ONE BODY

[Eric Asante Obeng]

ONE BODY
TEXT EPH 4:1 – 6


INTRODUCTION: In 1984, my name Eric Asante Obeng was change into one body by some friends in the Islamic monotheim that believe the lord in Tamale. The same something happened in Southern Africa Bible College, when I was called “Baptised”.

A. Called out – primarily and by consequence called together.
i. There is no religious idea in the word used in the Greek, in Acts 19:32-41, the same word is translated assembly.
ii. The Church in the wilderness – Acts7:38, was the Assembly or the Congregation of Isreal.
iii. The Church of the Lord is an assembly of the Lord’s people that has been called out of the world. Col 1:13, IIThes 2:14, The Church is spoken of in different sense in the Bible.

B. One body means there is one Church in the Bible.
i. Christ build one – Singular Church Matt 16:18
ii. Christ died for one Church Eph 5:25
iii. Christ purchased the Church Acts 20:28, 1Tim 3:5, 1Tim 3:15
iv. The Church is the body of Christ, Col 1:18, Eph 1:22-23
v. We are all baptised into one body 1Cor 12:13
vi. Many member, yet but one body 1Cor 12:20

C. One body or one Church,
i. In general sense matt 16:18, Eph 3:10, Eph 5:26
ii. Limited or Local 2Cor 1:2, Rev 2:1-18, Rev 3:1
iii. The Church of the new Testament, a spiritual Institution with civic clubs, etc.

D. Figures and parables show there is one Church.
i. One flock – one shephard John 10:16
ii. Christ died for one Church, his body Eph 5:25
iii. One foundation – One building Eph 2:19 – 21, Isa 2:2, 1Cor 3:11
iv. One king – One Kingdom, mark 9:1 Luk 16:16
v. The prophets prophesied about one Kingdom only, Dan 2:44, Dan 3:7
vi. One husband (Christ) one wife, the Church

E. If Christ has more the (one Church) then he is guilty of bigamy. If he had more than one Church, none of the New Testament writers made mention of such
i. The Bible is complete and since it mentions one Church
ii. One head, one body, one seed, Luk 8:11, one product Eph 4:4
iii. Made both one body Eph 2:11-14

F. Questions that sometimes arises:
i. Are there different denominations found in the Bible? But the Apostles said there would be may false doctrines, Acts 20:28-30
ii. What about the seven Churches of Asia 1Cor 1:10-12, 1Tim 1:3
iii. Don’t the lesson about the vine and the Branches teach denominationalism? John 15:5
iv. Christ said, Abide in me, one must be in Christ to abide in him, but how does one get into him Rom 6:1-6, Gal 3:27

Conclusion:
One body = One Church
One Spirit = The holy Spirit is One
One hope = Heaven is one
One God = The Father is One
One Lord = Jesus is One
One Faith = The Bible
One Baptism = Water Baptism Acts 8: 38-39