“But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles…”
— Galatians 1:15–16 (AMP)
“For you will spread out to the right and to the left; and your descendants will take possession of nations and will inhabit deserted cities.”
— Isaiah 54:3 (AMP)
“God [in His eternal plan] chose to make known to them how great [for the Gentiles] are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in and among you, the hope and guarantee of [realising the] glory. We proclaim Him, warning and instructing everyone in all wisdom [that is, with comprehensive insight into the word and purposes of God], so that we may present every person complete in Christ [mature, fully trained, and perfect in Him].”
— Colossians 1:27–28 (AMP)
Let us now look deeper at the church paradigm as revealed in the Spirit through the Scriptures.
The Church as the Body of Christ #
The church is not a building; it is not an institution with titles and seats. It is the mystical, spiritual body of Christ. Paul teaches this truth by comparing the church to a human body:
“For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form only one body, so it is with Christ.”
— 1 Corinthians 12:12 (AMP)
“Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function].”
— 1 Corinthians 12:27 (AMP)
This body is not a metaphor alone; it is a spiritual reality. We are bone of His bone, flesh of His flesh (Ephesians 5:30). The church is His fullness:
“And He put all things in every realm in subjection under Christ’s feet, and appointed Him as supreme and authoritative head over all things in the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills and completes all things in all [believers].”
— Ephesians 1:22–23 (AMP)
In the Old Covenant, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. But now in the New Covenant, every believer is a member of the heavenly temple where Christ Himself is the Head and we are the body.
| Old Covenant | New Covenant |
|---|---|
| Tabernacle of Moses | Body of Christ |
| Priestly class | All believers are priests |
| External holiness | Internal holiness in Christ |
The human body is a type; the spiritual body is the fulfilment. Christ in us is the source of unity, function, and movement.
The Church as a Royal Priesthood #
The Reformation revived the idea of the priesthood of all believers, but the Spirit is now taking us further, into the experience of being a royal priesthood, filled with the glory and responsibility of Christ within.
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.”
— 1 Peter 2:9 (AMP)
This priesthood was foreshadowed in the Levitical order, but fulfilled in Christ, our High Priest. In Him, we do not offer dead animals, but we offer ourselves as living sacrifices.
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.”
— Romans 12:1 (AMP)
The church does not need external intermediaries; Christ is the only Mediator, and every believer now ministers from union, not distance.
The Church as Mount Zion #
The mountain of the Lord is not a place you climb with effort; it is a realm you come to by faith in Christ. The writer of Hebrews makes it plain:
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels in festive gathering, and to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, and to God, who is Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous (the redeemed) who have been made perfect.”
— Hebrews 12:22–23 (AMP)
Mount Zion is a type in the Old Covenant—the place where David brought the Ark and where God’s presence dwelt among praises. In the New Covenant, the church is the true Mount Zion, where worship flows from within, not from rituals.
Jesus is the King seated on Zion:
“But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain.”
— Psalm 2:6 (AMP)
We are not climbing mountains; we are the city set on the hill, shining because of Christ within.
The Church as Light of the World #
Jesus said it with striking clarity:
“You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
— Matthew 5:14 (AMP)
“Nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”
— Matthew 5:15 (AMP)
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognise and honour and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 5:16 (AMP)
Light is not just moral behaviour; it is the life of Christ shining through us. The church is the lampstand (Revelation 1:20). The oil is the Spirit. The flame is Christ. We shine not by effort, but by union with the indwelling Lord.
The Church as Salt of the Earth #
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [who do not know God].”
— Matthew 5:13 (AMP)
Salt preserves, salt heals, salt flavours. The church preserves the world—not through policies or activism—but by carrying the aroma of Christ. The world is decaying; the church is the preserving agent because Christ lives in us.
Fulfilment in Christ #
Each of these roles—body, priesthood, Zion, light, salt—finds its meaning only in Christ. Without Him, they are concepts. In Him, they are realities.
| Type and Shadow | Fulfilment in Christ |
|---|---|
| Old Temple | Christ in us, the hope of glory |
| Levitical priesthood | Royal priesthood in Christ |
| Mount Zion (earthly) | Spiritual Zion (church) |
| Candle in the tabernacle | Church as the light of Christ |
| Salt covenant (Leviticus 2:13) | Church as preserving salt |
Final Thoughts #
We must not redefine the church through culture, structure, or tradition. The Spirit reveals the church to be the living, breathing expression of Christ on earth—His body, His priesthood, His Zion, His light, and His preserving salt.
To walk in this revelation, we must:
- Be dead to the old man (Adam)
- Be led by the Spirit
- Be formed in union with Christ
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
— Romans 8:14 (AMP)
This is the true church paradigm.
In Christ,
Shaliach.
