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Is the Church the body of Christ?

 Submitted: 4/2/2013
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Question: According to Ephesians 1:23,the Church is defined as the 'the body of Christ' and 'the fullness of Him who fills all in all'. 1. Is the Church the literal body of Christ? 2. What does the 'fullness of Him fills All in All' mean? 3. What does 'to be baptized in to the body of Christ' mean?(1Cor.12:13+Gal.3:27)
Answer: 1. Is the Church the literal body of Christ?

The terms 'church' and 'body of Christ' both refer to the same group of human beings. They are the body of born again believers who have Jesus Christ as their head. The church is God's means for expression Himself onm the earth.

2. What does the 'fullness of Him fills All in All' mean?

Jesus is the Spirit who fills all in all. The church is 'the fulness of Him.' This means that the church completes Him similar to the way a wife completes a man. This is not to say that Jesus is in any way incomplete without the church; the completeness has to do with His eternal plan, not His Godhood. He has determined by His own free will to express Himself through the body of born again believers.

3. What does 'to be baptized into the body of Christ' mean?(1 Cor.12:13+Gal.3:27)

Repentance and water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ is the door through which a person enters Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:27 says, 'For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.' To be baptized into Christ is equal to being joined to the body of Christ, 'for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones' (Ephesians 5:30).






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