Today’s heaven-bound “church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) and “fellowship of the Mystery,” (Eph. 3:9) which is called “the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:16) is different from all other callings in these eight respects.

1. We of “His body” are a people Chosen-Out of humanity without regard to any fleshly, racial, or national distinctions (Eph. 1:4). The believers of “His body” are chosen out of the great mass of believers for the special purpose of service in heaven. Remember that Israel also was a Chosen nation, but they were not the only ones who were believers throughout the ages.

2. We as members of His Gentile “body” are the only people whose ‘sphere of blessing’ is NOT on this earth, but in heaven (cf. Eph. 1:3).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephesians 1:3 (KJV)

We are those blessed “in Christ” (not blessed ‘in Abraham’) to ultimately dwell “in heavenly places” (not the earth). Thus we have no prescribed part in Christ’s millennial kingdom or in the New Jerusalem to come on the ‘new earth.’

God’s eternal plan was for His two people groups, much as The US President is Commander and Chief of both the Airforce serving in the ‘high above’ sphere while he has the army serving ‘on the earth.’ Recall that it was the Ascended celestial Christ who called Saul Paul and with this ‘heavenly’ message for His heaven-bound ‘elect’ who will serve Him “Far above” … even while also having His earthly people of the Nation Israel’s called remnant are to serve Him as His agents in “the Kingdom come on earth.”

3. The time of His choosing and the purpose for this Heavenly “body of Christ” is unique. We were chosen from BEFORE The Overthrow (‘foundation’ is the Heb. the ‘katabole,’ ‘the Overthrow’ of Eph. 1:4, Gen. 1:2). No other family of God is of this “before the world began” origination. This put the church of the “great mystery” (Eph. 5:32) in line to have partaken of the promise of “eternal life in Christ” from Before The Ages Began.

“That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same [one] body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:” (Ephesians 3:6 (KJV)

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of LIFE [Grk. zoe, Christ’s “spirit of life”] which is in Christ Jesus,” (2 Timothy 1:1 (KJV)

“In hope [expectation] of eternal life [zoe], which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” (Titus 1:2

4. We as the grace-believers of “His body” are people who as members are placed as “sons” (by adoption) according to God’s ‘predestination’ (Eph. 1:5 below). Not all the children of God are placed as “sons.” This position is “by Jesus Christ” “according to the good pleasure of his will.” Again, there are no fleshly racial, or national distinctions in this matter as it was with Israel’s calling.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” (Ephesians 1:5 (KJV)

5. The “church” of the dispensation of “the Mystery” is a cognomen (i.e., a word for ‘a branch of a family’), which is used of none other assembly of God. This is “The Body” of which Christ is “the Head” (cf. Eph. 1:23). No other body has this distinction. Note that His own “body” is of a closer relationship with the risen Lord than is revealed anywhere else. Consider that your body is closer to you than your spouse – Christ’s own “body” is closer than His “bride [the remnant Nation of Israel].”

6. This people has an identification which transcends that of any other. We have been ‘quickened, raised, and “seated” with and “in Christ’ (cf. Eph. 2:6). And our outlook is to be manifested to “[appear] with Him (cf. Col. 3:4). Otherwise, all dead believers are dead and buried, awaiting their ‘resurrection’ to newness of life’ (cf. Rom. 6:3-4). But now as members of His Gentile “body,” He;

“… hath [already] raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Eph. 2:6) But;
“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in [heaven’s] glory.” (Col. 3:4)

7. This is a fellowship, dispensation, a household of God which was not revealed to the prophets; “kept secret since the foundation of the world” (Rom. 16:25). It “was hid in God from ages and generations” (Col. 1:26).

Thus, we have this unique commission to proclaim to ALL men of the ‘dispensation [fellowship] of the mystery’ (Eph. 3:9).

“… to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Ephesians 3:9 (KJV)

8. In all other families of God there is only delegated authority, with a difference in position among the various believers. But in this “church. which is the body of Christ” there is a joint relationship among His members in all aspects (Eph. 3:6). No Member Is Above Another. There is no priesthood. There are no judges, no king, or authorities. All are equal. Even the ‘teachers, pastors and evangelists’ have no more authority than you and I have.

Today’s “church, which is His body” is a foretaste of “the dispensation of the fulness of times” when the Nation Israel will serve the Lord God in their sphere upon “the earth,” … while the Gentile “church [assembly]” of “the body of Christ” serves with “the HEAD” of the body “in the heavenly places.”         

¹⁰ … In The Dispensation Of The Fulness Of Times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10 (KJV)  

- Portions and concepts have been broadly adapted from E.W. Bullinger, Charles H. Welch, and other sources such as  www.believer.com and https://levendwater.org/index.cfm, by Arthur J. Licursi