knowing the Body in practice: the universal church and the local churches

On the one hand, we need to know the Body of Christ in life – Christ is the life of the Body of Christ, and the Body is a mingling of divinity with humanity.

When we see that the Christ we have received through regeneration is the life of the Body of Christ, we will no longer be individualistic but we will seek fellowship with the other believers.

On the other hand, we need to know the Body in practice. The Body of Christ is spiritual and universal, but at the same time it is expressed locally through the local churches. The one universal church – the Body of Christ – becomes the many local churches, the local expressions of the Body of Christ (see Rom. 12:4-5; 16:1).

One in essence but separate in existence

All the genuine believers in Christ are members of the Body of Christ and are part of the universal church. But for us to know the Body in practice, we need to come to the local church, the local expression of the Body of Christ. God has ordained the boundaries of a locality to be the ground of the local church.

In essence, all the churches are one and the same, but in existence, for the sake of practicality, they are separate. I live in London, UK, and you may live in Atlanta, Georgia, USA – for practical reasons, we cannot meet in the same place every week, but we are still one in essence, one in spirit.

The local churches and the universal church

On the whole globe there is the one unique Body of Christ composed of all the regenerated believers in Christ as its many members. If we want to know the Body of Christ in practice, in its practicality, we need to come to the local church, the local expression of the Body of Christ in the locality we’re in.

To the church of God which is in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:2). To the church which is in Cenchrea (Rom. 16:1). “Saying, What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamos and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” (Rev. 1:11) – there is only ONE CHURCH in each locality!

At the same time, all the local churches – the expressions of the one Body of Christ – are one! Without the local churches there’s no practicality and actuality of the universal church.

If we see the Body of Christ, we will love the local church. The universal church is realized in a practical way in the local churches.

The believers today should all be in the local churches, the local expression of the Body of Christ, one with all the other churches on the earth. The one universal church – the Body of Christ – is expressed in many places on the earth to be the many local churches (Eph. 4:4).

We cannot live directly in the universal church, but by means of living in the local church we practically live in the universal church.

Paying more attention to the Body of Christ

We touch the Body of Christ first by being in the local church, where we enjoy the Lord with all the saints and we express Christ corporately. We all can testify that it is so sweet to be with the saints in the church, eating, drinking, breathing Jesus, and fellowshipping with one another, being ready to go and blend and visit other localities, attending conferences and blending trips, etc.

Even though we love the local church and we care for the local church, we need to realize that the local churches are only a procedure for God to get the Body of Christ. Revelation begins with the local churches (Rev. 1:4, 11), and it ends with one city, the New Jerusalem, the consummation of the Body of Christ (Rev. 21:2).

If we talk about the church without having the practical expression of the church locally, our talk is merely theoretical. If we don’t have the local churches, we don’t have THE CHURCH. The universal church is composed of all the local churches, and the local churches are the practical and tangible expression of the universal church.

But we all in the local churches need to see that “eventually the local churches will be over” – only the Body of Christ will remain forever! Today we treasure the local church and we meet regularly to enjoy the Lord with the saints, but what we seek more than the local church is the building up of the Body of Christ!

As we meet with the saints in the local churches, we seek to be in the reality of the Body of Christ which will consummate in the Bride of Christ (Rev. 21:2-3) and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21-22).

We need to pay more attention to the Body of Christ than to the local churches. If we really know the Body in life and in practice, then in our consideration the Body will be first and the local churches will be second (Rom. 12:4-5; 16:1). The local churches are God’s procedure in this age, the age of grace, for Him to obtain a Body for Christ.

We need the local churches, and we treasure the church where God has placed us. But we want to know the Body of Christ in life and in practice, seeking the building up of the Body with all the saints.

Lord, open our eyes to see and know the Body in life and practice. Hallelujah, Christ is our life for the Body of Christ! Thank You Lord for the local churches, the local expression of the universal church, the Body of Christ. Praise You for the privilege to know the local church and be in the local church. Lord, cause us to consider the Body, know the Body, and be in the Body in a practical way!

References and Further Reading

• Sharing inspired from, Elders’ Training, Book 11: The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (3) (ch. 12), The Conclusion of the New Testament (msg. 200), and, The Practical Points concerning Blending (pp. 23-24), as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, Taking the Lead as Elders and Responsible Ones, week 6.
• Find out more about “the local churches“, the organic church.
• Hymns on this topic:
  # The Church is Christ’s own Body, / The Father’s dwelling-place, / The gathering of the called ones, / God blended with man’s race;
  # To Jerusalem we’ve come, / We are through with Babylon, / We have gathered to be one, / O glory be to God!
  # The churches are the Body / Of Christ on earth today. / They are His testimony, / That He may have a way.