A plea to the people is made by Peter in Acts 2:40 after telling those hearing his words of how to be saved as recorded in 2:38. In verse 40, he said, And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. This exhortation was for the people to obey the gospel and become a member of the body of Christ, the saved.  The people of that day were what Paul told the Corinthians some years later, Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. No longer were they a group or body of people; they were now a body of people owned by Jesus Christ and which has many members. (I Corinthians 12:27)

The nature of the assembly is the earthly representative of Christ as one body of people who serve the Lord and nothing else. The one body is to do the work of Christ by preaching the gospel to the lost, teaching and edifying the members (the saved) of the body here on earth. Paul told the Ephesians There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6) That is the eternal message that began on the Day of Pentecost and which continues being one of the many facets of the nature of the church. Notice the word one. There aren’t differently named bodies as some teach. One body began on Pentecost and people became members. Acts2:46-47 tells us about the people who heard the gospel. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. Those who obeyed the gospel were those, such as should be saved. Keep in mind the words and having favour with all the people. Those words tell us a lot about the people who obeyed the gospel and how they were viewed.

Verse 40 speaks of separation from the unsaved. When the gospel is obeyed, a separation from the old life begins. It is instant in God’s eyes, but it won’t be an instant transformation for the new life in Christ. The assembly will have those who are more mature in Christ; those who are learning to be more mature in his ways; and those who are just beginning the most marvelous journey in life, that of doing God’s work as part of the body of Christ as a new born.

When the present day religious world as it is called is examined, division and strife is seen throughout the land. It appears that many have forgotten that the purpose of Jesus on earth was to give us salvation through his death and hope for eternal life authored by his resurrection. The essential nature of the body is that the people who make up that body are saved from the wicked generation in which they live. They are in the world but not of the world; regrettably, that isn’t apparent in many of those who claim Christ.

As a member of the body, one must be separate from the world; that is, not taking part in the evil of the ungodly and the works of the unsaved. That is another indicator for the nature of the church. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15, Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Then in verse 17 and 18: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. One cannot be a son or daughter of God trying to partake of the ungodly things of the world which are authored by Satan.

Now lets’ look back at Acts 2:42 where we find the words having favor with all the people. The ones who obeyed the gospel began to show a different kind of life. It was one oriented toward God in a different manner than which came through trying to follow the Laws of Moses and that met with approval by those who were present in those days. They were letting their light for Christ shine as Jesus taught: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

So far a brief glimpse of the nature of the body shows it to be of one accord in Christ finding favor with people due to good works and changed lives. The beginning assembly was a group of people who obeyed the gospel and who had separated themselves from the evil ways of the world that was destroying their lives and now they lived for Christ. That is the beginning of the distinctive nature of the assembly (church).

© 11-01-2009 DEC

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