The Invisible

Body of Christ

A concept arose in the Reformation period to distinguish those who professed a salvation in Christ as opposed to the general church attendance (especially the Roman Catholic): the “invisible church”, which only God sees, consists of those who are saved within man’s institutional “visible church”. However, there is a more advanced distinction by which God’s chosen Body are called out from among those saved in institutional churches. The invisible Body of Christ is found Paul’s prison epistles.

When Paul was writing to the “saints” and “faithful” in Ephesians he was addressing believers in Christ. When expounding the revelation of the mystery of this present dispensation, which is the Body of Christ, Paul prayed, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you (saints) the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the heavenlies.”

The word “enlightened” means illuminated, instructed, informed, or furnished with a clear view. There seems to be something further the “saints” are to know about God’s calling beyond salvation in Christ concerning a hope and inheritance that is glorious; beyond the kingdom hope previously preached to them in the Acts period.

Recently Biblical “workmen” (those who labor in the word and doctrine) have uncovered and exposed a hidden treasure of truth which has illuminated our understanding and acknowledgement of what actually is God’s church.

In the present traditional understanding, saved believers are not only participating in the suspended ordinances and doctrines of the kingdom hope for Israel, but are also responsible for requiring them.

In the renewed understanding, the Body of Christ is invisible because it is called out of and is separated from the doctrines, ordinances, and traditions of the earthly institutions and has a doctrine with a heavenly hope in view.

The saved are being deceived with Israel’s kingdom gospel, instead of being rightly concerned with the advanced gospel to the called-out Body of Christ which is found in Paul’s prison epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians.

The chosen Body of Christ has doctrinal attributes that are entirely spiritual (invisible). Some examples are:

  • This Body is a spiritual body, whose Head is Christ (Eph 1:22-23, Col 1:18), whose members are chosen only by God. (Eph 1:4)

  • Membership is invisible to the world; only God knows who they are. Members are baptized (spiritually) into Christ (not into a denomination). Therefore we identify with Christ and not with a denomination or earthly named assembly. (Eph 4:5)

  • This Body was chosen in Christ before the overthrow (katabole) of the world. (katabole is between Gen 1:1 and 1:2)

  • We are nothing of this world. (Col 3:10, 11) We are in Christ and Christ is in us:  to become the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. (Eph 1:23) Our affection (bent) is on things above, not on things on the earth. (Col 3:2)

  • Our blessings are spiritual in heavenly places in Christ. (Eph 1:3) Our circumcision is of the heart. Our circumcision is made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. (Col 2:11)

  •   Our enemies are spiritual (invisible). (Eph 6:12). Our armour is spiritual (invisible). (Eph 6:11-17).

  •   Our weapons are spiritual: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph 6:17) and prayer (Eph 6:18).

  •   We worship in Spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24) We worship always 24/7. (Eph 6:18)

  •   Our position is spiritual. (Eph 2: 6, Col 3:1) We are spiritually sealed. (Eph 1:13)

  •   There are no ordinances. (Col 2:14, 20)

  •   There are no covenants with this Body; evidenced by the expressions in Ephesians Chapter 1:

o    according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace,

o    according to the riches of His grace,

o    according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself,

o    according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will

o    Nothing is done according to a covenant.

  •   The called-out, which is His body, is hid with Christ in God. (Col 3:3)

  •   Only when Christ shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory – only then this Body of Christ will be seen. (Col 3:4)

  •   Our position is with Christ far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named,

    not only in this world, but also in that which is to come (Eph 1:21).

 The ultimate purpose of this Body of Christ is to make known unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Eph 3:10-11)