Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

What is the Church?

The question seems rather redundant at first sight, in view of the proliferation of Christian gatherings found throughout the western world today, who all view themselves as Church, regardless of their sectarian distinction.

But does a cultural or institutional belief in Christ automatically constitute a person associating with other believers a member of the Church in a biblical sense?

What does the Word of God actually say about the Church?

Quite frankly, Paul refers to the Church as the Body of Christ, that is, those born of God's Spirit in Christ Jesus as New Creatures and Sons of God,

according to His good pleasure and sovereign choosing from before the founding of the world, to serve as First fruits of those gaining salvation for eternal life.

Since the Church is composed of those who are the First fruits, or Firstborn, of God, it follows that there is also a second, and vastly larger, group of believers who will be harvested at the return of Christ, to survive Armageddon.

Correspondingly, the Bible clearly distinguishes between those who will constitute the New Heavens and those who will be part of the new earth, which God has promised.

Hence, the purpose of the Church, the Body of Christ is to serve as the New Heavens appointed over the new earth of believers coming out of the great tribulation.

How, though, can we see this scriptural view reflected in the world around us today?

Which Church, or Churches, are the Body of Christ today, and where can we find those non-Church believers, who will survive here on earth to live forever upon it?

These, and similar inquiries, will be pursued next.

An idol is something we set our affections on more than YHWH, it can even be a bible. Jesus Christ is the “Word of God”, not only is he the Word of God, he is the living Word of God.

First century Christian's received the life of Christ Jesus as living truth in them. Subsequently, they could not worship a material object, because Christ Jesus himself was their invisible head, in a glorified spiritual body, which they had become members therein.

Jesus while on earth told them a time was coming that we could no longer set our affections upon lesser material objects, and please YHWH, stating; “The hour is coming and it is now, that all true worship will worship in Truth and Spirit.”

That Truth is Jesus Christ the living Word of God, and the Spirit is God's Holy Spirit, which created the glorified spiritual temple of the living God YHWH, which is found in the body of Christ Jesus. Jesus further stated that we could no longer worship in a certain mountain upon earth, founded as sacred places for temples, and such. But only in his Son Christ Jesus as the sacred place God rest towards us.

Setting our affections on lesser objects makes us an idolatry walking by sight, and not by faith. Claiming and earthly organizations as our mother, settings one affections upon it, or even clinging to a bible as though it will save us is foolishness, it is the living Word of God where salvation is found for all human beings, God is not far off from anyone of us when seek in faith setting our eyes above, putting complete faith in God's love.

The Church is made up of those who testify of the death, burial and resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ.

One

This is the one I should have commented on; what you stated is just that simple, how I wished we all stay within those simple guildlines for truth.

Thanks

Well, if the Body of Christ consists of those who say they believe in the death and resurrection of Christ, then there are today about 2 billion people indwelled by the Holy Spirit,

who last century alone were responsible for the torture and murder of over a hundred million people, and who are currently supporting terrorists and rogue opposition forces all over the world in campaigns of genocide and with weapons of mass destruction -

no wonder your 'Church' is blaspheming the God of Truth so much that He will soon have to wipe it all out.

But here is a clue; the nominal Church is not the Body of Christ, just as it is also written: "Those who are not My people will be called Sons of the Living God!"