The "One" Body

     Paul, the Lord's apostle, said "There is one body" in his masterful letter
to the Ephesians. (Eph. 4:4) Most  of  the denominational  world  agrees
in general terms with Paul's words.  As a matter of fact, I do not recall ever
having discussed Paul's statement with a denominationalist who disagreed
with it. The reason is, most people who are in sectarian churches believe
the  "one body"  is   the  universal  body  of  Christ  that  consists  of  all
denominations.They believe that the spiritual body of Christ is made up
of Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian,
Pentecostal, and all other denominational churches. Can this belief be
sustained by the sacred scriptures?

     First, Paul himself plainly identifies the "one body" of (Eph. 4:4). In the
same letter he says, "And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and
gave him to be head over all things to the congregation, which is his body,
the fulness of him that fills all in all." (Eph. 1:22-23) What is commonly called
the church (that is assembly, congregation, or group of the saved) is the one
body. So, when Paul says that there is "one body," the meaning is there is one
church or congregation of saved people! The Lord's congregation does not
consist of churches, it is made up of individual members. Therefore, we do
not read of "congregations of the church of Christ" in the New Covenant.
We do read that "the congregations of Christ greet you." (Rom. 16:16) The
reference is to local congregations that are independent and autonomous.
There is no hood of churches. We read of a "brotherhood" not a "churchhood."
(1 Pet. 2:17)

     Another point for us to consider is, Paul said, "There is one body." He
did not say there are two, three, a hundred, or a thousand bodies. He said
there is one body. One is one more than zero and one less than two, hence
it is singular! The apostle has already identified the "body" as the "congregation"
or "church," so when he says there is one body, he is saying there is one
church or congregation of saved people. There was a time when the Lord's
disciples believed and taught this important truth. Now, there are some who
are determined to appear peaceful to the denominational world and they
rarely   preach  sermons or teach  Bible  classes  devoted  to  discussing
this fundamental doctrine. I believe with all my heart that the New Testament
teaches there is only one body, which is the church or congregation of Christ,
that Jesus is its head, and that no other religious body is acceptable to the
great God of heaven. (Matthew 16:18; Eph. 5:23-27; Col. 1:18,24, et.al)

     Second, we can also be certain that the "one body" does not consist of
any denominations because no denominations existed when Paul wrote
those words. If  you  believe  they  did  exist, what passage in the New
Testament identifies them? Which passage implies that they are authorized
to exist? No denominations existed for several centuries after the apostolic
age! They were all started by human beings; they are perpetuated by
human beings, and they will partake of the same judgment that the schemes
and doctrines of men will receive on the last great day of human history!
(Matthew 7:21-23; 15:13-14)

     There was "one body" when the apostles lived, and there is "one body"
now. Denominations are not part of the one body now, they never have been
part of that for which Jesus Christ died, and they never will be part of the
one body of Christ.
                                                                                               RD

Copyright 2011