Being With The Body Of Christ aka The Church

From In Touch Ministries
© 2009 In Touch Ministries® All Rights Reserved.

"Have you ever met someone who claimed to be a Christian but refused to engage with other believers as part of a church body? Such people will often say, 'My spiritual life is between me and God. It doesn’t involve anyone else.' What a tragic, misguided view!

The Lord created each of us for relationship, both with Him and with other believers. We cannot be the complete men and women God wants us to be unless we are actively connected to others. That’s what the church is—a place of commonality wherein a collection of individuals forms one body. The benefits of these relationships are staggering. They . . .

1. Build confidence in God and in ourselves.
2. Encourage us when we are down.
3. Motivate us to greatness.
4. Stimulate our creativity.
5. Energize us when we are weary.
6. Comfort us when we are hurting.
7. Defend us when we are attacked.
8. Forgive us when we make mistakes.
9. Love us when we seem unlovable.
10. Accept us just as we are, unconditionally.

Such relationships characterized the early church—there was no concept of faith in isolation. Acts 2:44 is an amazing statement: 'All those who had believed were together and had all things in common.' It is doubtful that many modern churches could make this claim."

"The Fellowship of the Believers" (Acts 2:42-47 NIV)
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Hebrews 10:25 AMP
"Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching."