Was the church Paul persecuted the same thing as the Body of Christ?
No. The assembly Paul persecuted was a called-out, separated group of Jews, and it was not yet under the terminology of the Body of Christ, which is something so different. Paul says he persecuted the assembly of God and wasted it.
Les teaches that the group Paul persecuted was a called-out, separated assembly of Jews, not as yet the Body of Christ, which he calls something so different. Saul of Tarsus, a religious practitioner of Judaism, violently opposed the inroads Jesus of Nazareth and the Twelve were making into Judaism, trying to stamp it out. He was sincerely wrong but sincere in hating Jews who embraced Jesus. Paul later confesses, “I persecuted the assembly of God, and wasted it.”
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
More Questions
What did Paul say about his persecution of the church in Galatians 1:13?
In Galatians 1:13 Paul said his past lifestyle in the Jews' religion included persecuting the church of God beyond measure and wasting it.