Church?! The Body of CHRIST

In our discussion last time concerning the ownership and headship of the LORD’S church, I referred to Ephesians 1:15-22. Verse 22 states, “And HE put all things under HIS feet and gave HIM as head over all things to the church.” I also mentioned the next verse which describes the church, (1:23) “which is HIS BODY, the fullness of HIM WHO fills all in all.” Notice the strength of this statement. Paul did NOT say the church is LIKE the body of CHRIST. HE said it IS the body of CHRIST. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul affirms this fact again, 1Corinthians 12:27 “ Now you are the Body of CHRIST and individually members of It.” In that discussion, he tells us that even though we are ONE BODY, that Body is made up of many members but only ONE HEAD. He states, “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.” (12:13) In this chapter, Paul continues the analogy as he describes various members of a human body, personifying them and giving them voices. “If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’” as an example. No member of the body, other than the HEAD, has the right to claim lordship, control, or special privileges because of his function in the body. True, there are various gifts that are enumerated as first, second, and so on. These gifts have to do with what is most important for the growth, development, and maintenance of the LORD’S Body. Now, as with then, there have been members who claim, for whatever reason, that the church or congregation must abide by their particular whim or fancy, typically followed by “Or Else!” Be assured, in my 55 years of being a member of the Body of CHRIST, I have personally run into this problem many times. The Church is important. Every member of the Church is important. Every role or part each member plays in the Church is important. Let’s follow the TRUE HEAD. HIS will be done!

Russell Ashby