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Members of the Body

This week while moving in my bedroom, I tripped and ended up landing on my shin, and caused a great deal of discomfort to my right leg, especially my knee. Though the pain is starting to subside and the discomfort is diminishing, I am still walking with a bit of a limp and suspect that I will do so for the next few days, and possibly weeks. To allow healing for this part of my body, I am adjusting my routines, especially being careful when moving my body in any position that relies on the right knee. I have found out through pain that my right knee is an important part of many life activities that I have never considered. For instance, try sitting or standing without using your right knee, or putting a sock on your right foot without using your right knee. Even navigating a bathtub can be tricky without bending your right knee. During the last few days, I have come to appreciate how my right knee contributes to my body, and how much I miss the contributions of my right knee. It is amazing how one small part of my body can impact the rest of my body, and this is the nature of our design. In a broader viewpoint, it is the nature of our spiritual design as Christians. Just like individuals have several body parts that they must rely on to move, the Church of God must rely on the several members of the spiritual body, the church to move. When one member of the spiritual body is missing, the ability of the spiritual body as a whole is diminished, and when I am faced with any physical challenge, I often think of the writings of Paul in his first epistle to the Corinthians.

I Corinthians 12:12-26
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. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

In this part of his epistle, Paul compares the church to the human body and shows that just as in the human body each body part contributes to the complete functioning of the body, that in the church, each member contributes to the complete functioning of the church. Paul also alludes to what today would be called an auto-immune disorder, where the body attacks itself and shows that just as the human body cannot attack itself and survive, the church cannot attack itself and survive. How church members contribute to the complete functioning of the church depends on the spiritual gifts that have been given to each church member. Paul compares this to the functioning of the human body where the eye always sees and never hears, the ear always hears, and never sees. Notice the first verses of chapter 12.

I Corinthians 12:1-11
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

For those of us who are first-century apostolic Christians, we sometimes have difficulty with these verses as we think everything is limited to one human organization, and these verses show that God works across administrations and operations. As long a person is led by the Spirit, God can work in that person, and in the end, it is God’s call and not our call or any man’s call who God’s children are.

Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

God is able to work with any person who is led by his Spirit and can use that person to further his work here on earth. What limits God’s work here on earth is when one part of the spiritual body limits the functioning of the rest of the spiritual body. Paul continued his writing in I Corinthians 12.

I Corinthians 12:28-31
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Paul shows that Christians serve different functions within the church. Some use these verses to show a hierarchy of government and this is in error when compared to the previous verses of I Corinthians 12. Paul shows an interdependence of body parts, and members of the church. An apostle cannot be an apostle without prophets, teachers, worker of miracles, healers, and assistance, government and organization, and diversity of tongues. Paul shows in this chapter all are needed and that no one is more or less important. Each may have a different function, and all are needed for the church to function as designed. Paul then goes on to show in chapter 13 that the church and these church functions were not designed to be self-satisfying; rather these were designed to lead to the more excellent way of love.

I Corinthians 13:1-13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

So as I am recovering from the pain in my right knee, I think about how each part of my human body must work together for me to function as intended, and in a spiritual sense, I think of how the church, how each member must function if the church is to function as intended. And if the church is functioning as intended, love will prevail.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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