For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
Romans 12:4-5
Each of us as a Christian has a relationship with Jesus Christ, a personal intimate relationship at least we can have such a relationship if we are willing to take care of it. That relationship however, is not just for our personal benefit; it is also for the building up of the Body of Christ, the church. According to Paul, we actually belong to each other. Each one of us has a role to play in the Body of Christ, a role developed and assigned by Christ Himself, or as we often say, “He has a plan for each of us.”
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
1Crinthians 12:12-14
In these verses we gain a bit more insight into this process; we have all been given one Spirit “to drink” the Holy Spirit who indwells us. The Holy Spirit will manifest Himself in each of us in different ways to build up the Body of Christ, the church, and none of us are a whole body in ourselves. We are “complete” in the Body of Christ as each of us does out part. Therefore, we must not only have relationship with Jesus on our own, but also in community with other believers, and obviously we call this community the church.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13
Paul takes us another step forward in these verses. Note that it begins with the mention of 5 manifestations of the Holy Spirit; we call these manifestations “spiritual gifts”. Notice also that they (and all of the other spiritual gifts) have a purpose greater than any one of us: The building up of the Body of Christ, the church. Through the building up of each of us into the Body of Christ “we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature”. We do not attain these things as “loners” and we really mustn’t let ourselves be fooled into thinking otherwise; it’s the Devil’s lie!
Here’s the really awesome part: When that happens, and only then, will we attain “the whole measure of the fullness of Christ”.
Do you see how this works? No… do you really see it?
It begins with salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. It continues with our relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit, and as we grow in relationship, we begin to see the Spirit made manifest in and through us in some way as we begin to be built up in the Body. We continue to serve in the Body as we continue to grow in maturity. We attain unity, understanding, healing, sight, wholeness, cleansing, love and justice; our lives are transformed. This dear reader is the “movement” that is the church, or at least what the church is supposed to be.
Are our local church bodies like this? To be honest and fair, I must say that some are and some are not; actually, since I said I’d be honest, most are not. Having made a study on the subject, I can report to you that there are three main reasons that a local congregation finds itself in the “not” column. The first reason is that it has become too rigidly institutionalized, yet even within an institutional structure; a local congregation can be transformed if its members will learn to think of church differently. The second reason is that a local congregation will be stuck in the way they’ve always done things with the result that form triumphs over substance. The form is “doing church”. The substance is relationship and community. Can this be corrected? Yes, when the members learn to think differently about church and relationship. The third reason is that the members of the local congregation think of relationship with the Lord as being just for them, and not in the framework of sharing and serving in the Body of Christ. This can be overcome by a leader in that congregation who will allow the Spirit to work through him (or her) to show the congregation they must cast their view outwardly instead of inwardly.
Here is a trustworthy saying of my own invention: Whatever the challenge may be, nothing is ever changed by the same old lazy thinking.
Here endeth the discussion I wanted to have with you; I hope you’ve found it interesting even if you don’t agree; maybe it has challenged someone to think a little differently, and God willing, maybe someone might find it to be a catalyst for transformative action. In any case, I’d love your thoughts; please share them with the “Body” here on Word Press…
Next time, I’ll post a little epilogue just for the blogging community.
Life Project Blog 
I love the “nothing is ever changed by same old lazy thinking.” So very true. I was taught in the Army that change in necessary or else you are dead. Keep up the great posts Don.
Thank you Tom!
Good job, Don. Living organism. Growing, developing, maturing, not just existing but moving about, doing stuff. That’s how I think of God’s church, which was started, enlivened by the Holy Spirit, and is being built, added to and headed up by Jesus himself. No living organism goes about willy-nilly, any which way. It goes (and does) where, when and how the head directs. In many assemblies today the foot seems to go one way, the fingers another way, the ears still another way – and then they wonder what’s wrong. Ignoring the leadership and voice of the Holy Spirit in any assembly will result in stagnation, or shriveling and disintegration. Yes, we are co-workers with him, but “church” is not our idea – it’s God’s. It pays to do things his way. (Some of us learned that the hard way. 🙂 )
LOL, yes we have!
You know Bette, as I was reading your comments a thought came to mind. I hope I’m not stretching the metaphor too far, but it occured to me that in a living body, when the cells start going their own way, when they are no longer acting in harmony with the rest of the organism… aren’t they called “cancer”?
Anyway, thanks for a great comment!
I belong to a congregaion that doesn’t like change, but everyone is very friendly and supportive of each other. They find comfort in the sameness, just like we find comfort in God who never changes.
Thank you Katheryn; you’ve given me a great idea!
I find myself in such a congregation myself while I am in this area, only this one, no doubt different than yours, is on “survival mode” (their term, not mine) and if something doesn’t give pretty soon… well, you know the rest.
I think ‘lazy’ is the heart of the matter. For the most part, the church is sleeping…
Good morning sunshine, time to wake up! 🙂
Buenos Dias!
Yes. Thank you.
I have been away a bit and now checking and reading many blogs I missed over several weeks. For the past few weeks I have been reading a book “The Eternal Church” by Bill Hamon and also other books on the church, it’s mystery and glory in Christ. Then I will be preaching this weekend and Holy Spirit keeps prompting me to focus on the Body of Christ, to move people away from an individualistic mindset to a corporate unity. I am very excited about this and when I saw your posts I am so excite to be reading them. God is indeed speaking through a variety and diversity of voices, creatively in unity in the Spirit in Christ.
I am sure that He will be glorified by your teaching!
The church is to grow and change, but the change and growth must lead to conformity to Christ Jesus, not to the world. Much of the angst that I see in churches has to do with change in incidental things, with not so much concern when fundamental Bible-truths are falling by the wayside in pursuit of ‘change’ or ‘growth’. Thanks for your post.
Yes, I agree. We may change many things, but we must never compromise on the message of Scripture.
It seems, Don, you are closer to answering the question you asked a few posts back. These posts about church have been very illuminating. I notice the theme of willing leaders keep coming up. Yes, we need that for sure. But, people are often afraid to step up because you know what happens then. If you stick your head out of the foxhole, you get shot. God has blessed me with an incredibly thick skin, so it has never bothered me. My problem was I got flack for being the new fellow who should just shut up and let the people who had always done things keep on doing them. Took a few years, but the Holy Spirit also gave me persistence, so I just kept on hammering, so to speak. It’s amazing the things that can happen. We are so blessed in my church. We are far from merely surviving. We aren’t all of the way in the direction we should go, but we are heading that way. And It is absolutely because willing men an women spoke up and stepped up.
It’s funny Wally, but we are all works in progress as individuals, and as the Body… but the key word is “progress”. It takes time, maybe a lifetime, but in progress means moving forward. Since we are all called to make disciples, we all need to “step up”.
For sure takes a lifetime. By the way I am really looking forward to getting into Revelation as I bet we will get some clear teaching on a tough subject. And don’t worry about fights from me on it. I don’t know enough to fight about it!
LOL! That’s never stopped anyone before!! I’m not worried; I have the “approve” button 🙂
Reblogged this on Theological Reflections and commented:
Christianity is intrinsically a very relational faith. It largely focuses on the vertical relationship between us and God, in addition to the horizontal relationships among those within the Church Body and those who are outside the Church. Unequivocally, it is challenging to achieve this delicate balance of building up the Body while Kingdom-building within unreached areas. In this day and age, particularly with the rise of New Atheism, I fear that as a Church we have become too divisive. Petty and essentially futile arguments over peripheral (inconsequential) doctrines fuel a high degree of division within the Church.
I feel that it is our responsibility, as Christians who can identify this crippling tend within the dwindling Church, to act as agents of change. Taking action is the only way in which things will ever improve.
I pray that the Holy Spirit works to unify its members within the Body so that we are both fortified and empowered to stand firm in the face of opposition!
In Jesus’ Powerful Name I pray, Amen.
Great post! I really like the “Whatever the challenge may be, nothing is ever changed by the same old lazy thinking.” Speaking from the perspective of the younger generation there is a lack of interest in the youth and more specifically the urban youth. If the same old stuff isn’t reaching them then maybe we need to grow and shift to figure out how.
The truth is the truth and always will be but now we have new challenges to concur in overcoming people’s objections. In Jesus’ day he had to convince people who he was from scratch. Today many people (at least in America) have heard of Jesus in some form or fashion. Now we need to muddle through the lies to show him who he really is and what he really stands for.
We need the youth in the body just as much as any other group. They bring a flavor only they can provide. We need each piece to function properly.
I could not possible agree more!