The Body of Christ

In the epistles to the Romans and to the Corinthians, chapter 12, the apostle Paul speaks about the church of God and the gifts of the Spirit given to its members to serve the whole. He compares the members of the church to the members of the human body and says, “So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:5. “For the body is not one member, but many.” 1 Corinthians 12:14. The members are interrelated and all together form the body of Christ. Each member is given a talent or more.

“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.” 1 Corinthians 12: 7-10.

One member has the talent of spiritual vision and is the eye of the church, another has the talent of helping others in a practical way, has medical training of some kind and is the hand; the feet are surely those who go around preaching the message of salvation to the world, as Isaiah so nicely describes them, reaching inaccessible places up on the mountains, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” Isaiah 52:7.

Some people have more than one talent, but even he who has only one is very necessary in the church to keep the body healthy. The eye can be very important, but if something gets into the eye, we need the finger to help to take it out. One member needs the other and all work together under the direction of the head, where the brain is. The head of the church is Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5: 23) and for the body to be healthy it must be submitted to the head.

There are several people in the church who have the same talent, in the same way that in the body there are organs that are doubled; we have two arms and hands, two feet, two ears, two eyes, two lungs, two kidneys but they work together in perfect harmony; they share the burden and the one needs and complements the other. It should be the same way in the church among people with the same talent, no rivalry, no spirit of competition, no fear that the other one may be more appreciated or considered than we because his vision is sharper, his capacity of listening is greater, he is more skilful. If we observe the human body, we know that in spite of its symmetry there are tiny little differences: one foot is a little bigger than the other, one eye sees a little better than the other one, the right hand is more skilful than the left one, but have you ever been deprived even if temporarily from the use of one of the double members of the body? Have you experienced how difficult it is to have to make use of only one leg or one arm and hand? It is a big inconvenient to the whole body. The problem is surely much more serious for those who have to live with one kidney or have a sick lung. There is room for everyone in the church of God and the more talents there are the better it is, the more service it can render.

But our human body has only one head and one heart and so does the church. Jesus Christ is the source of wisdom and love. He has the power to purify and sanctify our talents. He can make that the foot, instead of treading and stamping, may wander in search of souls for His kingdom. He sanctifies the hand so that instead of being closed in an aggressive or mean fist, it may open to caress, to give, to help. He makes that the eye, instead of looking at the mistakes of others, be fixed upon Jesus and receives power from Him to accept everybody with his weaknesses. He heals the ears so instead of listening to bad reports, they may listen to the word of God that leads to salvation. All members are very important. “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” 1 Corinthians 12:21-23. The Lord does not want any separation in His body, “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.” 1 Corinthians 12:26-28.

In the church of God there should be sympathy for those who suffer and no jealousy or envy of those who are successful. If everyone understands the role he plays in the body, he will not occupy his mind with what he could have been, but try to do his best to fulfill his service to perfection, to be submitted to the head–to Christ, so that he can serve even better.

In Ephesians 4:11-13 we read, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” The purpose of all these talents is the spiritual edification of the body, of the church, so that Christ may be presented to the world.

In Corinthians 12:27, 28 we read, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 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.” The last talent mentioned is the gift of tongues. This gift was given to the apostles on the day of Pentecost and people from many nationalities heard the message of salvation in his own language! No need of interpretation from a booth, no turning of a button to choose the language one understands the best, but an opening of the heart to the words of salvation that came from the lips of almost illiterate preachers empty of self and fully possessed by the Spirit of God.

In the church there are persons who are the tongue, and although this is a small and a single member, it has its importance within the body. Jacob says, “the tongue is a little member”, but he explains how dangerous such a member can be. “And the tongue [is] a fire.” Just like the fire, it can have a destructive influence and burn everything to the ground or can set hearts on fire for the truth that is in Jesus. Actually every member can be either a blessing or a curse, depending whether it is submitted to the head or not, whether it is under the guidance of the Holy Spirit or some other power is leading it. In Matthew 5:29 we read, “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.” It is a great privilege to be the eye in the church, a person with ample vision who can foresee things and has spiritual discernment. Usually such people occupy leading positions, but the greater the gift the more the dependence on the Gift-giver should be. And who has given us the gift we have? “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” 1 Corinthians 12:11. How important it is then that all members may be subject to the Head and follow the commands of the Spirit. Only thus there will be real unity and growth in love and harmony.

“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:15, 16.

“Speaking the truth in love;” this is the purpose for which the gift of languages was given. It is interesting that after the apostle shows the church in Corinth the importance of every member, regardless of how insignificant he may seem, he tells them further on: “yet show I unto you a more excellent way” 1 Corinthians 12:31. This is an introduction to chapter 13 in whose first verses we read, “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.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. The more excellent way is to do everything with love. After all the characteristics of love are enumerated and it is underlined that both faith and hope will cease to be, but love will remain in eternity, chapter 14 begins with the words, “Follow charity”, in other words, “Follow love” (agape) as it is written in the Greek version. The German version instead says, “strive for love”. In which way do we strive for love? By smiling more often, speaking nice words, doing good works? All that can only be fake and hypocritical. The Scriptures tell us, ‘God is love”, so we can rephrase this verse and say, “follow God”, “strive for a closer connection with the heavenly Father.” As the hymn says, “Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart, draw me, my Saviour, so precious thou art.” Look daily for a closer communion with your Lord “that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what [is] the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19.

What power will such a church have! What a revelation of Christ it will give to the world! The members of the church of Laodicea who open the door to the Lord and have a special meal with Him will fulfil the Lord’s prayer, “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us.” John 17:21. Agape has the power of uniting hearts with unbreakable and insoluble bonds and a real “Philadelphia”–love among brethren–will be the crown of Christ’s sacrifice for us, “so that the world may believe” that the Father has sent Him. AMEN.

Teresa Corti