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APPENDIX B

The Bible Basis for Corporate Repentance

III. PAUL DEVELOPS THE "CORPORATE" IDEA IN
          1 CORINTHIANS 12

  1. Christ is "one body," with all members part of the body (vs. 12).
  2. All become incorporated into Him by faith through baptism (vss.13,14).
  3. There is:

A corporate unity of the body (vs. 14).

A corporate diversity of the body (vss. 15-17).

A corporate need in the body (vs. 21).

A corporate balance of the body (vss. 22-24).

A corporate concern within the body (vs. 25).

A corporate suffering felt in the body (vs. 26).

A corporate rejoicing experienced in the body (vs. 26).

  1. "Many members = one body," "the body of Christ" (vss. 18-20, 27). His goal: become incarnate in the "body" of the church, not theoretically but effectively through the Holy Spirit.
  2. The corporate principle is easily seen in our physical bodies: all our organs and limbs sympathize with a wounded member. "Many" = "one."
  3. Blood-stream infections (example, malaria) are a "corporate" disease.
  4. There is corporate sinful human nature, as all lions share a corporate man-eating nature (cf. 5BC 1085).

Corporate Identity in the Old Testament

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