[313]The word Christ signifies anointed. Anointing means designation to official position in God's arrangement. The Christ is the instrument or channel for the blessing of mankind. The Christ is composed of Jesus, the great and mighty head, and 144,000 members. (Revelation 7:4) Christ Jesus is the head and the church his body. We ofttimes hear the expression, a body of men with a general at their head. Of the Christ the Apostle says: "And he [Christ Jesus] is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preëminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell."--Colossians 1:17-19. [314]The apostle Paul uses a human body to illustrate the Christ, the great mystery class; the head representing Jesus, and the other members of the body those who are of his church. "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.... Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."--1 Corinthians 12:12,27. [315]The Christ is also designated in the Scriptures as the seed of Abraham according to the promise. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." (Galatians 3:16) Addressing himself to the church, the Christians, the followers of Jesus, the Apostle further said: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.... And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26,27,29) This is the seed, then, through whom the blessings will come to all the families of the earth. Church means a gathered out class; and so the gospel age, that is to say, the period from Jesus' first coming until his second coming, is employed by Jehovah for the selection of the church, the seed of Abraham, through which blessings will come to all the remainder of mankind in God's due time. [316]This same class is called the elect of God, according to his foreknowledge.--1 Peter 1:2.