FORGOTTEN TRUTHS

Truth Number One

CHRIST IS A MEMBER OF THE BODY

By Jeffrey D. Dean

By deifying Jesus Christ (the Son of God) Christianity has lost

certain truths from scripture that are VITAL to our
relationship with him. I can think of no greater example than
the LOST message that the FIRST BEGOTTEN Son of God is
our "fellow" heir, our "brother," our "fellow servant," our
"fellow minister," and is indeed himself a member of the
"body of Christ" as we are.
Christians focus on Christ as the "head" of the body and
somehow forget that a head is a member of the body! What
happens when you sever a head from a body? This is called
"decapitation." Both the body and the head die.
Christianity, therefore, inadvertently has decapitated the
body of Christ, by creating dogmatic traditions which
SEPARATE Christ from the body and sets him apart.
When Christianity speaks of "the body of Christ" they most
DEFINITELY do not include Jesus as a member. If you were to
walk up to most Christians and say "Jesus is a fellow member
of the body of Christ" they would beg to differ. They'd reply,
"Jesus is the HEAD" and what they mean by this is "the
GODHEAD."
Let's look at some of the scriptures which clearly speak of
the "body of Christ."

"Ephesians 5:
23 For the husband is the head of the
wife, even as Christ is the head of the
church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject
unto Christ, so let the wives be to their
own husbands in every thing."
In Ephesians the Apostle compares the relationship between
the congregation (the church) and Christ as a "husband and
a wife." How is this significant? We have to continue
reading:

"Ephesians 5:
30 For we are members of his body, of his
flesh, and of his bones.
31 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.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak
concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in
particular so love his wife even as
himself; and the wife see that she
reverence her husband."

When a man and a woman a "betrothed" and come together

they two become ONE flesh. They are "one BODY," and
according to the author of Ephesians, Christ is "the head" of
this body, even as the husband is the "head" of the body
that is created when he is joined to his wife. Does this mean
that the husband is DETACHED from the body? God forbid.
"The two shall become one flesh."
The head of a body is still a MEMBER of that body. This is an
unbreakable truth. It is no less true in relation to this
figurative representative. In this symbolic reference, Christ
is STILL a MEMBER of the Body. He is the HEAD of the body,
but a member, nontheless.
Let us examine more scriptures on this relationship between
Christ and the REST of the BODY:

"1 Corinthians 12:

12 For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that
one body, being many, are one body: so
also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized
into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;
and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but
many."

Does the head of the body need the rest of the body? Can
the head of a body survive if it be separated from the rest of
the body? Can the head of the body say to the rest of the
members "I have no need of you?" Not according to the
above verses. Am I saying that Christ needs us? Absolutely!
Christ, without the rest of the body, is a decapitated HEAD!
This is common sense.
Let's apply the earlier figure. Does the husband need the
wife? If he loses the wife or she is separated from him or he
is separated from her, he is no longer an husband! (What
God has joined together let no man put asunder). Christ is
permanently JOINED as a member to the "body of Christ"
and the rest of the body is permanently joined to Christ as its
head! It's an inescapable conclusion that Christ, therefore,
is just as much a "member" of the body of Christ as WE ARE!
The significance of this truth is life changing. It is a truth the
devil has deliberately attempted to destroy using MODERN
religion, by deifying Christ and putting him FAR ABOVE the
body and therefore disconnected.

EXAMPLES OF DEADLY ERROR

I can show you several examples where the Christian
relligion fails to understand KEY passages because they have
lost this truth. The grandaddy of all of these examples is as
follows:

"Colossians 2:
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of
the Godhead bodily."
When Christians quote this verse they notoriously make it a
discussion of the deity of Christ. They offer this one verse as

a pinnacle proof of the notion. In doing so they demonstrate

how disasterous are the effects of the loss of the truth in
their doctrines. First, they demonstrate by applying the
above verse this way that they have forgotten that Christ is
"in us" and more importanlty that we are "in Christ." If we
dwell "in Christ" then the fulness of the Godhead dwells IN
US, for "in him" dwells the fulness. The author states this in
the very next verse:

"Colossians 2:
10 And ye are complete in him, which is
the head of all principality and power:"
We are "complete" and "in him." Common sense dictates
that if "in him" dwells the fulness of God and we are "in him"
then the fulness of God dwells in us.
How is this significant?
Because Christians offer the verse as proof that he is God
Incarnate. They are stating that if the "fulness of Godhead"
dwells in Christ, this must mean that he is God himself come
to earth. Therefore, they miss the message of Colossians 2:
9-10 for the message is that we are "in him" and that the
"fulness of the Godhead" dwells in us, for WE ARE HIS BODY.
Follow the logic with me. If we are his "body" (and I have
shown you the scriptures that state this in no uncertain
terms) and if we are "joined" with him as one (like husband
and wife), then if the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him
"bodily" then the fulness of the Godhead dwells IN US who
are in fact HIS BODY! This logic is inescapable!
The funess of the Godhead, therefore, dwells in us bodily and

if having the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in you bodily is

a declaration that you are IN FACT "God come to earth in
fleshly form" as Christians claim, then WE, the body are God
come to earth in fleshly form. Especially when you consider
that the Christian religion also teaches that "the word was
made flesh and dwelled among us," means that he is "God in
the flesh" literally. Since we are HIS FLESH according to
scripture ("the two shall become one flesh") therefore we are
faced with the inescapable conclusion by the teachings of
the deity of Christ that WE TOO are God Incarnate and God
"come to earth in fleshly form" for the Word was "made
flesh" and WE ARE THAT FLESH according the Apostles!
Let's look at another way they STUMBLE over scripture
because they have forgotten that Christ is a MEMBER of the
BODY and the BODY IS ONE FLESH with CHRIST!

"Colossians 1:
18 And he 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."
Christians offer this verse as the ultimate proof that Christ is
in fact the CREATOR of the universe! We will see how this is
accomplished in a moment. Here is how Christians read and
interpret the above verse:

"and he (Jesus Christ) is the head of the

body, the church: who (Jesus Christ) is
the beginning of the firstborn from the
dead; that in all things he (Jesus Christ)

might have the preeminence."

It should become obvious that in at least ONE point they are
reading it wrong. For it says "...the church, who is the
beginning of the firstborn..." In that verse it's not speaking
ONLY of Christ as the "firstborn among the dead" it is saying
the ENTIRE CHURCH is the firstborn among the dead. This is
because the church is ONE with Christ and Christ is ONE with
the church. In the resurrection they are inseparable (what
God has joined together let no man put asunder). If Christ is
the "firstborn among the dead" then so indeed are the
church, his BODY, and his flesh. (Flesh of my flesh and bone
of my bone). Yet, they are reading this entire VERSE wrong,
because they began reading the text with a false premise,
for, when it says "he is the head of the body," the "he" in this
reference is NOT Christ but "the invisible God."
That's right, the Father, the living invisible God is the head of
the body ultimately! Am I contradicting scripture? Not all
all, for while Christ is a member of the Body and is indeed
the HEAD of that body, (being MADE the head by promotion
of God), nevertheless, God is the HEAD OF CHRIST.

"1 Corinthians 1:
But I would have you know, that the head
of every man is Christ; and the head of
the woman is the man; and the head of
Christ is God."
In making Christ "God himself" Christianity LOSES this most
important message. That while Christ is the "head" member
of the body, God is ultimately the HEAD OF THE CHURCH,
because God is the head (over and above) Christ.

Christianity falsely teaches that when Christ said "the father

is greater than I" he meant ONLY while he was present with
them, on the earth, because he took the "form of a servant"
while as a man here on earth. Which more than implies, it's
states outrightly, that when Christ went back "to the Father"
then God the Father is no longer GREATER than Christ! They
teach this in their doctrines, their statements of faith and in
their catechisms. They state that the Father and the Son are
"coequal" and "cosubstantial" and that the Father is NOT
greater than the Son anymore (now that the son is no longer
in the form of a servant on earth).
This is not taught by the Apostles, however as we have just
seen in 1 Corinthians 1. The Apostles taught that all things
were put under Christ's SUBJECTION by God. This is how
Christ, being a MEMBER of the body, is the HEAD. God has
MADE IT SO. He says this precise thing in Colossians:

"Colossians 1:
19 For it pleased the Father that in him
should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the
blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all
things unto himself; by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth, or things
in heaven."
I have been accused of taking things out of context, but by
verse 19 alone you can see that not only am I NOT taking
things out of context, I'm directly showing cross reference
from Christ, the relationship of Christ with his body, and the

"fulness of the Godhead" dwelling, not only in Christ but in

US, his body as well.
Christians continue to read Colossians wrong, applying
everything to Jesus Christ. They read verse 20 as follows:
"And,

having made peace through the

blood of his (Jesus Christ's) cross, by him
(Jesus Christ) to reconcile all things unto
himself; (Jesus Christ) by him (Jesus
Christ) I say, whether they be things in
earth, or in heaven."
This is an ABYSMAL reading of scripture, for there are TWO
PERSONS being discussed here in Colossians 1. God the
father (the invisible God) and the Son of God (the Christ).
Verse 19 says "it pleased the Father" then speaks of the Son
(and not just the son but the CHURCH as a whole) by saying
"in him should all fulness dwell." So the subject is THE
FATHER in verse 19 AND 20. This is how it should be read:

"And, (the Father) having made peace

through the blood of his (the Son's) cross,
by him (the Son) to reconcile all things
unto himself; (unto the Father); by him
(by the Son), I say, whether they be
things in earth or things in heaven."
The message of Colossians is that the Father, the INVISIBLE
GOD, has determined to RECONCILE the WORLD TO HIMSELF
by dwelling in FULNESS in the CHURCH (not just in Christ
Jesus). Which is why he states later in Colossians that the

"mystery of God" is "Christ in you, the hope of

glory."

"Colossians 1:
26 Even the mystery which hath been hid
from ages and from generations, but now
is made manifest to his saints:
27 To whom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles; which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory:"
Their continual application of key scriptures in Colossians 1
to Jesus Christ, rather to the Father is disasterous for the
"mystery" and the message of the true Gospel. Namely, that
we have the fulness of the Godhead IN US! By seeking to
turn CHRIST into GOD HIMSELF, the true message of the
INDWELLING OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH is completely LOST. In
their reading, ONLY CHRIST has the FULNESS. Only CHRIST
IS COMPLETE (perfect) and this BECAUSE HE IS GOD
INCARNATE. Which forever BARS us from the table.
Let's look at key verses from Colossians they take out of
context to try and prove Christ's deity:

"Colossians 1:
15 Who is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of every creature:
16 For by him were all things created,
that are in heaven, and that are in earth,

visible and invisible, whether they be

thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by him,
and for him:
17 And he is before all things, and by him
all things consist."
Colossians 1 starts out talknig about "the knowledge of God,
the Father." He then turns to the WORK that Christ has done
to reconcile us to God the Father and states that Christ is
"the image of the invisible God." When they turn this into a
statement that Christ is ACTUALLY the invisible God (in flesh
form) they ignore one crucial statement. It says that he is
"the firsborn of EVERY creature." It says that he is a
CREATURE, the firstborn of them all! If this is talking about
GENESIS CREATION, then here is rock solid evidence that the
Apostles called Christ a created being!
So, in verse 15 it speaks of the invisible God and how Christ
is the "image." Christians then say "see there, he's the
invisible God." Well, if being "the image" of someone or
some thing means you ARE that someone or thing, then we
are CHRIST, literally, for Paul taught that we are DESTINED to
be "in the image of Christ." Not only that, when you look at
a mirror, that mirror image is you and not just a reflection!
I'm reminded of my dog who, the first time she saw herself in
a mirror began to bark. Laughable isn't it?

"Romans 8:
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did
predestinate to be conformed to the

image of his Son, that he might be the

firstborn among many brethren."
Notice, Colossians 1: 15 says he is "the firsborn of every
creature" and then Romans 8 : 29 says he is "the firstborn
among many brethren." I pointed this out for those who will
once again claim that I am taking things out of context.
CLEARLY both texts I offer are connected and cross reference
each other. Both speak of being "in the image" of God for if
the Son of God is the image of the invisible God and we are
conformed to the image of the Son of God, then we too are
"in the image of the invisible God." This is common sense.
The very fact we shall be conformed to this same image that
was Christ's is ALL the proof we need that being "in the
image of the invisible God" does not make one "God
INCARNATE," for we mere creatures are to be conformed to
the image of Christ (the image of the invisible God).
Both Colossians 1: 15 and Romans 8: 29 speak also of Christ
as "the firstborn." So "every creature" in Colossians 1: 15 is
not speaking of GENESIS creation but is speaking of the NEW
CREATION of GOD, whereby Christ brings the reconcilliation,
and brings us all into the STATUS OF SONS OF GOD!
"Firstborn of every creature" and "firstborn among many
brethren" (many sons of God).
All of this truth is LOST to the Christian for he seeks to use
Colossians 1: 15 as a proof text of Christ's deity when that is
not even the SUBJECT matter of the text. Let's look then at
verse 16.

"Colossians 1:
16 For by him were all things created,

that are in heaven, and that are in earth,

visible and invisible, whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or principalities,
or powers: all things were created by
him, and for him"
Christians twist the above verse to say that Jesus Christ
created all things. They then make the Son the Father
(while saying the Son is not the Father in their own
doctrines). For if the Son is the creator of all things, he is
indeed the FATHER of all things! The Father is the Father
because he is the CREATOR. If the SON is the creator
common sense dictates the Son is the Father.
Verse 16 is not talkng about "the Son" it's talking about "the
invisible God." He has just said in verse 15 that Christ is the
"image of the invisible God" then says:

"for by him (the invisible God) were all

things created, that are in heaven, and
that are in earth..." We know for a fact verse 16
cannot be talking about Christ (the Son) because it says that
"by him" all things were created, not only in earth but in
heaven, then it INCLUDES "all dominions" (in heaven), and
"all thrones" (in heaven) and "all principalities" (in heaven)
and "all powers" (in heaven). It also includes all things
"invisible" (in heaven).
When they make verse 16 to be talking about Jesus, they are
saying that Jesus is in fact the creator of the INVISIBLE GOD
(not the image of him). For, the verse says he created all
things invisible in heaven. If they DENY this, what part of
"all things" do they not comprehend? They are also saying

that Jesus created the THRONE OF GOD and that he gave

GOD HIS DOMINION and that he gave GOD HIS POWER.
According to their reading of this verse, the Apostles were all
wrong when they said that God "highly exalted" Christ, for
Christ created all dominions in heaven and earth and all
thrones. In point of fact their reading of Colossians 1: 16
means the Christ highly exalted God the Father, created his
throne, his power, and made him the "principality" in
heaven.
What error was Paul teaching, then when he said that God
has "put all things under Christ's feet?" Being that
Christianity teaches that CHRIST CREATED THE FATHER'S
WHOLE DOMINION in heaven AND in earth? Paul completely
contradicts himself, therefore when he says:

"1 Corinthians 15:

24 Then cometh the end, when he shall
have delivered up the kingdom to God,
even the Father; when he shall have put
down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all
enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed
is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his
feet. But when he saith all things are put
under him, it is manifest that he is
excepted, which did put all things under

him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued
unto him, then shall the Son also himself
be subject unto him that put all things
under him, that God may be all in all."
The Apostles clearly taught that God put "all things under
Christ's feet" and that when it's all over, Christ will again
become "subject" unto God the Father who put all things
under him. This cannot be true if CHRIST is the CREATOR of
"all dominion, rule, authority, power and thrones" in earth
AND in HEAVEN! In clear light of both immedate and broad
context, Colossians 1: 16 is NOT saying that Jesus Christ
created all things. It's saying that the FATHER (the invisible
God) of whom Christ is the IMAGE, created all things.
So, in Colossians 1: 17 it says:

17 And he (the invisible God) is before all

things, and by him(the invisible God) all
things consist."
Likewise, verse 18 says the following:

18 And he (the invisible God) is the head

of the body, the church: who (the church)
is the beginning, the firstborn from the
dead; that in all things he (the invisible
God) might have the preeminence."
Notice how my reading of verse 18 thoroughly mirrors 1

Corinthians 15: 28 when it says "so that God may be all in

all." Both scriptures say the same thing. That God has sent
his son to subdue all things to HIM (God) so that God might
be "all in all" (have the preeminence).
The Christian religion is not only clueless to these matters
but as a result is clueless to HOW this occurs, namely, by our
EQUAL STATUS as SONS OF GOD and HEIRS to the THRONE
and FELLOW HEIRS with Christ. How that Christ is himself a
MEMBER of the Church and is the HEAD so that he may
SUBDUE all things, delivering them UP TO GOD THE FATHER!
Most importantly of all, this is done by the "fulness of the
Godhead" dwelling IN US, the body of Christ (of which Christ
is a member).
The one verse that drives this home is found in Hebrews:

"Hebrews 3:
3 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of
the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of our profession, Christ
Jesus;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed
him, as also Moses was faithful in all his
house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of
more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he
who hath builded the house hath more
honour than the house."

The above verses state that Christ is an APOSTLE and also

that Christ is a MAN and that this man was "appointed" by
God the Father. Christ has been promoted to KING OF KINGS
and LORD OF LORDS. What I am saying does in no way
diminish Christ, for it exalts him as the FIRSTBORN SON OF
GOD, the man who first obeyed the FATHER. When they turn
him into GOD HIMSELF it is THEY who diminish him, for of
course he's exalted, perfect, holy, and is Lord if he's God, his
accomplishments on this earth mean NOTHING and prove
NOTHING!
Christianity has sought to remove Christ as an "inheritor"
making him the creator himself and MAKER of all these
things, for one does not inherit what one creates
themselves. This is just common sense. They make Christ,
not an HEIR, but he who creates and bequeaths. This they
do so that they can ROB YOU of YOUR inheritance in Christ,
for if Christ is not an heir, neither are you!
Shalom,
Jeffrey D. Dean Sr.
(Watchman Dean)