Body of Christ

JFS,

I think your question is a good one but I do not find a chapter and verse about your question; there, however, may be a reference there to your question.

When we receive Christ as Savior [John 1:12] we are married to Christ, spiritually speaking. [I Corinthians 6:17] Will we ever not be married to Him? I think we will be united to forever. I guess I would say that each one of us Christians will always be a factor in 'the Body of Christ' even in eternity.

On this board almost always someone will disagree. Let's see what happens.

"Ray"

 

Israel was married to the Lord. [Jeremiah 3:14 a,b,c,d] We too, are married to our Lord Jesus. Notice that our relationship to the Lord is eternal. [John 3:16 & Revelation 19:7 & 9] Our marriage to the Lamb of God will be celebrated either in Heaven or on the earth with the added benefit of 'The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.' Will you and I not be part of the Body of Christ in Heaven? I think the mystical union with Him will remain.

 

JFS,

People used to say brother Smith or sister Johnson. Yes, we are bonded together because we are 'in Christ.' [I Thess. 4:16]

Notice references to 'brethren' meaning brothers and sisters, the term 'the body of Christ' and the fact that we are 'married' to the One who arose from the dead, namely, Jesus our Lord.

 

JFS,

Sorry, my last post needed this reference: Romans 7:4.

 

If you are speaking of the physical Body of Christ the physical church, then technically you do stop being part of the body of Christ. You are no longer here in the physical realm to carry out the great commission of the Christ which is going into all the world making disciples...

If, when you die from this natural realm, you have faith in God, especially the Son, then you remain eternally part of the BRIDE of CHRIST, and your "work" is over and you enter into rest in the "arms of Jesus" forever.

 

In some old theological books you could read about 'the mystical body of Christ.'

One of Webster's definitions reflects this idea and truth. ' . . . involving or having the nature of an individuals' direct subjective communion with God.' {meaning our Lord}

Because we have received Christ [John 1:12] we are in an everlasting union with our Lord. [John 3:16, I John 3:9, I John 5:13] We see it in the lives of those who love Jesus and have experienced peace with God. [Romans 5:1]

 

I think we all believe and know that not everyone who sitting for years in a church pew is saved, and, therefore, is not in the 'mystical, spiritual body of Christ.' When you stand before the Lord no one is going to get into Heaven by merely saying, "My father and grandfather were members of this church; I was born in the church."

Being in the body of Christ requires a genuine faith/trust in Jesus. [I John 5:10 & 12]

 

I think many of us would say that their is a 'difference' in being in a room full of 'pagans' and a room full of 'Christians' (even when their tradition(s)are different from our own). The 'atmosphere' is different, in a way that goes beyond the obvious conversation(s) that are going-on. That is because of our 'connection' to Christ...we are all brothers in the Lord.

 

It is also (I forgot the most important thing) because HE is in our midst...

 

Have you ever felt that you are closer to brothers and sister in Christ in your local church than family members/blood-line, who are unsaved and outside the body of Christ? This has been my experience.

 

Hmmm...didn't St Paul feel a 'mystical'kinship to all the churches under his authority? I agree with Ray here. I feel closer to Christians than to unsaved 'blood relations'.

 

Absolutely not we are literally surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, our brothers in Christ who have gone before who must be praying for us and cheering us on in this race.

Hebrews 12
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

 

Someone said, 'So then it is logical to conclude that our brothers and sisters that have gone before us to their reward can hear our requests(prayers) for prayers.

Ray is saying, 'I have a little different view on this subject. Heaven is not like the elves working in the workshop for Santa Clauss. If Jesus is God, and He is----Almighty God does not need a network of helpers, (Heavens' angels and saints) due to His stress because of the billions of prayers that He hears everyday. My God is bigger than to have need of a staff.

There is nothing in the O.T. or N.T. that indicates that newly arrived saints in Heaven are assigned a room titled, "Dial A Prayer Room."

Scripture often refers to the saints worshipping the Lord who is seated on His throne in Heaven. The first thing that the Apostle John saw when arriving in Heaven [Revelation 4:2] was the resplendent throne and the glorious Christ who sat on said throne. Around His throne were twenty-four seated Elders who were crowned. The Elders were representative of all of the glorified saints along with the 'four beasts' [vs. 8] or as some say the four living creatures. None of these beings or saints were answering your prayer line. Not that there is time---in Heaven but the Bible says, these living creatures were found worshipping 'day and night' [vs.8]. God had created these beings to worship and adore the Triune Godhead as they were found saying, 'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.' After offering up 'glory, honor, and thanks to Christ' [vs. 9] the twenty-four Elders kneeled down before Jesus, and placed their crowns before His grand Holiness. And what were the words from the hearts and minds of the Elders. 'Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou has created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.'

Just think, we who were once sinners--- because of His regeneration have become His 'new creations' [II Cor. 5:17] because of His mighty working in our hearts. When it comes our time to go to be with the Lord, it will not be to be assigned to the "Dial A Prayer Room", but rather to worship and adore, not Mary, but Jesus Christ Who is God.'

You said, 'Through Jesus (because we are all united through Jesus) they can hear our
requests. They are not dead because they are alive in Christ just as we are. I
have never requested from a saint in heaven for them to tell me my furture.'

Ray is saying, 'The saints and angels are not Christian astrologers assigned by God to tell us about our future. And if the saints actually saw all of the world events and troubles in families that we are praying for, they could hardly enjoy the happiness of the other world called Heaven.

You said, 'I have only requested that they pray for me and my family. If I ever get a
verbal response from any of them I probably will check my self into the
Loonie bin.'

Ray is saying, 'Pray to the Lord; He is more than capable of dealing with your prayers. In fact He will know your inner concern before you whisper your request to Jesus. At times we do not even know how to prayer for certain matters. Even in our frustration, ' . . . the Holy Spirit helps our infirmities; for we know not what or how we should pray, but the Spirit Himself {within our hearts} makes intercession for the saints, {meaning us} according to the will of God.' [Romans 8:26] The Holy Spirit sees the intent of our concern and explains it to God above, when we think our prayers get no higher than the ceiling.

You said, 'We are a family. And as long as we are alive in Christ we will remain a family.'

Ray is saying, 'I am more than willing to agree with your above two sentences. Hebrews 12:22-23 seems to indicate that when we have a faith/trust in Jesus and really love Him, we have 'come unto Mount Zion, and {near} to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem . . . ' The New Century Version says, 'You have come to Jesus, the One who brought the new agreement from God to His people, and you have come to the sprinkled blood that has a better message than the blood of Abel.' [Hebrews 12:24]

Yes, we who are Christians on this earth are bonded, if you will, with those already over on the other side. God knows of this connection between earthly saints and saints who are in Heaven. Jesus does not back out of His agreements or covenants and declares in John 3:16, that whoever really believes in and loves Jesus already has everlasting life. Is this not what the glorified saints are enjoying already? Yes!!

The great Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 6:17 reminds us that all Christians are ' . . . joined to the Lord and are one spirit with Him.' We are only a couple heart beats away from Heaven where we will see our resplendent/radiant Savior and Lord.

Berrian, Th.D.