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Things God Has Joined Together? II By: Gary Colley
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Things God Has Joined Together? II By: Gary Colley
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Last week we noticed two things God has joined together that no man is to put asunder which are marriage (Matthew 19:6) and faith and the Bible (Romans 10:17). There are however several other things God has joined together, with which no man should tamper!GOD HATH JOINED--CHRIST AND THE CHURCH
Often individuals are heard to say, "I want Christ, but not the Church," or "I believe one can go to Heaven without being a member of the Church." If these thoughts are from the Bible we should all receive and defend them, but are they?? In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised to build His Church. Paul made the comparison to not "putting asunder" (dividing) the marriage vows to not putting asunder Christ and His Church. God had joined them both! Notice Paul's inspired words, "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church
(Ephesians 5:31-32)." Further Paul stated, "And (God) hath put all things under his (Christ's) feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all (Ephesians 1:22-23)." Since the church is the fulness of Christ, if one is in Christ, he must of necessity be in His church (Acts 2:41, Acts 2:47). Therefore, God hath joined together the church and Christ. "WHAT GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER (Matthew 19:6)."GOD HATH JOINED--THE BLOOD OF CHRIST AND BAPTISM
God has in every age of the world required the offering of blood as a sacrifice for sins. "And without shedding of blood is no remission (Hebrews 9:22)." Jesus, "the lamb of God" for the sin offering (John 1:29), said He shed His blood "for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28)." His blood was shed in His death, on Calvary (John 19:34). Therefore, for man to receive the benefits of Jesus' blood, they must come in contact in some way to the death of Christ. Paul answers as to HOW this is done by saying, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death (Romans 6:3-4). God hath joined together the blood of Jesus Christ and baptism. Have you been baptized? "WHAT GOD HATH JOINED TOGETHER, LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER (Matthew 19:6)."