One Body - One New Man
Ephesians 2:13-17
Part 2

(XV.) THE ONE 'NEW MAN HAS CHRIST AS IT'S HEAD

In Col.1:18 Paul said that He (Christ) is THE HEAD OF THE BODY THE CHURCH: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead: that in all things He might have the preeminence." I think it is very significant to note that the only place where Christ is called the Head of any Body or Church is in Paul's PRISON EPISTLES, (Eph.1:22, 4:1,5,Col.1:18, 2:19). Christ is never called the Head of the Acts Body in the Acts epistles (search the Acts epistles and see for yourself). And if He is never called the Head of the Acts Body, then no one has the right to say He was. That would be reading something into the scriptures that is not there. The way the word "Body is used in the Acts epistles is much the way we use the word "student body" or the "body politic" today. It is a collective mass of individuals united by a common tie (Webster's 1828 dictionary), but the Body of the prison epistles is a LIVING ORGANISM being members of Christ's Body, Flesh and Bones (Eph.5:30), and He is their Head' (Co1.1:18).

(XVI.) THE ONE NEW MAN HAS ONLY ONE BAPTISM

In Eph.4: -6 Paul said that the One Body of the prison epistles has one Spirit, One Hope, One God and Father, One Lord, One Faith and ONE BAPTISM. Paul describes this Baptism in Col. 2:11-12 as "an operation of God made without hands in putting off the Body of the sins of the flesh." God Himself performs this baptism without the use of any human agent. It is therefore spiritual and invisible. On the other hand, the Acts Body had more than one Baptism. They were baptised with the Holy Ghost (Acts 9:17,19:6), by the Spirit (ICor.12:13), and with water (Acts16:15, 16:33,19:5,22:16). If the "Body" in the Acts epistles is the same Body of Eph.4:4, why does it have 3 Baptisms, whereas, the One Body of Eph.4:4. has only one Baptism? The fact that the Acts Body had 3 Baptisms, whereas, the One New Man has only One Baptism should in itself be enough to convince any honest person that they are not the same body.

XVII.) THE ONE NEW MAN IS NOT ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED TO CHRIST AS A BRIDE

In IICor.11:2 Paul said that the Acts Body was a chaste virgin espoused (same as engaged) to Christ her husband. That verse clearly shows that the Acts Body was a part of the Bride of Christ. What else would you call a woman engaged to be married to a husband, but a Bride? But the Body in the prison epistles is a man, not a woman. Therefore, it is never said to be espoused to or engaged to a husband. Instead, the one New Man is said to be members of Christ's Body, Flesh and Bones (Eph.5:30).

(XVIII.) THE ONE NEW MAN HAS THE UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST, NOT THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Throughout the Acts period, the Acts Body received the gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are listed in ICor.12: 1-13. They were such things as healing, working miracles, speaking in tongues, prophecy and many others. The Acts Body was a tongue speaking, healing, miracle working church. You might say the Acts Body was a "Charismatic Church" for it possessed all of the gifts of the Spirit.

But the One New Man does not possess the gifts of the Spirit. Does that mean that the Acts Body was more blessed and rich than the One New Man? Quite the contrary, God gave the One New Man something FAR BETTER than the gifts of the Spirit. He gave them the UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST according to Eph. 3:8.

The unsearchable riches of Christ overshadow the gifts of the Spirit, and are far more glorious. And anyone who seeks after the gifts of the Spirit today when they could enjoy the unsearchable riches of Christ is taking a step backward, not forward spiritually.

(XIX.) THE ONE NEW MAN'S GLORIFICATION IS SECURED UPON BELIEVING
In Phil. 3:21 Paul said that "The Lord Jesus Christ shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself." When Paul said that Christ would fashion our vile bodies like unto His glorious Body, he placed no conditions upon the One New Man's glorification. It is a free, unmerited promise with no works attached. THIS IS NOT TRUE OF THE ACTS BODY.

In Rom. 8:17 Paul said to the Acts Body "And if children then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; IF SO BE THAT WE SUFFER WITH HIM, 'THAT WE MAY BE ALSO GLORIFIED TOGETHER. The glorification of the members of the Acts Body was CONDITIONAL upon them suffering for Christ's sake. And the suffering was PHYSICAL for the sake of the truth (read 'the next verse). I realize that a statement like this may cause a lot of people to get "up-tight", but there it is in black and white in Rom. 8:17. Keep in mind that it was GOD WHO SAID IT, NOT ME. It's like I said at the beginning, compare every verse with your Bible and BE WILLING TO BELIEVE THE VERSES MEAN WHAT THEY SAY AND SAY WHAT THEY MEAN. And if you do that, then you've done the right thing and the thing that pleases God according to Heb.11:6.

(XX.) THE ONE NEW MAN SITS IN HEAVENLY PLACES

In Eph.2:6 Paul said that God raised up the ONE NEW MAN and made Him to "SIT TOGETHER IN HEAVENLY PLACES IN CHRIST JESUS". The seat that the One New Man occupies represents the position of Glory and Honour that God has exalted him to. In the Bible different groups of believers occupied different seats or positions of Glory and Honour. In Matt.8:11 Abraham and his seed have a seat in the Kingdom of Heaven. In Matt.19:28 the Twelve Apostles each have a seat upon one of the twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. In Gal.4:26 the Acts Body must have had a seat in the Heavenly City New Jerusalem, for it is called their "Mother" and they were her "Children". And whatever position of Glory and Honour the mother has, her children have also. But God has given the One New Man the most exalted seat or position of Glory and honour in all the Bible. He raised Him up far above all Heavens to sit at His own Right Hand in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus. This is never said of any one else in the Bible, but the One New Man in the Prison Epistles. The Acts Body died with Christ, was buried and raised with Christ, But the One New Man goes one step further. He ascended up on High with Christ to sit with Him in Heavenly Places at the Right Hand of God. (To say the Acts Body was also seated in Heavenly Places is to read something into the Acts epistles that is not there. That's reading present truth into past truth, which is wrongly dividing the Word of Truth).

(XXI.) THE ONE NEW MAN'S CONVERSATION IS IN HEAVEN

In Phil. 3:20 Paul said "For our conversation is in HEAVEN; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ." The word "Conversation" has more than one meaning in the Bible. It can refer to a person's "SPEECH" as in IIPet.2:7; their "CONDUCT" as in Eph.2:3 or their "RESIDENCE OR DWELLING PLACE" as in Eph.2:6 (The One New Man has a residence in Heavenly Places, for His seat is there.) The point that I want to emphasize here is that everything the One New Man has now and in the future is in Heavenly Places. Everything about the One New Man is Heavenly. (Please read these verses).

His BLESSINGS are in Heavenly Places -Eph.1:3

His SEAT is in Heavenly Places - Eph.2:6

His HEAD is in Heavenly Places -Eph.1:20-23

His DESTINATION is in Heavenly Places - Eph.2:7

His MINISTRY is in Heavenly Places - Eph.3:10

His WARFARE is in Heavenly Places -Eph.6:12

His HOPE is in Heavenly Places - Col-1:5

His AFFECTION is in Heavenly Places- Col-3:2

His LIFE is in Heavenly Places - Col-3:3

His APPEARING is in Heavenly Places -Col-3:4

His INHERITANCE is in Heavenly Places - Col.l:12-13

His CROWN is in Heavenly Places - IITim.4:8

His KINGDOM is in Heavenly Places -IITim.4:18

The One New Man is a Heavenly Body with no relationship to Israel, the world, or New Jerusalem. His conversation is TOTALLY in Heavenly Places. This is not true of the Acts Body. Their conversation was not in Heaven, for they were "HEIRS OF THE WORLD" being Abraham's seed according to Rom. 4:13-16. Their inheritance was in the KINGDOM OF GOD, AN EARTHLY KINGDOM according to I Cor. 6:9-11,15:50. They partook of ISRAEL'S SPIRITUAL THINGS, which pertain mainly to the EARTH(Rom.15). Their Hope was in NEW JERUSALEM their mother, which will eventually be located on the NEW EARTH according to Gal. 4:26, Rev. 21:1-2. If the Acts Body were heirs of the World whose hope was to enter an Earthly Kingdom to dwell in the New Jerusalem, on the New Earth, how could their conversation be in Heaven? God never gave the Acts Body the Heavenly things that He gave to the One New Man, therefore, their conversation was not in Heaven. Their conversation was in things that God offered them in the Acts epistles. Their speech and conduct were in accord with their inheritance and hope in the Kingdom of God and the New Jerusalem.

(XXIII.) THE ONE NEW MAN IS FREE FROM THE ORDINANCES THAT WERE BINDING ON THE ACTS BODY

In Acts 15, Paul along with the other apostles wrote out a list of ordinances for the Gentiles to observe during the Acts period, and delivered these ordinances to the members of the Acts Body.

In Acts 15:19-21 James (along with Paul and Barnabas) said "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath day." Paul also elaborates upon these ordinances in his Acts epistles. In Rom.14:2-3 He said "For one believeth that he may eat all things; another, who is weak, eateth herbs, Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him". In Rom.14:5 he said "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." And further down in verse 21 he said "It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended, or is made weak. In other words, there were people in the Acts period that abstained from eating meat and drinking wine for religious purposes and they also observed holy days. The Acts Body was commanded not to eat any meat or drink wine, or condemn any "holy day" that would offend these people. Those people were of course Israelites, who kept the Law of Moses according to Acts 15:21. Paul also warns the Acts Body that if they ate or drank anything that would offend Israel that they would "Destroy the work of God" (Rom.14:20)and could "Damn themselves" if they ate without faith (Rom. 14:23). Also read 1Cor. 8:10-11.

But there are no such Laws and Ordinances binding on the One New Man. In Col.2:14-17 Paul said, "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: which are a shadow of things to come; but the Body is of Christ." In the prison epistles of Paul, the Law is abolished for the One New Man in Eph.2:15-16 and all the handwriting of ordinances (including those of Acts 15, Rom.14, ICor.8) are blotted out and taken out of the way. Those Laws and Ordinances are not binding on the One New Man and Paul rebukes anyone who places themselves under subjection to them in Col. 2:20-22. To observe those ordinances of touch not, taste not, handle not today is an abomination in the sight of God.

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