All For One and One For All

In 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 Paul uses the human body as an illustration to explain the way that the body of Christ, the church should function and the relationship among it's members. From that point on through the end of chapter 12, Paul refers to the human "body" to describe the church sixteen times. It's an important image that he wants us to grasp.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12. Verses 12, 20, and 27 pick up this theme of the body: "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ...But now there are many members, but one body...Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it."

That body isn't the only image that Paul uses to describe the church. He also describes the church as a family, a temple (individual physical body), an army, and even describes the church as a bride. Each one of those pictures has an important lesson to teach us. However. in Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 12, Paul puts an emphasis on the church as being the body of Christ. There are many different Christian denominations, congregations, para-church ministries, organizations, agencies, clubs, and other groups of every kind, but there is only one church, of which every true believer in Jesus Christ is a member.

As individuals, we are members of the body of Christ, each with our own gifts and abilities. Jesus Christ is the head of the body and every good and perfect gift that comes from The Father, (James 1:17) is ours to use as we serve Him. The gifts and abilities we possess are to be a blessing to one another; for the good of the whole body and to bring glory to God.

In the beginning of verse 12 Paul says that we are all one body regardless of race, colour and he goes on to say that there are two conditions in the body of Christ that affect us. One is the sense of inferiority that says we don't have much of anything to offer the body of Christ.

This is one of the reasons that some Christians never express their spiritual gifts in ministry. Look at verses 14-19:

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," for that reason it would not 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?

We simply must function by doing our individual parts. Any one member who doesn't function in their role, can prevent the body from functioning at top notch condition. Perhaps some local church bodies or individual members may not realize that they are crippled because it has become the “norm” to function this way.

The second condition is the one of superiority, that says our gifts are so important that we don't need to include other brothers and sisters or take their gifts seriously.
Look at verses 20-26:

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 not presentable 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.

At the end of the chapter Paul shares the attitude of the heart in which we are to express our gifts in ministry..... He says, “And now I will show you a more excellent way”.

What is ministry? It's a smile, a kind word, an offering or sacrifice to God, by looking after someone else's need. It's using your gift or skill, whatever it is, art, dance, music, photography, plumbing, auto mechanics, renovation specialist, nurse, doctor, care giver, mom, dad, student.... teacher, administration, miracles, gifts of healing, the prophet, preacher ....your WHOLE life is an opportunity to serve one another by example of Christ's Love to one another.

To say that we do not need any one particular person or their gifts because we can handle it ourselves, pushes aside the full potential that the body of Christ can do as a whole unit to reach the local community or the world, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. I Corinthians 12:1 (NIV)

As the body of Christ, we cannot function in unity unless the foundation of our relationship is based on the Love and Compassion of God that He has for us, extended to one another. Refer to the scripture above, “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

In these tough times, we do need each other. Perhaps now, we will experience God's Love for one another on a deeper level, because times like these will draw us closer to one another. Holding hands in tough times will require us to listen more closely to the prompting of God's voice, and His direction as we love and care for members of the local and world wide body of Christ.

Listen closely for His voice. Do your part. You are important.

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© written by Laurie Marks Vincent  

Please do not use without written permission.