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To: ealgeone
anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. The universal church of God is all those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Is this a definition that the early Christian Church would have expressed?

13 posted on 06/20/2017 5:02:05 PM PDT by iowamark
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To: iowamark

I do believe so.


16 posted on 06/20/2017 5:05:43 PM PDT by ealgeone
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To: iowamark; redleghunter; Springfield Reformer; kinsman redeemer; BlueDragon; metmom; boatbums; ...
anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence. The universal church of God is all those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Is this a definition that the early Christian Church would have expressed?

You tell me which particular organic church is referred to below, excluding others:

"For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:29-32) "

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)

For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. (1 Corinthians 15:9)

In contrast to,

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: (2 Corinthians 1:1)

And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house: (Philemon 2)

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3)

The first refers to the general body of Christ, which is the church, and in fact it is the only One True Church which always and only consists 100% of true believers, while the organic fellowships (the 2nd group) which they are to gather together in, inevitably become admixtures of wheat and tares. To be part of the first general body it is assumed one will be part of the 2nd group, but it is not be assumed that to be part of the latter means one is part of the former.

70 posted on 06/21/2017 4:18:50 AM PDT by daniel1212 ( Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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