The Daily Word of Righteousness

Ephesians 2:8,9, continued

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. (Psalms 91:14—NASB)

When we put our faith in the Lord Jesus, calling on the name of the Lord, as David did, the power that works in us lifts us far above all the works of Hell, of darkness, of Satan. They cannot stand in His Presence. They flee in disarray. He is too strong for them.

If Satan could not prevent the resurrection and ascension of Christ then he cannot overcome you. Pray that your heart will be enlightened until you are fully aware of the awesome power at work on your behalf.

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. (Ephesians 1:22,23—NASB)

The Lord Jesus Christ is Head over all things, including the Church. However the Church is in a special relationship to Him. The Church is the Body of Christ, His fullness.

The revelation that the Church is the Body of Christ appears to have been given only to the Apostle Paul. The other writers do not mention this.

If there is a more profound revelation in the Scripture we do not know of it. The Christian Church is actually the Body, the fullness, of Christ.

Of course we could get off base with this concept and begin to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. But there is no need for error. The Lord Jesus Christ is the great exalted Head of true Israel, of the Church of God. The Church is not separate from Him. The Church is an integral part of Him with all this implies.

The Christian churches are social institutions but this aspect is overemphasized in our day, at least in America. It is also true that the Christian churches are the holy Lampstands of God; holy not because they are extraordinarily pure (though they ought to be!) but because they have been set apart by the Lord for His special purpose. Holiness has to do with closeness to God, with the election of the priesthood.

The Christian assemblies are not only the representatives of Christ they are the fullness of Christ, the Body of Christ. The local body indeed is important but then we need to get a glimpse of the larger unity, the one Body of Christ, the greater part of which at any given time is in Heaven with the Lord.

There is the Judaic religion and there is the Christian religion. Both of these are manmade and serve as scaffolding that will be removed in time.

The true Church, the Body of Christ, the Olive Tree, began with Abraham. It is one Seed and that Seed is Christ.

The Olive Tree passed by promise, by prophecy, to Isaac, Jacob, and the sons of Jacob.

When the Lord Jesus Christ came the Olive Tree passed on to a remnant of Jews and a remnant of Gentiles.

When the full number of Gentiles has been brought into the Olive Tree, which is Christ, God will turn again to the physical land and people of Israel. This is written and cannot be altered in any manner.

To be continued.