A Course in Miracles – Part 2
- The Body of Christ
The Body of Christ is a phrase that is used to describe the Church, which is made up of all true Christians. It is a New Testament metaphor that refers to the unity of Christians with Christ and one another. The Apostle Paul uses this phrase to demonstrate identity, oneness, and unity in Christ.
The Church is called the Body of Christ because all Christians are joined to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. The Church is not a building or denomination, but a community of believers who are joined to Christ by the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:23; 1 Corinthians 12:12).
Each member of the Body has a unique spiritual gift. This gift is designed to serve the entire
Church and bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 outlines the importance of using your gifts in service to the church and the world. It is important for each member of the Body to use his or her spiritual gift because it helps all members function as a united team.When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, Christ becomes truly present under the appearances of bread and wine. This is known as the Real Presence of Christ. Christ could have imparted all the graces of redemption directly to mankind, but he chose instead to do it through His Mystical Body, which is His church.
The Church is called the Body of Christ because believers are joined to Christ through the indwelling and sealing of the Spirit. This union is also referred to as being in Christ and having Christ dwell within them (Romans 6:17). It is this mystical union that allows believers to be united in love, purpose, and mission for the glory of God. 3. The Gifts of the Spirit
It’s a little troubling that the spiritual gifts don’t seem to be taught or emphasized much throughout Christendom these days. Yet, these gifts are essential to our ability to function properly in the world. They also lead to holiness and worship lived out in our lives, not just spoken or preached about. They are the tools God has given to His Church for the accomplishment of His Purpose in His Church. These gifts are the apostleship, prophecy, teaching, exhortation, administration, discerning spirits, and speaking in tongues (and interpreting tongues).
The gift of wisdom, for instance, allows us to see things from God’s perspective. It’s a gift that helps us understand and interpret Scripture, especially the Old Testament books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Wisdom of Solomon. It’s also the gift that enables us to live a moral life, following promptings from the Holy Spirit in areas like finances, parenting, and personal relationships. Saint Augustine said this is the most important of all spiritual gifts.
Another one is the gift of faith. It’s the gift that allows us to trust in God and His Word, believing that He is who He says He is. It’s what we see in miracles, from Moses parting the Red Sea to Jesus feeding 5,000 people. It’s also what drives some of us to believe in healing and deliverance.
Finally, the gift of mercy is the ability to minister to the needs of others. This includes the needs of those who are sick, impoverished, or just going through a difficult time. It’s the gift that makes some people hospitable, helping to feed, clothe, and shelter strangers and neighbors. It’s also the gift that leads some to give generously and sacrificially. 4. The Word of God
Throughout the Bible, the phrase “the Word of God” is used in several ways. Sometimes it refers to something that God has decreed, other times it refers to the actual words that were spoken by God’s chosen spokesmen, the prophets, and Jesus Christ Himself. It can also be used to refer to God’s written Word, which is found in our New Testaments.
God has been communicating with humanity since the beginning of time. He communicates through His creation (Psalm 19:1), through ancient prophets to keep us within his gracious ordering, through His Holy Spirit, and most importantly through the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ.
When God speaks, it has power to bring about change and transformation. His words can sift through the most hardened and cynical hearts, bringing conviction, forgiveness, and hope. The Word of God is like a seed that when planted in an honest and obedient heart can produce fruit generation after generation. Christianity has been around for nearly 2,000 years and this is only because of the powerful Word of God contained in the Bible.
When you look at history, people have been transformed and redirected by God’s Word in a variety of different ways. Hospital patients, grieving widows and lonely shut-ins rarely request Darwin’s Theory of Evolution or the TV Guide to be read to them in their time of sorrow or pain, but they do ask for God’s word. The Bible is a book full of God’s word that contains the life changing power to heal, comfort, and provide for you. It is the source of all that is good in this world and it is what gives you peace with God. 5. The Holy Spirit’s Gifts
The spiritual gifts are unique abilities given to Christians to serve Christ and his church. They are supernatural gifts that are meant to glorify God by revealing more about who He is and His sovereignty over all things. They also help believers grow closer to Him. The Bible lists the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning spirits, and speaking in different kinds of tongues.
Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge human matters in accordance with divine norms. This gift helps a person grow in union with God, enabling them to understand the deeper meaning of Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church. It can even reveal the mysteries that underlie sensible appearances, such as the signification of figures and symbols, or the way God works in human events. It allows one to see the presence of God in all that happens, especially in difficult or troublesome circumstances. It is this kind of profound understanding that St. Therese of Lisieux possessed, even though she had no formal education.
This is a powerful gift that enables a person to perform miracles, such as healing the sick or delivering the dead. It can also be used to preach the gospel, as St. Paul did, or to teach and instruct people. It enables a person to make decisions and give leadership according to God’s will. It can even inspire others to trust God, regardless of their circumstances or problems. It can also reveal the way God wants something to be done, such as how a church should be run or what prayer should focus on. It is a special illumination of the mind that allows a person to recognize the emptiness of created things in themselves, so that they do not become roadblocks to union with God.