Information Related to "We're Baptized Into a Spiritual Body"
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One is not baptized into any sect or denomination. Rather, one becomes a member of the spiritual Body of Christ.
One is not baptized into any particular sect or denomination. Rather, through baptism as taught in the Bible one becomes a member of the spiritual Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 2:19-22).
In 1 Corinthians 12:13 we find that "by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free-and have all been made to drink into one Spirit."
This body is called the Church of God (Acts 20:28). Membership in this Church is granted by God upon genuine repentance and baptism and is not determined by men or human organizations. The Greek word for "church" is ekklesia, denoting a called-out assembly. Simply put, God calls those He chooses out of this society to be part of the spiritual body that is His Church.
Jesus said His disciples, or followers, would need to be taught (Matthew 28:19-20). In Ephesians 4:11-13 Paul explained: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
We see here that the Church, as the body of Christ, has an obligation and responsibility to help Christians grow spiritually, which requires working together under the guidance of called and faithful ministers. God admonishes us to strive for unity and recognize the need we have for each other (1 Corinthians 12:12-25; Ephesians 4:1-3).
Finding a church-a called-out group of believers-in which we can learn sound doctrine and fellowship with people of like mind is important in staying on the road to eternal life.
Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."
We in the United Church of God recognize the need to provide opportunities for God's people to assemble and receive biblical instruction and fellowship. Meeting regularly with God's people will be a vital aid to your spiritual growth.
Information on how to find the nearest congregation of the United Church of God can be found at the end of this booklet. We meet in locations all around the world. Visitors are always welcome. If you'd like to learn more, read or download your free copy of the booklets The Church Jesus Built and This Is the United Church of God.
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Origin of article "We're Baptized Into a Spiritual Body"
Keywords: baptism body of Christ called-out ones church
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