25 Sept. Paul explains the meaning of ‘the body of Christ’
"God chose you to be his people, so I tell you now to live the life to which God called you. Always be humble, gentle and patient, accepting each other in love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. so do all you can to continue together in this way."
"There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to have one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything and is everywhere and in everything."
"Christ gave each one of us the special gift of grace, showing how generous he is. That is why it says in the Scriptures:
'When he went up to the heights,
he led a parade of captives,
and he gave gifts to all peoples'..." [Psalm 68:18]
"And Christ gave gifts to people - he made some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to go and tell the Good News, and some to have the work of caring for and teaching God's people."
"Christ gave those gifts to prepare God's holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger..."
"The whole body depends on Christ, and all the parts of the body are joined and held together. Each part does its own work to make the whole body grow and be strong with love,"
(Ephesians 4:1-16)
In his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul describes the special gifts that each believer is given in order to build up the ‘body of Christ’ – the Christian church.
Paul explains that some believers are appointed to be apostles. Like Paul himself, the apostles were early leaders of the church who had a personal experience of the risen Lord Jesus. The apostles included Peter, James (the brother of Jesus) and John (the author of John’s Gospel).
Paul says that others in the church are appointed to be prophets – to speak out the word of God and to proclaim God’s message to their own generation.
Others in the church are to be evangelists – spreading the Good News about Jesus, while others serve as pastors – caring for Christ’s flock, and as teachers – expounding and explaining the Scriptures.
Paul concludes that God has prepared all of God’s people for the work of Christian service, in order to build up the ‘body of Christ’, the followers of Jesus.
The photo shows a 4th century Byzantine cross inscribed on a fragment of masonry at Laodicea.
You can read more from Paul's Letter to the Ephesians @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/15-paul…/gods-secret-plan/