Church is the body of Christ

By Dick Hester

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 that our bodies having many parts, but all those parts, form one body. He teaches us in verse 12 that the body is a unit. Paul is teaching us that the unity and diversity of the different spiritual gifts exercised by God’s people, are all members of the one body of Christ. With Christ’s body, the church, He is the head, (Ephesians 1:22-23). In verse 13, we see where we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body and were all given the one Spirit to drink. We were Spiritually baptized, and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, (John 3:3,5) and united with Christ as part of His body. In Christ there is no racial or cultural difference and no social distinction. God has made available to all His people, those who accept Him, the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, (1 Corinthians 6: 19) so that their lives may overflow with the fruit of the Spirit, (Galatians 5:22-23 and John 7:37-39).

Galatians 5:22-23 says, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

In 1 Corinthians 12: 14-30, Paul continues to talk about the body, Now the body is not made up of one part but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be 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 cease to be part of the body.

If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

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!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.

But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

As the human body must have diversity to work effectively as a whole, so also the members of Christ’s body, the Church, have diverse gifts, all working together to help bring about the accomplishment of Christ’s unity.

Each person must use his talents and use his position for the good of all. Those who hold the position of apostle, elder and deacon must display the message of wisdom and the message of knowledge, (1 Peter 5:1 and Acts 6: 1-6).

Paul stresses the sovereign purpose of God in diversifying the parts of the body; Paul is saying that God has arranged that different Christians in the body of Christ, the Church, exercise different spiritual gifts. This diversity is intended to accomplish His unified purpose and to create unity

Verses 21-26 is directed to those members who feel that their talents are superior and most important. Christians in the body of Christ are dependent on one another and must work together in unity to carry out the mission of the body of Christ, the Church.

Christians who seem to have the duties which seem to not have much importance, in the body of Christ, the Church, are actually indispensable. Just as we give food to the human stomach, though it is a less attractive part of the human body, so also we should give honor and support to the Christians in the church who have ordinary talents. Christians whose duties may be very obscure in the church should be given special honor. Persons with more spectacular talents do not need to be given special honor. When all parts of the body of Christ, the Church, is working in unity and all talents are functioning according to God’s will, there should never be any thought of division in the body of Christ, the Church, (1 Corinthians 1:10-12).

In the body of Christ, the Church, should ever one of its members be suffering, then all the members are effected, (Acts 12:1-5).

Each local church is the body of Christ just as the universal church is Christ’s body.

Paul referred to three positions held by gifted individuals that were part of the foundation of the church, apostles, prophets and teachers. These three individuals were listed as “first,” “second,” and “third,” which indicated their importance in the church. The remaining list of individuals were introduced with “then,” indicating the variety of talents of those individuals.

The act of helping others could be ministering to the poor, needy, sick and distressed. Those members with administrative talents were enabled by the Holy Spirit to organize and project plans and spiritual programs in the Church.

So we can see from Paul’s teachings that all members of the body of Christ, the Church, are important. No one of any more importance than the other. It takes all members of the body working together in harmony to carry out God’s will for His Church.

Scripture used or referred to is taken from The NIV Study Bible.

You can reach Dick by email at hhester@twc.com.