Sound Words (Page 23)

The Church is a Body The church is compared to the human body. A body is the physical structure or form of a human that includes bone, flesh, and organs. These intricate components are assembled in such a way to give the body strength and flexibility. King David marveled at the human form and rightly praised its designer. “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.…

The Church Has Been Purchased The church, the body of faithful believers in God, is unique in that God has adopted us to be His children. The apostle Paul addressed the saints at Ephesus and cited their spiritual blessings in Christ. As saints, they were chosen to be holy and blameless. He mentions their adoption by God. It was by Christ that they were made acceptable. Christ also afforded them redemption and forgiveness of sins. These blessings were not miraculous,…

The Church is the “Called Out” The church, in its simplest form, is an assembly of persons. If fact, the root meaning of assembly is “called out”. That could be any group of citizens called out from their homes into a public meeting. God has issued a calling for believers. We are called to be saints in one body of believers. To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to…

The Christian is a Priest A priest is a religious leader with the authority to perform rites or rituals. Priests offer sacrifices and communicate with Deity. We most often associate priesthood with the Mosaic Law. Under the Mosaic Law, priests were authorized to burn incense, make certain sacrifices, and anoint persons or objects for holy purposes (Numbers 4:16). They even acted as medical examiners (Leviticus 14). The role of priest predates the law of Moses. Offerings were made to God…

The Christian is a Steward A steward is one who is charged with the responsibility to supervise or keep an organization or a possession. A steward does not own that which is placed under their supervision rather, they are entrusted with this duty by the rightful owner. In Matthew 20:8, the steward of a vineyard had the responsibility to gather and pay the workers their daily wage, others oversaw households. Regardless of assigned responsibility the primary qualification of a steward…

The Christian is a Farmer The Apostle Paul uses several analogies when addressing Timothy, the young evangelist. The first was the Christian as a soldier. The second analogy was that of an athlete. The last is about a farmer. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore…

The Christian is an Athlete The Apostle Paul uses several analogies when addressing Timothy, the young evangelist. The first was the Christian as a soldier. The second analogy is that of the athlete. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good…

The Christian is a Soldier An analogy is like a metaphor or simile in that is shows how two things are similar. An analogy, however, goes on to explain the meaning of the comparison. The Apostle Paul uses several analogies when addressing Timothy, the young evangelist once under Paul’s tutelage. You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful…