The Body of Christ

 

·         I Corinthians 12:12 - 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. 

·         I Corinthians 12:14 - For the body is not one member, but many. 

·         I Corinthians 12:25-27 - That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

 

The church of the living God is compared to the human body.  Just as the human body has many parts, and each part of the human body is connected to every other part of the human body, so the church has many different parts, all connected to every other part of the local church. 

 

An example:  I have injured my left knee somewhere along the line, and I told my doctor about the pain I was experiencing.  He made note of the injury in my chart.  On a subsequent visit, he asked me if I ever experienced muscle cramps, and I told him, sometimes my left leg muscles would cramp, but I didn’t know why.  Then he said, “O, yes, you have injured your left knee.”  After I thought about his remark for a while, I saw that an injury to one part of the body affects other parts of the body, even if they are not directly connected to the injured part. 

 

Brian Alls had a neck injury, which affected his back, and caused weakness and numbness in his arms.  He was able to pull things toward himself, but couldn’t push anything away.  His muscles were not affected, but the nerves that sent impulses to his muscles were affected, therefore it was as if his muscles had no strength. 

 

A church is like the human body.  All the part of the body are connected together, and we hurt or help each other, even though we might not think our actions will affect anyone else. 

 

Draw a picture of a human body, illustrating how each part affects the performance of all the other parts of the body. 

 

Draw a picture of a church (the people, not the building, or use the picture Debby took for Jim and Clarissa’s scrapbook). 

1.       Show one person (alone and private) gambling (buying a lottery ticket), then show that person sitting in the services.  It appears his gambling has not affected any other member of the church, but if another member of the church knows about this gambling, that other church member is affected. 

2.       Show one person sitting alone watching pornography, then show that person sitting in the services.  It appears watching pornography has not hurt any other church member, but if another member of the church knows about this pornography habit, that other church member is affected.  Also the attitude of the person watching pornography, even though no one else knows about this wicked habit is affected, so this individual does not look at men/women the same as they viewed them before they watch pornography. 

3.       Show a church member outside the congregation wearing shorts or otherwise dressing not in accordance to God’s word.  Then show that person sitting in the congregation, clothed according to God’s word.  People in the congregation watch the person, both in services, and outside services.  Some will come to the conclusion that it is okay to dress one way in the services, and another way outside the services. 

4.       # 3 above likewise – the head covering for women, which should be worn only in church services, as clearly declared in the scriptures, even if it is a “custom” in some cultures for women to be veiled at all times. 

5.       Show a church member outside the congregation using tobacco, which is contrary to scriptures and common sense.  Then show that person sitting in the congregation, not using tobacco.  People in the congregation watch the person, both in services, and outside services.  Some will come to the conclusion that it is okay to use tobacco outside of services, but error to use tobacco in the services. 

 

Another truth is that in every church there are those that overcome and those that succumb.  In which group are you?  See Revelation 2 and 3 and the message on overcoming:  ..\REVELATION\overcoming - 2.doc  

 

The way some physical bodies die is when several different things go wrong, which affects different parts of the body.  Finally, the load of disease/injury is too great for the body to survive, and the entire body dies. 

 

The way some churches die is when several different members continue in their sins, which affects different ministries of the church.  Finally, the load of sin/rebellion against the clear command of God is too great and the entire church body dies.  Church members do not intent for their small, individual sins to destroy the entire church body, but sometimes that is what happens.  Sometimes church members do not understand how their individual actions affect the rest of the church body.  Sometimes church members do not understand their “small” sin affects others, who are confused, or not sure of the scriptures, and instead of reading the scriptures, and obeying the scriptures, fall away from truth by observing the lifestyles of mediocre “Christians” until the entire church body passes to of existence.  It is not the intent of mediocre “Christians” to kill the entire church body, but that is the end result of sin.  James 1:13-16 – Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.