The ultimate irrefutable refute to local church onlyism.

Here is an email I sent to my good friend Dr. Herbert Evans.

Want exposition huh?

1 Corinthians 10:

[16] The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

[17] For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

"WE"!!! Every "we" in that passage is referring to all saved Christians (including Paul) taking the Lord's supper. Not one of those "we" is only talking about the Corinthian local church.

Checkout verse 17, they are "one body" (or figurative "bread") because they partook of Christ's death (or figurative "bread" referring to the body and blood of Christ on the cross). Now partaking of Christ's death/body and blood is not referring to the Lord's supper in verse 17......it is explaining WHY we do the communion of verse 16. In other words, that "for" means "because of" LOL.

WHY do we have communion? Because we are one body by partaking of Christ's death on the cross and we take it together as a memorial of that. Ephesians 2 provides the best cross reference to what I just said.

Ephesians 2:

[13] But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
[14] For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
[15] Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
[16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

As further evidence of that, we see Paul contrasting the false practice of the Jews and Gentiles from that which the body of Christ does.....because in the body of Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile.

[18] Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter?
[19] What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
[20] But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
[21] Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Here is our next passage.

1 Corinthians 12:

[1] Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
[2] Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
[3] Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
[4] Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
[5] And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
[6] And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
[7] But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
[8] For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
[9] To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
[10] To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
[11] But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

What we saw there was Paul teaching these Corinthians that they all have different gifts/different purposes but it is all done by the SAME Spirit. That is our context......pretty self explanatory.

[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.

The body (human body) is ONE, but it has MANY members. SO ALSO IS CHRIST. Christ is never many bodies which are different local churches, Christ is always ONE body with MANY members.......there goes local church onlysim. Bye-bye! You will NEVER find "many bodies" it is always ONE body. The members is what there are members of.

[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.

That is explaining how WE got into the body of Christ of verse 12. By a baptism by the Spirit into the body of Christ. The Spirit does not baptize you into anything local/literal.

However, Paul is using the body of Christ truth and doctrine as illustration of our context.......that the members in the local church have different gifts but they are given by the SAME Spirit and we are all ONE body. Obviously the Corinthians church is not it's own body of Christ because Paul did NOT say "by one Spirit are well baptized into each body" and NOT "by one Spirit are ye all baptized into one body". No, it is "by one Spirit are well all baptized into one body". This is not water baptism into many local churches.

[14] For the body is not one member, but many.

[15] If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[16] And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
[17] If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
[18] But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Again, Paul is back to the context........the members of the church should function as one just as the human body does. God set the members in the body...."by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body".......not "we are all water baptized into local churches and then set in the church by popular vote".

[19] And if they were all one member, where were the body?

[20] But now are they many members, yet but one body.

The only thing that there is "many" of is members, not bodies. There is YET BUT ONE BODY.

[21] And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
[22] Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
[23] And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
[24] For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
[25] That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
[26] And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it

[27] Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Back to the context we have all the members of this local church with different gifts but are supposed to function as one body because they are the body of Christ and members in particular (each member has his own job)

[28] And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
[29] Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
[30] Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
[31] But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

There was the rest of the content. Notice this is the "church" as in the local assembly and not the body of Christ. There is not "governments" in the body of Christ because HE IS THE HEAD. That passage is clearly a list of the different gifts/abilities that the church has.

The best cross reference to that would be Ephesians 4.

Ephesians 4:

[11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
[15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
[16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Is that your opinion of "exposition" or was that me "flinging scriptures" ;)

Have a good weekend! --Bro. Hoss