Good Morning Christian and Welcome To The Morning Light! “BEING THE BODY OF CHRIST” — part 2 FROM YESTERDAY... The Church is suppose to be the Body Of Christ. Thats what the Bible teaches. Yet through the years theres been such a contrast between what the institutional church has been and what the Bible describes as the Body Of Christ. The condition of the church isnt just what leaders have made it. Churches are also shaped around what their members want. So over the next few installments Im to shall some contrasting thoughts about what the institutional church is and what the Body of Christ is. My hope is that as Christians align with Gods standards for being the Body of Christ, well affect a greatly needed renewal. Well base our contrasts around Pauls teaching from 1Co. 12:12-27. Please read the entire section of the text, and here are a few key verses... 1Cor. 12:12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 1Cor. 12:13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 1Cor. 12:15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 1Cor. 12:18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 1Cor. 12:23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 1Cor. 12:26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 1Cor. 12:27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. CONTINUING... Contrast #2 — Institutional Church Member vs. The Body Member CHURCH is a religious institution where people attend its worship and teaching (like consumers shop retail outlets). But a BODY is a constituency of individuals who form the parts of the Body’s function. So how do the members of these two models differ from each other? 1Cor. 12:13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit…. 1Cor. 12:18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. Christians who are more retail church oriented are usually connected by THEIR OWN beliefs and needs, but Christians who are more body oriented are usually connected by their relationship w/ Jesus and obligation to fulfill His call (gift). The retail institution type church has more of a consumer appeal, and they can succeed at drawing people by perfecting their presentation. That doesnt sound so bad. But the Body model is better. The church functioning as a Body must draw its success out of the spiritual gifts in its members. Therefore they must build on people’s connection with Jesus, and the desire to fulfill His call. That’s harder to do, but brings greater glory to God. And after all, that is the purpose for The Church isnt it? Churches striving to function as The Body of Christ are not perfect, they are trying to let Jesus be the Chief Shepherd. However, churches that follow the retail institution model can be very political when resolving difficulties, and very consumer oriented when dealing with differences. By consumer oriented in dealing with differences, I mean that if certain core statements of the Bible offends the sensibilities of the consumers, the retailer will simply either repackage or remove the product, because the customers always right! But a church striving to function as the Body of Christ will always hammer out their problems on the anvil of prayer and the Word. And theyll always be sensitive and careful to please God before accommodating man. And I think THATs the church people are really looking for. If not, theres always Facebook ;-) Tomorrow well look at another contrast. Keep following The Morning Light and share it with a friend! -- With Love & Blessing In Christ, Nick Champlin
Posted on: Wed, 07 Jan 2015 04:00:00 +0000