally helped turn the church around! What started as a seemingly simple topical series turned into a life-style-change for everybody who was able to experience this teaching. Now, a few years later, the pastor is still preaching on the topic of our identity in Christ - not because he is long-winded, but because he hit upon something the Church had forgotten, something that has revolutionized not only the church, but other local churches, and eventually the city as a whole! What was once a city of lost people has become a city of people who understand who they are in Christ - but it does not stop there!
As the pastor explained to me some months back, one does not only find your identity in Christ, but you find your identity in the Body of Christ. As we become more aware of who Christ has made us to be, we also become more aware of what Christ has made the Body to be. He shared with me two key verses he has been using as the foundation of this change:
Ephesians 4:11 says, "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers".
1 Corinthians 12:12 says, "The body (which is we Christians) is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body".
As I myself have thought on this issue for the last year or two since I first meet with the pastor, I have come to agree with him that a great many of us have forgotten who we are in Christ. Yes, the Father has made us all individuals - but individuals within Christ, within the Body.
As individuals we have our independence, opinions, thoughts, feelings, hurts, manner of doing things, and most importantly, our faith. All uniquely ours, yet all uniquely intertwined together to form the Body of Christ for two purposes: The first purpose is to Glorify our Creator. The second is to expand the Kingdom of Christ here on earth.
I have come to conclude that even if the second reason for the Body of Christ is never realized, never fulfilled during our time, the first reason will never pass away, never be nullified, never be exterminated by anything or anybody for any reason - the Glorification of God is at the heart of all of Creation. Praise God!
Often times, we as Christians, do not get so hung-up on the first reason as we do the second reason. This has caused me many hours of meditation and seeking insight into why. What I think it comes down to is that we have let our individualism interfere with the unity of the Body of Christ, and we have therefore put a sword into the very heart of our ability to fulfill the growth of the Kingdom of Christ.
Throughout the history of histories it has been set upon us to fulfill the duty to help advance forward the Kingdom of Christ. Those generations who have been able to unite together have done great deeds for the Kingdom of Christ to grow. Those who have not unified, and instead individualized, have failed - and such will be the case throughout the span of Earth's history until the King comes again. Unification will also see the fruit of growth, while individualization will always see the downfall of a civilization and their faith.
For many months I have tried to open my own eyes to this, to see the truth of this, to see the absolute need for unification - for in the end, what good is a single coin buried in the middle of a field when compared to that same coin being united together with other coins for the advancement of the owner of the field. Christ taught us this lesson in the Parable of the Talents.
This has lead me to constantly remind myself that while I am growing inwardly, I must also be growing as apart of the Body; ever striving to be united, ever striving to help others, every striving to advance the Kingdom of Christ on Earth!
Blessings to all,
John B. Abela
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Posted: 12/27/07 10:21am - Total Views: 872 - Category: Christian Life
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savedbyegrace |
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Posted by:
savedbyegrace 
(Posted: 12/27/07 11:28am)
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John, this is really deep. I can see why it's taken so long to put into words. I hesitated to even respond for fear of somehow "cheapening" your content or making too shallow of a response.
That said,  on so many levels. Unity in my mind is summed up by the Lord's words to his disciples:
John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
And if we love one another, we are not quite so eager to be an individual, but rather to be identified with those we love. Parents are pleased to be known to other people as the mother or father of their child. As we should be pleased to be known as a member of the Body of Christ.
You also speak eloquently to the importantance -- the necessity of belonging to a local church body. When we all have a specific calling and function for Christ, it is used and showcased in conjunction with the callings or functions of others. They mesh. Other than for a brief season, I believe with all my heart that a Christian should belong to a local church body -- and not only to belong, but to be an active member, serving shoulder to shoulder.
Imagine the impact we could have for furthering the cause of Christ in the world if we just had one goal: to glorify God, without regard to self.
Thanks for taking the time to post this important blog.
YSIC,
Grace
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maddie |
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Posted by:
maddie 
(Posted: 12/27/07 6:22pm)
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John what an excellent blog. God has ministered to me about unification also... As I know the Spirit has ministered to many other Christians.
I cannot express into words the way you have.
Thank you for that blog.
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revelationfourteenfour |
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Posted by:
revelationfourteenfour
(Posted: 12/27/07 9:47pm)
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Brother John,
I feel so within walking distance of your thoughts, it is so chilling to know someone can also see within Gods imagery. God has been showing my family and me signs for the last 2 years as well. Oct 18, 2005 is when I really started to realize that God is trying to tell me to Listen within, on a daily basis. Now His wanting me to Start Sharing Gods Intentions. Show-How to Act Upon Gods Required Commands, after that, Watch for incredible breathtaking consequences, that will produce Revelation 22:1-7 Here on Earth Matthew 6: 9-15 If we are in accordance with conditions in that prayer; our next step is to insure that the requests we make to God are truly in-line with God's desires. They should be if we have honestly met conditions "Thy will be done"
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iraqivetsgtret |
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Posted by:
iraqivetsgtret
(Posted: 12/28/07 2:53pm)
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ty you for this post john. it reminds me of the first church that i was a memeber of and it was"cliquey. the last one was the same and the rescent one now is smaller and you see the "oprahish/dr phil sensitive mentally. i want to be convicted so i can get corrected and grow into who christ called me to be and not what everyone kinda sorta says i should be according to them and not the word. it's all about him always has and always will be
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kreynolds |
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Posted by:
kreynolds
(Posted: 12/28/07 3:40pm)
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As a teenager, when I was going through a difficult time, I turned to Jesus' prayer in the Garden of Gethsemene. I was shocked to discover that Jesus was praying for us! The theme of his prayer was that we might be one even as he and the Father are one.
Often the enemy does not attack from the outside, he attacks from within. That causes more destruction than anything else!
May we be one in Christ Jesus as Father and the Son are one.
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bimonics |
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Posted by:
bimonics
(Posted: 05/04/08 1:31am)
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Dear John,
Thank you for your simple clear message. It reminds me immediately of two important ideas that have impacted my view of the Body of Christ down through the years. And please know that my desire is to unite with you from a stirred up heart rather than to presume to teach you anything.
First, you spoke of us "all uniquely intertwined together to form the Body", which i find to be a beautiful paraphrase of part of Eph 4:16, "the whole body fitly joined together and compacted". Now what follows is relevant to this subject and quit amazing, "by that which every joint supplieth". It is not you or i as a bone in the body that edifies itself in love, but the joint of the two that supplies!
Secondly, you spoke of two purposes; 1) "to glorify", and 2) "to expand." In studying church history i finally got past the protest of Luther and found the bigger split in 1054 between the East and the West. Now the dumbfounding thing here is that to be an Eastern Christian is "to glorify" as part of ones identity; and to be Western is "to expand" as ones identity; thus we say we are evangelicals. For what it is worth. Grant.
all uniquely intertwined together to form the Body of Christ for two purposes: The first purpose is to Glorify our Creator. The second is to expand the Kingdom of Christ here on earth.
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Member Biography |
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Raised in a private Christian school until his senior year, Mr. Abela has been around the Christian Faith nearly his entire life. Shortly after entering High School he became involved in researching his Native American heritage and soon found himself deeply involved in the Native American religion. Shortly before his...
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thoughts from pastors across america, part 1
