Hello @geralduk,
Yes, Christ Jesus, our Beloved, risen and glorified Lord, is the Head of the One Body. That glorious fact we are all agreed on.
Praise God!
Our understanding differs on what the Body comprises, that is between ourselves and God the Holy Spirit. It is not a matter of contention or of condemnation. We, each one, have been brought into fellowship with the Father, and with His Son, through the Spirit, and it is there that we learn of the things of Christ, not from dispute or the accumulation of many words.
In fact the 'many words' of man just makes the heart to sink, and distresses the spirit. The Word of God itself does neither of those things, so it is best to concentrate on personal study, and wait on the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, Who gives it in the form, and at the pace that is right for each individual.
May God's perfect will be done in each one of us, for His Name and glory's sake.
In Christ Jesus
Our risen and glorified
Saviour, Lord and Head.
Chris
Given that the coming of the :Lord for His bride is the primary message of the age . For he has already as it were left the building and is on His way. I do not believe that these things are for ones own private view or indeed of contention and condemnation.
But for the preaching or teaching or the sharing of the truth .
You speak of" many words" and think that if a man speaks a long time he must be wrong?
I have in churches on Sunday where the primary thought in mens minds was not the message of the pastor or preacher but the dinner in the oven.
I know of one sincere man of God who was called to pastor a church in NW London . A church that had not a pastor for over 5 years .
A group (and ruling?) in the church took umbrage at the length of his sermon and at first began to look at their watches in such a way as to let the pastor know what they thought .
As a faithful man of God he preached as he was so led .Eventually they began to get up as he was preaching and stack the chairs !
The sad thing was that other members of the church did not rebuke them .
That Godly man resigned .For clearly while they expressed they wanted and needed a pastor they wanted one who would listen more to them than to God.
I once heard a man of God begin a message on Hebrews 1:1 and got no further than "GOD<" and preached I think for nigh on two hours on 'GOD'
It was a wonderful message and every time I use the Word "God" It is infused with that message and all that was said and understood.
Personal study is good but it is not enough . Indeed we can or could get a too narrow focus on things if that is all we do .
The message of the Bride is challenging.
For it goes against the grain of not only modern theology but also many years of loose teaching .
What i say is not in condemnation or to condemn. But to read a map you need to know two things . Where you are and where you want to go.
If you know where you want to go but do not know where you are you will not get to where you want to go.
If you know where you are but do not know where you want or need to be .You also will not get there .
Is it not w ritten "the Word of God is a lamp unto my feet (where we are) and a light unto my path" Where we are going.
It will tell us if we are in the wrong place . Im not speaking about being saved or BORNagain., Im speaking about in our thinking .
It will tell us .Not unto condemnation but that we may change our thinking.
It will tell us where we are going . and if we have strayed it will show us by examples of scripture and direct teaching likewise .
.Again this may seem overlong. But it is not really .
and it it does to you. Then read it one bit at a time and see if these things be true in scripture.
For I cannot in truth and faithfulness to God and the truth not say it as it is and how I find it . But I hope in a little measure to show why I believe what I believe and as I have been so led others following the argument may arrive at the same conclusion . If my words are badly done .Im sorry . If misunderstood then I will if needed try another way to say it .
in Christ
Gerald