Ephesians 4
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
1 Corinthians 3:16
We who are "born again" are the church. The places where we meet are "buildings" or houses.
5 ... Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
We who are born again by God, given the Holy Spirit to show us the way of God on this earth, are the church.
10 For this is the covenant (the new covenant) that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put MY laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know ME, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put MY spirit within you, and cause you to walk in MY statutes, and ye shall keep MY judgments, and do them.
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Comments by Joan Boney: When I lived in Lubbock, Texas, I went to a luncheon which was across the street from First Methodist Church building.
A woman at our table pointed out the window and said, "That is our church."
I said, "We are the church."
This woman became very angry and said, "I'm not the church. That is the church." (and she pointed again at the building)
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The Catholics taught they were the only church.
The Church of Christ are taught they are the only church.
We who are born again are the church regardless of where we meet.
Jesus says: Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in MY name, there am I in the midst of them.
We who are born again by God are the body of Christ, the church.
John 3 Jesus said
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
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Hebrews 8 God says:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know ME, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
When we are born again by God, HE puts HIS own Spirit, the Holy Spirit in us to lead us.
John 14:26 Jesus says: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 16:13 Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of HIMSELF; but whatsoever HE shall hear (from God), that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.
God promised that HE would give HIS people a new heart and a new Spirit.
Ezekiel 36 God says:
25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put MY spirit within you, and cause you to walk in MY statutes, and ye shall keep MY judgments, and do them.
There is one church and we who are born again are that church.
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