A TOOLBOX FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST

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In Christ Doctrine

In this age of Grace, between the cross and the "catching out" (Harpazo), or between the 69th and 70th week of Israel's time, God has implemented a part of His plan that is totally "new" and unique in relation to times past. It is the "salvation" or "rescue from the wrath of God" by "whosoever will" believe or have faith in Jesus the Christ for their salvation. It is by "Grace through faith" in Jesus the Christ that man is saved and is placed "into Him" which no other people in history have had the honor. As being a member of this peculiar group of people called the "Body of Christ" we need to realize who we are, what God has done for us and what He expects from us. Since we are a "new creation", a remnant from the Israelite and Gentile Nations, which are neither Jew nor Gentile, He gives us a set of directives, the letters to the Churches that demonstrate the way of life for the Body of Christ under Grace instead of under the letter of the Law. The following is a list of things that God does for and to the one who trusts in His Son for salvation. As you read each work of God and the passages notice the phrase "in Him" or "in Christ Jesus", for this is who you are and where you as a "believer" now stand. As each passage is read and contemplated do not neglect reading before and after the selected text. Sometimes even paragraphs and chapters before and after each passage or group of text is necessary to gain the full understanding. Never forget Context!

The "New Creation"/Birth of a Believer

  1. Under a new covenant - Heb chapters 8 and 9 note 9:15; Rom 5:18-21
  2. Baptized "into" Christ by the Holy Spirit - Acts 1:4-5, 19:1-7 note v5; Rom 6:1-7 note v3-4; 1Cor 12:12-13; Gal 3:26-27; Eph 4:4-6; Col 2:11-12
  3. Receive the Grace of God - Rom 3:22-24, 5:1-2, 6:14; 1Cor 1:4; 2Tim 1:9
  4. Receive the mercy of God - Ram 11:28-32; /Pet 2:9-10
  5. Receive the Holy Spirit - 1Cor 12:12-13; 2Cor 1:21-22; Gal 3:2,14; Eph 1:13-14; 2Tim 1:14; lJn 3:24, 4:13
  6. Receive the gift of Eternal Life - Rom 5:21, 6:22-23; 1Tim 1:15-16; 2Tim 1:1, 8-10; lJn 1:1-2, 5:11-13,20
  7. One with Him as the "Body of Christ" - Eph 3:6, 5:23-24,31-32; Col 1:24, 3:15; Gal 3:28-29
  8. "Bride of Christ" in betrothal - 2Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-32 note v25-27 then 32. Rev 19:6-8 the wedding
  9. Given the mind of Christ - /Cor 2:10-16 note v16; Phil 2:7-5; Co/ 3:1-4
  10. Forgiven of sin - 2Cor 5:18-19; Col 1:14, 2:13, 3:13; Eph 1:7, 4:32
  11. Died with Christ and freed from sin - Rom 6:1-11 note v7 and 11; 1Pet 2:24; lJn 3:5-6
  12. No longer condemned - Rom 8:1
  13. God's wrath is removed from us - Rom 5: 9-11 note v9; 1Thess 5:8-10
  14. Rescued from darkness - Co/ 1:13
  15. Redeemed - Gal 3:13-14; Tit 2:13-14
  16. "In Christ" any individual Jew is freed from the (commandments that can be broken resulting in condemnation) Law of Moses - 2Cor 3:6-14 note v14; Gal 2:15-16, 3:15-25
  17. "In Christ" all men are freed from the law of sin and death - Rom 8:1-2, 6:1-14 note v7 and 14
  18. Placed us into the "Kingdom of the Son He loves" (which is currently in Heaven) - Co/ 1:13
  19. We are chosen - Eph 1:11
  20. Acceptable to God - Eph 1:6 (KJV)
  21. Made alive/quickened (KJV) - 1Cor 15:22; Eph 2:1-5 note vi; Col 2:13
  22. Born again - /Pet 1:3-5 note v3,23; lJn 5:1
  23. Regenerated - Titus 3:5-6 note v5
  24. A new creation - 2Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15; Eph 4:17-24 note esp. 22-24
  25. Created to be like God - Eph 4:22-24 note v24
  26. Being transformed into His likeness - Rom 5:19, 12:2; 2Cor 3:18; Jas 3:9
  27. Redeemed - Rom 3:24; 1Cor 5:5 note "bought at a price"; Gal 3:13-14; Eph 1:7-8; Heb 9:11-14
  28. Justified Rom 3.-24-26, 3:28, 4:5, 5:1-2, 5:16-18, 10:10; 1Cor 6:11; Gal 2:15-16; Titus 3:3-7 note v7
  29. Made righteous - Ram 3:22, 4:24, 5:18-19, 6:15-18, 9:30; 2Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9
  30. Sanctified - 1Cor 1:2,30, 6:11; Heb 10:14
  31. Made holy - Rom 6:22; /Cor 1:2; Eph 1:4, 4:24, 5:25-27; 1Pet 2:5
  32. Glorified - Rom 8:17-18,28-30 note v30; Co/ 3:4; 1Pet 1:7, 4:14, 5:1-4,10
  33. Perfected forever - Heb 10:13-14
  34. We are called into His wonderful light - 1Pet 2:9
  35. Made meet - Col 1:12 (KJV), translated "qualified" in NIV
  36. Marked in Him with a seal - 2Cor 1:21-22; Eph 1:13-14, 4:30
  37. Brought near - Eph 2:13
  38. Purified - Acts 15:9; 1Pet 1:22-23
  39. Clothed in Christ - Gal 3:26-27
  40. We belong to God - 1Pet 2:9
  41. Circumcised from the flesh in Christ - Eph 2:11; Col 2:11-12; Phil 3:2-3
  42. Heirs and co heirs with Christ - Rom 8:12-17 note v17; Gal 3:29, 4:1-7; Eph 3:6; Titus 3:7; 1Pet 3:7
  43. Adopted into God's family - Rom 8:23 future reference; Eph 1:4-5; note Israel's relationship Rom 9:4
  44. God's children/sons of God - Rom 8:12-26; Gal 3:26; Eph 5:1 and following; Phil 2:14-15; 1Thess 5:5; Heb 12:4-11; lJn 3:1-3
  45. Inseparable from Christ - Rom 8:35-39 note v39
  46. Chosen people, royal priesthood, a (peculiar) people belonging to God - 1Pet 2:9-10
  47. Heavenly citizens - Phil 3:20; Eph 2:19; 2Cor 5:6-9 note "at home" in v8; 1Pet 2:11 cf Heb 11:13; Heb 12:22-23
  48. Kept - 1Pet 1:4; Jude 1,24
  49. In the much more care of God - Rom 5:8-10
  50. Partners in position with Christ (seated in the heavenly realms) - Eph 2:6-7; Col 3:1-2
  51. Partners in service with Christ - 1Cor 1:9, 3:5-9 note v9, 15:58; 2Cor 3:6 we're ministers, 6:1
  52. Share in Christ's resurrection - Phil 3:10-11; Cal 3:1
  53. We are the temple - Eph 2:19-22 note v21
  54. We are priests, we can approach God - 1Pet 2:9
  55. We are conquerors/overcomers lJn 4:1-6 note v4, 5:1-5 note v5
  56. We will "never be put to shame" - Rom 9:33, 10:11
  57. We are complete in Him - Co/ 1:15-20 note v19, 2:9-10; lJn 1:3-6 note v5
  58. We're blessed with every spiritual blessing - Eph 1:3

Our Manner of Life in Christ I Holiness as a Believer

First read Col chapters 2 through 4:6 and all of Eph. Both of these explain in detail the life of a believer and who we are "in Christ".

  1. Many are as infants in Christ being worldly, acting as mere men - 1Cor 3:1-3
  2. We are to stand and walk in Grace - 2Cor 1:21; Col 4:13
  3. We are to boast in the Lord - 1Cor 15:31; Phil 1:26, 3:3
  4. We are to spread knowledge of Him - 1Cor 1:5; 2Cor 2:14-17
  5. We are to live a pure/holy life - 2Cor 6:6, 7:11; Phil 2:12-16 note v15; 1Tim 1:9, 4:12, 5:2; Jas 4:8; 1Pet 3:2; 1Jn 1:9, 3:3
  6. We are not condemned with the world - Rom 8:1; 1Cor 11:32
  7. We have peace with God - Rom 5:1-2
  8. We are to "do good works" as the "Body of Christ" - Rom 15:17, 16:3,9; Eph 2:10, 4:11-13 note v12
  9. God now works in us Eph 3:20-21; Phil 2:13; Col 1:29
  10. Partners in life with Christ - Col 1:25-27 note "Christ in you", 3:4; lJn 5:11-12
  11. Share in Christ's suffering - Rom 8:18; Phil 1:29-30, 3:10; Col 1:24; 1Thess 2:14, 3:3; 2Tim 1:8, 2:12; 1Pet 4:12-13, 5:10; in relation to the burden of lost souls - Gal 5:22; Rom 5:5, 9:1-3
  12. We are to function as one "Body" - Rom 12:3-8 note v5; 1Cor 12:1-30 note v12-13 and 27; Eph 4:11-13, 15-16
  13. We are given wisdom from God - 1Cor 1:30
  14. We are Christ's ambassadors - 2Cor 5:19-20
  15. We have freedom in Christ - Gal 2:4
  16. The mystery of God's will is made known - Eph 1:9, 7-12 note 10-11
  17. We are called heavenward - Phil 3:14
  18. Our hearts and minds are guarded - Phil 4:7
  19. All our needs are met - Phil 4:19
  20. We are to be mature - Eph 4:12-14; Col 1:28, 4:12
  21. Fullness of Deity lives in bodily form - Col 2:9-10
  22. No confidence in the flesh - Phil 3:3
  23. In Christ are faith and love - /Tim 1:14
  24. Maintain sound teaching 2Tim 1:13
  25. We are to be strong in Grace - 2Tim 2:1
  26. We are to understand that we will be persecuted - 2Tim 3:2
  27. God will make us strong and steadfast - 1Pet 5:10
  28. We are to exhibit good behavior - 1Pet 3:16; Eph 5:15-21
  29. We are to share with the Body - Acts 2:44-46, 4:32; 2Cor chapters 8 and 9
  30. We are to have hope and peace - Rom 15:12-13; Eph 1:12
  31. We are to be taught "in Him" - Eph 4:20-24; Col 2:6-7
  32. The dead in Christ rise first - 1Thess 4:13-17 note v16
  33. We are to glorify Jesus the Christ - 2Thess 1:12
  34. We are to have knowledge and understanding of Him - 1Cor 2:12; Eph 1:17; Phil 1:9-11 note v9; Col 1:6-12 note v6, v9, v10, 2:2-4, 3:10; lJn 5:20
  35. We are to have joy - 1Pet 1:8-9
  36. We receive "light" - lin 1:5-7, 2:7-8
  37. We are to obey His Word - lJn 2:5-6
  38. We are to continue in Him - Cal 2:6; lJn 2:27-28
  39. We are to cloth ourselves in Christ - Eph 4:24 "to put on", 6:10-20 note v11 and 13 "put on"; Col 3:12
  40. We are to pray in the Spirit - Ram 8:26-27; Eph 6:18; Jude 20
  41. We are conquerors/overcomers - Rom 8:28-39 note v37 and 39
  42. As priests we can approach God - Eph 3:10-12 note v12
  43. We are to resist the devil - Jas 4:7

Worship of God as a Believer

  1. Our worship is acceptable to God - Eph 3:12; 1Pet 2.-5
  2. We are a royal priesthood - 1Pet 2:9
  3. We partner with Christ in prayer - Rom 8:26-27,34; Heb 7:25
  4. Give thanks - 1Thess 5:16-18 note v18; Eph 5:19-20
  5. We are to praise His glory - Eph 1:12
  6. Prayer and petition - Phil 4:4-6
  7. We are to ask (pray) in His will - lJn 5:14-15
  8. We are the temple - 1Cor 6:19-20; 2Cor 6:14-16; 1Pet 2:4-6
  9. Be living sacrifices - Rom 12:1-2

Things to Avoid as a Believer
1 ) Sexual immorality - 1Cor 5:11; 1Thess 4:3-8; 1Pet 2:11

  1. We are to deny ungodliness - Titus 2:12
  2. Avoid living as Gentiles - Eph 4:17-19,25-31
  3. Avoid foolish controversies - Titus 3:9-11 note v9
  4. Whatever belongs to your earthly/sinful nature - Gal 5: / 3; Col 5:3-11
  5. We are not to be deceived - 1Cor 6:9-11
  6. We are not to love the world - Jas 4:4; lJn 2:15-17
  7. Careful how we live Eph 5:15-18

 

Click to open this document in printable PDF format. 4 pages