Are all church members a part of the body of Christ?

[for_his_glory]

chessman,

No, mate! I used an analogy of a tick on a cow to try to demonstrate that if a person chose to commit apostasy, the body of Christ was still fully the body.

This is the analogy of a tick to which I referred: https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/environmental-health/pests-and-insects/ticks

I apologise that my analogy was not clear enough. I hope you understand now that it was NOT a red herring logical fallacy by which I changed the topic.

Oz

The tick got me to thinking about those who seem to be like the body, but have no form of godliness. Those are they who God will pluck out receiving the wrath of God in the end

2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

 

[GodsGrace]

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you. Are you saying that we don't play a part in our repentance? If so, how do you explain what Jesus said here in the following:

Luke 13:1-5 NKJV
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Matthew 4:17 NKJV
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Mark 1:14-15 NKJV
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

John the baptist also said the same. Matthew 3:1-2 NKJV
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

It seems repentance is an action imparted by us. I also believe, "I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel." Martin Luther

I agree with you and would like to add that a problem we have these days in understanding what the word believe means. I'm so tired of posting this that I'm beginning to hesitate but I always think someone might be reading along that doesn't know this. Perhaps a new Christian.

The word believe does not mean what we want it to mean.
Some think they need to "accept" Jesus and "believe" in Him and they are saved.

To accept also means to become His disciple...to want to learn from Him. And to believe means to put our full trust in Him and to follow in His ways.....which means OBEY Him. I never see the word obey used much these days.

God always wanted obedience.

So, yes, I think it's important to understand the word believe.


A1. Belief, Believe, Believers [Verb] pisteuo "to believe," also "to be persuaded of," and hence, "to place confidence in, to trust," signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence.

It is most frequent in the writings of the Apostle John, especially the Gospel. He does not use the noun (see below). For the Lord's first use of the verb, see John 1:50. Of the writers of the Gospels, Matthew uses the verb ten times, Mark ten, Luke nine, John ninety-nine. In Acts 5:14 the present participle of the verb is translated "believers." See COMMIT, INTRUST, TRUST.

 

[ezra]

I agree with you and would like to add that a problem we have these days in understanding what the word believe means. I'm so tired of posting this that I'm beginning to hesitate but I always think someone might be reading along that doesn't know this. Perhaps a new Christian.

The word believe does not mean what we want it to mean.
Some think they need to "accept" Jesus and "believe" in Him and they are saved.

To accept also means to become His disciple...to want to learn from Him. And to believe means to put our full trust in Him and to follow in His ways.....which means OBEY Him. I never see the word obey used much these days.

God always wanted obedience.

So, yes, I think it's important to understand the word believe.


A1. Belief, Believe, Believers [Verb] pisteuo "to believe," also "to be persuaded of," and hence, "to place confidence in, to trust," signifies, in this sense of the word, reliance upon, not mere credence.

It is most frequent in the writings of the Apostle John, especially the Gospel. He does not use the noun (see below). For the Lord's first use of the verb, see John 1:50. Of the writers of the Gospels, Matthew uses the verb ten times, Mark ten, Luke nine, John ninety-nine. In Acts 5:14 the present participle of the verb is translated "believers." See COMMIT, INTRUST, TRUST.

to many have a false sense of belief .. i used something like this a while back . in a message

 

[billybalke]

to many have a false sense of belief .. i used something like this a while back . in a message

Belief is a general word which includes all aspects of a subject