The Body of Christ

Scripture: Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. – 1 Corinthians 12:12

In God’s word, the Apostle Paul describes the church not as an Organization, but an Organism – the “Body of Christ.” He goes on in this passage to explain what this means in practical terms:

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. (1 Corinthians 12:15-16)

Each member of Christ’s body plays a different yet important role, and is a critical part of the whole.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” (1 Corinthians 12:21)

None of us should consider others (or ourselves) to be less important than another. Different does not mean better or worse. The one part that IS supreme is the Head, which is Jesus Christ Himself.

If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Corinthians 12:26)

If someone steps on your toe, you don’t say, “The toe hurts.” You say, “MY toe hurts.” When you look in the mirror and see pimples, you don’t say, “The face is breaking out,” but “MY face is breaking out.” In the same way, when your brother or sister in Christ is suffering physical or emotional pain, you don’t say, “That’s not my problem.” You go to that person and see how you can help. And if you can’t change the situation, it may be enough just to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15).

There are two distinct, but equally important, meanings of Christ’s body, the church. One includes every believer in the world, and is commonly called The Church. When you became a Christ-follower, you became part of The Church. But at the same time, every believer is called to become part of a local body or church. It’s in that context that all these relationships happen, and it’s where personal ministry takes place. Next week we will look more closely at relationships in the Body of Christ and what they mean in daily life.