Unbelievers in the Body Explained?


                          The BODY of Christ is NOT for
A man who reads my website and emails me at times (he is a well meaning seeker of truth) recently asked me a good question. I told him I would place it here and answer it for all to read; as a teaching moment.  

 See his question below in red then my answer under his email:

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 Hi Jim,

Hope you are fine.

I am currently reading an article of yours in which you seem to say that church services are just for believers.

I am wondering how 1 Corinthians 14:22 might fit into your view, and was wondering if you may have an article on this topic already posted on your website?

I can’t find one if it’s there. So I figured I would ask if there is an article there on this topic.

Have a great day.

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 First, lets set the table for some deep truth, then answer his good question. My articles/website make it clear, the body of Christ/gatherings are for those who are IN the body of Christ, born by His spirit not unbelievers. I can prove this by the very letter/verse this man references from Apostle Paul in the book of Corinthians. In chapter 1 Cor 1:1-2  Paul says this:
Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:

I think it is clear from many verses that you do not become the body of Christ by entering a building or joining in a gathering/service. No it is by faith in Christ, repentance to new life, amen? 

 Paul even says this in Eph 4:12-13 telling us what the purpose of the NT body is:
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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:

 The body/gathering is for true SAINTS..... not for unbelievers. 

 To be clear:
I teach that we do not as a habit invite in unbelievers to a gathering unless it is a goal to preach the gospel to them and call them to repent in that gathering. (See Acts 2 as an example)
They do not come in and just partake of song, praying and the Lords table as that is very sinful! There is NO evidence at all in scripture that true holy saints ever invited unbelievers into their gatherings..... as a habit of evangelizing. (that is my main message I try to portray often / I never say some wont end up there) Inviting the world in is a common seeker sensitive false way that came about of late (1960's) to fill up pews; but it is NOT of God or His true people. The gospel was preached out in the world/streets/Jewish religious places then those who hear it and respond in repentance; enter inside the NT body for teaching and discipleship. Again, you cannot sing and pray united with unbelievers as that is going against what this verse clearly says:

 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2 Cor 6

Now that we know the body of Christ and gathering is for born again believers (not unbelievers) lets get to the verse mentioned and questioned:

 1 Cor 14:22-23
 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

Paul says right there, the whole church come together... 
he is speaking of the body gathering, NOT unbelievers. 
Then he says; there come in those unlearned or unbelievers.
They are not invited in or part of the body but they come in later. 
It is obvious it is NOT a "invited in way" but they find their way in later. Unbelieveing Jews / rulers often came into the NT saints gatherings to see what was going on and to persecute them! (Saul came in and killed men till he was born again as Apostle Paul) Saints in the NT word often met in parks, local outside meeting places as they did not have religious buildings. (they did use homes too) There was on lookers who were NOT part of it all but they could see and hear it. Imagine you and your true body meet in a park to sing, pray and teach. Is it not totally possible some unbelieving people who are near hear it all and wander on over to listen in? We have had that happen to us various times. They are not invited in but they find a way in; via over hearing. (we would not send them away but we then preach the gospel to them. But we do NOT just include them in the narrow road body that Jesus shed His precious blood for) Again, no evidence shows true NT first century saints ever invited in unbelievers to unite in song, prayer and the Lords table. That tramples God's Word all over in many places. 

 Now keep in mind some other key points to make this topic/explanation clear:

 1)  tongues was active then (it is NOT today as it was then) and it was used "in control" to show unbelievers God's power. See Acts 2
(it was a audible language and in Acts 2 some said they were drunk/babbling) Paul is referring to this kind of an event that could happen but it is OUT of control tongues/chaos and God is NOT the author of that. 1 cor 14:33. 
2) back then the Christian faith was very NEW!
There was a merging of Jews and gentiles into bodies. Most all Jews believed in the God of the Torah law but they were not Jesus followers yet so they were unbelievers. Paul would go to synagogue's to reach unbelieving Jews. He would go to pagan places to preach as well (See Acts 17) The Jews believed in the God of Issac, Abraham and Jacob; but NOT Jesus as again, it was a VERY NEW faith way. They would be considered unbelievers (not Christians) but part of some bodies as they gathered to preach to them the NEW way of Christ. (a kind of on Monday you were all united and now on Friday; some are Jews and some are born again saints) Remember religious Jews all gathered for Torah teaching on Sabbath but now in a fast change, it was Jesus crucified was being preached by Paul and this caused them to be unbelievers, till they repented and received Messiah.

 Note: it is NOT the same today as the people of the fallen world that get invited into so called churchianity. They are far far from God's ways and NOT even close to the level of faith, holiness and obedience to God's law that those first century Jews were; even as they denied Jesus. 

   Paul is clearly saying that if tongues over takes a NT gathering (like we see in wacky pentecostal places today) those who may not believe and come in as curious, they will not understand. But if we are proclaiming God's truth, they will hear and may come to God in repentance. 

 In closing; Apostle Paul mentioning unbelievers coming into a gathering in NO WAY means we are to INVITE them in today. It was a very different context situation back then vs what we see today. There is no tongues as it once was, we have the complete word of God/gospel to teach and there is a CLEAR line of difference from God's NT born again saints and worldly or religious people of today's corrupt culture/religion/denominations. 

 I hope that explains 1 Cor 14:22 and unbelievers in the body ?

 God be praised

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