The Body Of Christ-2

The BODY Of CHRIST-II—1Corinthians 12:12-31

Attention:

Sour Cream Pound Cake

from: The Pirate’s House Cookbook(1982)

1 C Butter

3 C Sugar

6 Eggs

3 C Sifted Flour(White Lily is best)

1 C Sour Cream

½ tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

½ tsp. Almond Extract

Have butter & eggs at room temperature. Grease & flour a 10-in. pan.

Preheat oven to 325°.

Cream butter until soft. Beat in sugar & beat until light & fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift together flour & baking soda. Add flour & sour cream alternately to creamed mixture, starting & ending with flour.

Add flavorings and beat until smooth.

Pour into pan, smooth top & bake for 1 ½ hours or until golden brown, top springs back when touched, cake shrinks from sides of pan & a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack before turning out. Slice thin to serve.

All of the above ingredients, when applied properly according to direction, will produce a memorably delicious Pound Cake!

If even one ingredient is missing, substituted, not measured correctly, or is mis-applied, then there is no cake(or at least not a memorable one). It’s texture & flavor will be off & at best it will only be mediocre.

*Likewise, the gathered Church working in unity will produce the full ‘texture & ‘flavor’ of the Body of Christ. The church is to be the embodiment of Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:24-25—“I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, & fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God,”

The apostle Paul maintained the significance of the Church's being the Body of Christ.

What is exhibited by that entity known as the Body of Christ?

Last week we found that ‘The Body Of Christ Exhibits...’

1. An IDENTIFIABLE COMPOSITION(:12)

2. A WILLINGLY EMPOWERED INVITATION(:13)

3. BELONGING(:14-17)

Today we’ll find that:

The Body Of Christ also Exhibits...

4—A DIVINE PLACEMENT(:18) The Body Of Christ Exhibits...

4—A DIVINE PLACEMENT(:18)

:18—“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

God’s Choice’—“God has set the members”...“just as He pleased”

*See also...

:28—“God has appointed...”

:4—“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”

:11—“But one & the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

•FYI—This also clarifies that The Holy Spirit is Himself God, as are the Father & the Son.

Likewise, God is the Author & Finisher of your faith thru Christ Jesus(Heb. 12:1-2).

•Heb. 12:1-2—“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, & the sin which so easily ensnares us, & let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author & finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, & has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The following is something to help us reason thru the Scriptures & particularly as we look at the reality that God Himself places the gifts of the Spirit by His own will.

There is a little book titled ‘Why Tongues’ by Kenneth E. Hagin(Ken Hagin’s Daddy), printed in 1975. Kenneth E. Hagin is credited with pioneering the ‘Word Faith’ movement, as well as being a ‘Prosperity Gospel’ proponent.

In Part II under the heading, ‘Ten Reasons Why Every Believer Should Speak In Tongues’ is a paragraph stating, “The Word of God teaches that when we are filled with the Holy Ghost, we speak with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance. It is the initial evidence or sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the first reason people should speak with other tongues is—this is supernatural evidence of the Spirit’s indwelling.”

Now IF I understand Kenneth E. Hagin correctly, then the spiritual gift of ‘tongues speaking’ is for ‘every’ Christian of every era. Thus there never have been, nor ever will be Christians who do not have that particular gift of the Holy Spirit....

*Such belief flies in the face of Paul’s arguments here in chapter 12!...

•1Cor. 12:4-11—“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one & the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”