Introduction: The next mystery we are studying will be the Mystery of Christ and the Church (also known as The Mystery of the Body of Christ) found in Ephesians 5:32 “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church”. What is this mystery, when a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ by faith, he gets saved. At the moment of salvation, he is baptized by the Spirit of God into the body of Christ and becomes a literal member of Christ’s flesh and of his bones.
Who is Christ: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the Godhead. He is God manifest in the flesh, who came to this earth, died, was buried, and rose again the third day and is seated at the right hand of God the Father right now.
Who is the Church: The church is every saved believer from the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 until the rapture, which makes up the body of Christ.
- Ephesians 1:22-23 “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
- Colossians 1:18 “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.”
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 The body is made up of many members but remains one body- Ephesians 4:4-5 “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism”.
How are we placed in the Body of Christ: I Corinthians 12:12-27 we are baptized by the Spirit of God into the body of Christ. This baptism is not of water. To be baptized is immersion into something.
- This baptism is spoken of by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:11- “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire”.
- Romand 6:3-5 baptized into Jesus Christ as soon as they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ.
- After Acts 2:38 they were baptized with the Holy Ghost the moment they are saved-Acts 10:43-44 and 11:15-18.
- Galatians 3:27 “Baptistzed into Christ”.
- Colossians 2:11-12 This is an operation of God that puts every born-again believer in Christ the moment they are saved.
What Happens When we are Placed in the Body of Christ: Ephesians 5:30 “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”
- We become literal members of his flesh and his bones. I Corinthians 6:16 “For two, saith he, shall be on flesh”. So based on these two passages, Jesus Christ marries the church. Who are those that make up the church, that’s us. We then become members of his flesh and his bones.
The comparison given here is of a husband and wife. The husband is Christ and the wife or bride is the church, every saved believer in vs 29. A man leaves his parents and joins his wife and they become one flesh just like Christ and the church also become one flesh.
- Romans 12:3-5 “So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another”.
Benefits of being literal members of his flesh and of his bones:
- Seated in Heavenly Places- Ephesians 2:6 “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”
- Direct access to God- Hebrews 4:14-16
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