The Church Today
“Now ye (plural) are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)
What is the correct name for “the church” today? There is no assigned name but we do have descriptive Biblical phrases from Paul’s epistles that properly define ‘the church today.’
The real “church” today is what that the Apostle Paul called “the church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a), also called “the body of Christ.”
This church was never prophesied or spoken of before the Apostle Paul.
This church of “the revelation of ‘the mystery’ (Gk. musterion, meaning, ‘secret’)” that was revealed to Paul was of Christ but … of Christ in His new form as a multi-membered spiritual body of believers.
This then is “… Jesus Christ, according to The Revelation of The Mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,” (Romans 16:25). Paul says, this church of the “mystery” that concerns the crucified and resurrected Christ in “His body” … “was kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25). His permanent indwelling is unique to this age, providing His all-sufficiency to member of “His body.”
The living expression of this invisible assembly of likeminded members of “His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) is the only legitimate church that exist to be seen on earth today.
This church is not restricted by a defining sect name, a building, a legal corporation, a set of hierarchical religious laws, traditions, rituals, or rites, nor by racial distinction… for this church assembly consist of “all men” who would believe in the Cross-work of Christ as Savior as … the sole object of their faith. All those in this union with Christ are “One” regardless of race.
“There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
This “church” was not revealed until a few years after the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth on earth was completed by His crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection, and Israel’s final rejection of God the Father, His Son Jesus the Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
Only then did “the church” for today begin; with conversion, salvation, and ministry of Saul of Tarsus; when Jesus Christ from heaven, saved him and sent him to the “Gentiles” now as Paul, with the knowledge of “the mystery” of the Christ indwelled “church,” which literally is thereby His Spiritual body” on earth today, as it will later be “eternal in the heavens” (2Cor 5:1b).
Israel was at one time “the church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38), which had been prophesied and revealed as being Israel under “the cloud… in the wilderness.” But after Israel’s rejection of Messiah, Paul’s conversion began the “church” of the multi-racial “body of Christ” (Gal. 3:28) that “had been kept secret,” for it was never spoken of before it was revealed to Paul… for us today.
“For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in ‘the mystery of Christ’) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” (Ephesians 3:1-5)
“Whereof I (Paul) am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me (Paul) for you, to fulfil (Gk. pleroo, complete) the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this ‘mystery (secret)’ among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:25-27)
For those who may question the Apostle Paul’s credentials, please consider these Holy Spirit inspired verses.
“That I (Paul) should be the (not one of the) minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:16 (KJV)
“For I (Paul) speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I (Paul) am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:” (Romans 11:13 (KJV)
“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I (Paul) write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 14:37)
“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:16)
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my (Paul’s) gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the ‘revelation of the mystery,’ which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations (Gk. ethnos, all races of mankind) for the obedience of faith:” (Romans 16:25-26)