Was Paul a member of the body of Christ?
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Rom 12:5
Paul uses the word “we” within the verse above. Paul is the author of the book of Romans and he included himself as being a member of the body of Christ.
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.
1 Cor 12:13
Again, Paul uses the word “we” within the above verse and here we learn how it is that a person is placed into the body of Christ.
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Eph 5:30
It should be evident at this point that Paul was a member of the body of Christ.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Rom 8:23
Notice that Paul again used the term “we” and please realize that the “adoption … the redemption of our body” occurs at the Pre-Trib Rapture of the Church. Paul includes himself in this group.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. … Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Thes 4:15, 17
Paul is clearly a member of the body of Christ. Paul also expects to be part of the “catching up,” the Rapture of the Church.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
1 Tim 1:15-16
Paul states within the above that he is a pattern and he says “me first.” Was Paul the first member of the kingdom church (Mt 16:16-19)? No, he was not. There were clearly members of the kingdom church before the Cross, before the apostle Paul was called into service within Acts 9. To understand that fully, one needs to recognize that there is more than one “church” within Scripture. We’ll discuss that topic within the next post.
When Paul says “me first,” he can’t possibly be speaking to the kingdom church or that he is the first member of the kingdom church. Paul was/is a member of the body of Christ. Paul is clearly stating here that he is the first member of the body of Christ and he is also stating that he is a pattern to those who will subsequently believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to life everlasting.
As an aside, please be aware that the Greek word behind both the word “chief” and the word “first” within the passage above is the same word:
The Bible word “chief” can mean most prominent, as it does when it speaks of “the chief singer” (Hab 3:19) and “chief priests” (Ezra 10:5). The word can also have the idea of leadership. “The chief man” on the island where Paul was shipwrecked (Acts 28:7) was probably the leader of those native people, and “Beelzebub the chief of devils” (Luke 11:15) was a reference to Satan, who is certainly the leader of all devils.
So in calling himself the chief of sinners, Paul was also saying that he was the most prominent leader of the world’s sinful rebellion against God (Acts 8:3; 9:1). That’s why God saved him, to prominently show His grace in him (1 Tim 1:16), just as He judged Pharaoh, the world’s most prominent and powerful leader, to show His power in him (Exod 9:16).
Paul was protos, Paul was chief, Paul was the first member of the body of Christ. Paul was given the preaching of the Cross and the gospel of the grace of God as a pattern for our present salvation. Paul is not a member of the 12 apostles sent to Israel. Instead of Israel’s being “…for a light of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6), Paul alone states the fact that “a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me” (1 Cor 9:17) and rather than following in the footsteps of Christ, Paul calls himself the “pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Tim 1:16).
“In me first“, Paul says? “A pattern to them” … did not the 12 come before Paul? They certainly did. Then how is Paul first? The answer is that something changed. The word hereafter shows this. Hereafter what? God dealt with man from the time of Abraham till the time shortly after Christ was crucified, in a certain way. The nation Israel was His instrument to the world and God’s Law was His instrument to them. But when Israel failed, God was not finished, as the world knew Him not. He called Saul on the road to Damascus who became Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles; the heathen; you and me. Paul became God’s instrument in Acts 9. Free grace; the righteousness of God without the Law (Rom 3:21) was Gods instrument to Paul. God Himself didn’t change; the way He deals with man over time, does. The dispensation of the Law (Israel) was coming to a temporary end (God is far from finished with Israel – Romans 9, 10, 11) and the dispensation of the free grace of God to man was beginning.
The Bible declares that Jesus Christ revealed the mystery to the apostle Paul and that He gave him a new Gospel to preach and teach for salvation:
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
Eph 3:3-4
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 Cor 15:3
Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Phil 4:15
This was special revelation, it was new revelation. Paul was not tasked with understanding something that God had already revealed to the 12 apostles sent to the nation Israel. Something new was revealed to him. Scripture declares that Israel is blind and fallen (Rom 11:11, 25), and as a result, a new salvation program has come to the Gentiles.
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 3:10-11
God sent His Son: subsequently, His Son sent the apostle Paul (Jn 13:20), signaling a change in God’s administration (dispensation). In this present dispensation of grace, salvation now is being dispensed (or administered) to uncircumcised Gentiles by grace through faith alone without the works of the law (Eph 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
Paul was the last to see the Lord Jesus Christ and the first to receive the message of longsuffering grace, the pattern to all of us who are believers in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ our Lord. The dispensation of the grace of God and the revelation of the mystery were committed to Paul by our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph 3:2, 7; Col 1:25-26; Rom 11:13) and the apostle Paul was the first member of the body of Christ.
100% agreed!!! 🙂
May your site and ministry grow from strength to strength.
Grace and peace to you guys here at WWURD.
— Paul says: For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 1 Corinthians 4:15
— Paul says “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, 1 Corinthians 3:10
Some similarities between Abraham and Paul, the progenitors of the two programs,
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Both Abraham and Paul were chosen specifically by the Lord to spearhead the start of each program.
Abraham: Gen.12:2
Paul: Acts 9:15
The covenant God made with Abrahams was sealed with the sign of circumcision (in the flesh), whereas the promise given to Paul was that each member in the Body of Christ would be circumcised (in the spirit).
Abraham: Genesis 17:12
Paul: Colossians 2:11
Abraham declared righteous by faith alone.
Abraham: Hebrews 11:8, Galatians 3:6
Paul: Ephesians 2:8
The two programs are alluded to by the STARS and the SAND. The restoration of -heaven and -earth (Eph.1:10; Col.1:20 – to bring both together under the headship and rule Christ in fullness of times.)
Abraham: Genesis 22:17, Rom.4:11-17
Paul: Philippians 3:20, Ephesians 2:6