Is that unique part of the body of Christ, which you are, functioning?
Eph 4:13-16 Until we all …grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — from whom the whole body (of Christ), joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Rom 12:4-6 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, …Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: …
1 Cor 14:26 Well, my brothers, let's add up what I am saying. When you meet together some will sing, another will teach, or tell some special information God has given him (a revelation), or speak in an unknown language, or tell what someone else is saying who is speaking in the unknown language, but everything that is done must be useful to all, and build them up in the Lord. TLB
1 Cor 12:14-28 For in fact the body (of Christ) is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these
we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, NASU
24 Whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, NASU
25 That there should be no schism (division) in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
Are you a Christian? Then what part of the body of Christ are you?
• Just because you ere not a Billy Graham are you not then part of the Body?
• Can the Body of Christ be complete without the essential part you contribute?
• Do you know the essential role God has called and equipped you for?
• Will God ever regret having called you and enabled you to function in that unique capacity within the body of Christ?
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. NKJV
For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses. TEV
We will never be truly fulfilled, content and happy in life until we are functioning fully in whatever our calling is – and we are all called to function in some capacity in the body. And functioning, not just out of a sense of religious duty but enthusiastically, out of a whole heart and doing it for God using the spiritual ability that He Himself provides us with.
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
Col 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Does God have first place in our lives? If not then whatever it is that occupies first place has become to us an idol or a substitute god. We will always find ourselves to be out of sync in life until God our heavenly Father occupies first place in our hearts.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name (and nature) of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
When the members of the Body of Christ, you being one, come together do you….
• Have a song, a hymn or a chorus on your heart that God wants others to sing?
• Have a verse of scripture that really spoke to you & you are impressed to share?
• Have a revelation or insight on a scripture from God He wants you to share?
• Have a brief testimony of God’s love and goodness to you or to another?
• Have a pressing need and a promise to cover that need & desire prayer?
• Have a prophecy, a tongue or an interpretation?
• Have an inspired encouraging exhortation for a brother or sister or the group?
• Want to volunteer & participate in the ministry of helps in some way?
• Just want to shout Hallelujah – or thank someone for being a blessing to you?
1 Cor 14:26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
If I hold back on what God wants me to share with others I grieve the Holy Spirit and deny my spiritual family the blessing of God through me. By doing my part I will encourage others to do theirs too. But only from the heart, if I act out of my flesh for the wrong motives I will quench the Spirit’s operation and so harm the meeting of the body.
Don’t be afraid to share – overcome fear with truth, with the love of God
Josh 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
Sadly, too often Christians say, after the opportunity at a meeting has passed, “I believe I was supposed to have done or said such and such, but I didn’t " – and they are now worse off for having balked at doing what they knew to be the will of God – probably through fear or pride (pride that can’t stand the risk of possibly looking foolish) - and - all the other Christians in the body of Christ are now worse off too. Just go for it.
What does it mean “Cut off the eye or hand that sins”?
Matt 5:29-30 (Jesus) If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from
you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. NKJV
Is this referring to parts of our human body? Does just one of our eyes cause us to sin? No, but when our will yields to our sinful flesh, that results in sin. And there is no evidence in the scriptures of believers cutting off body parts to avoid sin. Or was Jesus referring to parts of the body of Christ, that is, to Christians in the Church who are in sin themselves and are a cause for other Christians to sin too? Just a few verses later, Jesus says this,:
Matt 6:2-3 (Jesus) Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a
trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
that they may have glory from men…(in other words do not engage in charity to
be seen and admired by others). But when you do a charitable deed, do not let
your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
Clearly here the left hand and the right hand do not refer to parts of the physical body but to people who are parts of the spiritual body, the Church. Therefore if one of those parts of the body of Christ, a spiritual eye or hand or any member of the body, sins and causes other members to sin or be tempted, Jesus says they are to be cut off from that body of Christians. Jesus makes it even clearer that the body parts refer to people in this passage:
Matt 18:6-8 (Jesus) "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to
sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea…woe to that man by whom the offense comes! If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off…” NKJV
Is there an example of this cutting off of a Church member in the New Testament? Yes:
1 Cor 5:1-2 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you…that a
man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1 Cor 5:5-6 Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his
spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus…Do you not know that a little leaven (sin) leavens (spreads to) the whole lump (the whole Church)?
A body of believers that willfully tolerates the open sin of one of its members (who clearly won’t receive correction and repent) is in acute danger of being contaminated (leavened) by that sin. Therefore Jesus says in the opening scripture “It is more profitable for you that one of your members (of the Church, who sins) to perish (assuming he won’t repent even though his flesh may been damaged to save his spirit) than for your whole body (all the members of that Church who condone it and hence sin themselves) to be cart into hell”.
1 Cor 5:13 …Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person."
