The body of Christ is not a denomination.
It’s made up of people, believers in Jesus, where ever and when ever they have lived.
The unifying bond is the new birth, being spiritually born again by the Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration in a person, not by church membership or affiliation.
If one actually wants to assign a church as being the true church, go to Scripture where Paul tells the Corinthian church that they are the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12 explains it well, with Paul saying this in verse 27….
“ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ”
It’s people, not organizations.
Yes.
I just finished reading “The Normal Christian Church Life” by Watchman Nee.
Check him out. Locked up by China, died in prison for his faith.
I read it about 30 years ago, and searched and found the book in my pile.
His main point is that the Church is the Local Church= The Believers in an area.
That does not jive with ‘denominations’ in any way.
The Elders of the local church are the leaders and authority of it.
Not traveling visitors, etc., even visiting Apostles.
The Apostles were ‘sent out’ to start new churches, setting up Elders to lead them. Then they moved on.
Nee develops this by narrating through the book of Acts.
I expect, as we continue in this confused world, that True Christians will be winnowed out. Denominations (I almost typed Demon-ations) will wither or fight against Godly belivers.
The CHURCH will gather/coalesce, as it did in NT times. And will see persecution, etc. as it did then.
The difference will be that this will be the end times, the perfection of the Bride, not the beginning of the spread of the Gospel.