The Church as the Body of Christ

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

This book is an analytical study on the biblical, theological and historical understanding of the church as the Body of Christ. It also provides a comparative analysis of the church as the Body of Christ between the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church along with personal observations of the author on these understanding and comparative analyses from a biblical perspective.

Rev. Dr. Sonna Langzakham is an Indian born from the state of Manipur in North-East India. He obtained his Bachelor of Divinity from Union Biblical Seminary, Yavatmal, Maharashtra, India and Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy in Systematic Theology from Asia United Theological University (Asian Centre for Theological Studies and Missions), South Korea. He has faithfully served the Lord with Evangelical Baptist Convention (a member of World Baptist Alliance, and Asia Pacific Baptist Federation) in the capacities such as Lecturer and Principal at Grace Bible College (affiliated to Asia Theological Association, India) in Churachandpur and Chief Functionary of GBC HIV/AIDS Home Based Care Project. He has also served as Director of Ministries, Director of Institutions, Director of Missions, Divisional Superintendent, Senior Pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church and Counselor at Lamka Research and Drug Rehabilitation Centre. Having spent over 36 years of active ministry with Evangelical Baptist Convention, he is now spending his time with his family and grandchildren while writing books and is still actively involving in the ministry of teaching and preaching at his home church in Manipur.

The church is a subject that stands at the very heart of the Bible, for the church is the object of the redemption which the Bible proclaims. It was to save the church that the Son of God became man, and died, "... Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Eph. 5:25). God purchased His church at the cost of Christ's blood, "Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). It is through the church that God makes known His redeeming wisdom to the hosts of heaven, "His (God's) intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms" (Eph. 3:10). It is within the church that the individual Christian finds the ministries of grace, the means of growth, and his primary sphere of service (Eph. 4:11-16). One cannot properly understand the purpose of God, nor the method of grace, nor the kingdom of Christ, nor the work of the Holy Spirit, nor the meaning of world history without studying the doctrine of the church. Many images such as a bride, a flock, a vine, a field, a temple, etc., are used for the church in the New Testament. Every imagery of the church is related to Christ. If the church is a flock, Christ is the Shepherd; if the church is a Temple, Christ is the Builder, the Foundation or the Cornerstone, and so on. The image "The Body of Christ" is one among such images of the church in the New Testament. Perhaps it is the most extended image of the church.

**Contents and Sample Pages**