ONE BODY
OBSERVATION: A NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH IS A BODY OF BORN AGAIN, ORGANIZED DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. ITS PRIMARY MANDATE IS TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL WORLDWIDE. UNITY MUST PREVAIL TO GET THE JOB DONE.
INTERPRETATION: EPHESIANS 4: 4(NKJV) THERE IS ONE BODY AND ONE SPIRIT, JUST AS YOU WERE CALLED IN ONE HOPE OF YOUR CALLING.
POINTS TO PONDER:
PETER AND JOHN PROCLAIMED THE SAVING MESSAGE OF SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. A GROUP OF RELIGIOUS JEWS, CALLED SADDUCEES, BECAME ALARMED AND TOOK THEM INTO CUSTODY, INSTRUCTING THEM TO STOP PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL. THEY REFUSED AND HELD FAST TO PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL MORE FORCEFULLY.
PETER’S MESSAGE PRODUCED TWO DIFFERENT RESULTS. IT SAVED MANY JEWS BUT IRRITATED THE SADDUCEES IMMENSELY. PETER AND JOHN’S WITNESS VERIFIED JESUS’ WORD. THE WORLD WILL HATE YOUR WITNESS! MATTHEW 10:22 (AMPLIFIED BIBLE) AND YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL FOR MY NAME’S SAKE. BUT HE WHO PERSEVERES AND ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED (FROM SPIRITUAL DISEASE AND DEATH IN THE WORLD TO COME).
CHRISTIANS MUST BE UNIFIED AND FORWARD LOOKING TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD. THEY MUST KEENLY RELY ON THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR SUCCESS. THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL DIRECT INDIVIDUALLY AND CORPORATELY.
APPLICATION: THE CHURCH IS A CLOSELY CONNECTED UNIFIED BODY OF BELIEVERS. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE CONNECTING FORCE.
