The Church as the Body of Christ

By Pastor Chad

Our bodies are created to work a certain way. They are designed to function in a particular manner. If one part of the body doesn’t work correctly, that impacts other parts of the body. For example, if the left foot doesn’t move the way it is designed, it impedes the function of the body. Or, if a thumb is severed from the hand, the hand suffers and the thumb dies. All of these realities help emphasize the analogy of the church Paul uses in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. 

Paul describes the church as the body of Christ. The implications of such a description help Christians understand the purpose, nature, and importance of the Church. Let me explain one such importance in this recap.  

All parts of the body of Christ are united to one another. Unity doesn’t mean uniformity, but it does mean solidarity. In other words, claiming that we are connected to one another in the body of Christ doesn’t mean we are all the same. We don’t lose our individuality, but we do become part of something greater than ourselves. We are all united to one another through Christ. Though we are diverse in our backgrounds, talents, giftings, interests, and more, we are united around the person of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, Paul writes, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” Here Paul uses the analogy of body parts to describe our interconnectedness. 

Think about that for a moment. If an ear is severed from the body, the ear dies. If a hand is cut off from the body, the hand dies. Each body part is connected to the whole body and needs the body in order to survive. Thus, the apostate notion, that a Christian does not need a local church, is completely divorced from the pages of the New Testament. We need one another for spiritual health and well-being. In our hyper-individualistic age, we tend to make ourselves the main focus of attention. For any who are part of the body of Christ, this self-centered mindset is pushed away. Life is no longer simply about the person, it is also about others. Our spiritual lives are dependent upon one another–my spiritual well-being is dependent upon you and yours upon me.

As a local church, we are connected together in worship and mission. Of course, we are connected to the head of the church, which is Christ. And as part of the body, we function as the head desires and wills. In order to function as the head wills, however, one must be connected to the body; such is a link that is vital to one’s spiritual purpose and call. Don’t sever yourself from the body of Christ. You need the body and the body needs you.