Chapter #12g– Members Together In One Body

2Co 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve in his craftiness, your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ. [asv]

(Note: the following outline is by Gerald Cowan of Marion, Ill., one of the outstanding Bible teachers of this area. Other outlines by Gerald on various subjects are available upon request.)

Members Together In One Body

Ephesians 4:15-16, Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14

INTRODUCTION:

1.   The mission of Christ was to save men from their sins and reconcile them together in one body, one church – by the cross – to be a temple for God (Eph. 2:18-22), to secure fellowship with himself as head (Eph. 1:21-23, 4:4-6), and with all of God's people forever. 1 Joh 1:3, 6

      a.   One body and one head. Anything other than that would be a monstrosity.

      b.  Fellowship describes an interactive relationship of all members of the body to each other

          and to God.

2.  In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul compares the church to a living body.

      a.   We must not press the analogy too far, and ask, who are the eyes, fingers, hands, feet, etc.

      b.  In a physical body the number of parts is a critical factor. The body has no spare parts and no interchangeable parts. The body parts are interdependent.

      c.   In the spiritual body the church, the number of members is not a critical factor. The church is designed to accommodate all its members. Again no spares or interchangeable parts.

       d.  The members of the church are interdependent too – no member is self-sufficient.

3.  Understanding the differences in ability and function, and emphasizing the interdependence of the members should increase mutual love and respect, and unity too.

4.  We ought to be as concerned about spiritual growth as about physical growth.

I. FIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF A LIVING (HEALTHY) BODY/CHURCH.

      A.  It is sensitive to all its parts. All parts feel together, as a unit. 1 Cor. 12:25

            1.   It is an organism, not an organization.

            2.  When one part is hurt, all the parts suffer with it; when one part is blessed, all the parts rejoice with it. 12:26, Romans 12:15.

            3.  What typically happens in the congregation when one member is hurt, in danger, etc.?

a. We make an announcement, and offer a prayer. But quite often, unless the member is present, he never knows about either the announcement or the prayer.

                  b.  There ought to be more personal expressions to the member in question.

            4.  It is easy to make the application to congregations too. Whatever helps or hurts the church in one place has an impact on the church everywhere. Congregational autonomy does not mean isolation.

            5.  The principle we are discussing here is fellowship – each member sharing in the life of the local church, each member and each congregation also sharing in the corporate life of the universal church.

            6.  We need to develop the sense of partnership or fellowship – a true “team spirit” – as members of one body.

      B.  A living body/church accepts all its parts/members, and each member accepts the body (the assumption here is that the member and/or body are healthy). 12:18-21

            1.   Discrimination is practiced in the body – not by body parts, but by the real person who dwells in the body.

            2.  The Lord condemns discrimination in the church. James 2:1-9

                  a.   Discrimination was being practiced by the church in Corinth. 12:28-31

                  b.  The church can be guilty of discrimination in some subtle ways.

                        (1)  Assembling together is not proof of fellowship.

                        (2) Fellowship with prominent spiritually healthy members is acknowledged, but

                                fellowship with weak and struggling members is “apologized for.”

                  c.   Such things ought not to be. All members are equal before God, regardless of gender, race, or social station (Gal. 3:26-28), if they are spiritually healthy.

      C.  In a healthy living body/church all the parts cooperate, work together.

            1.   No one part can do everything needed. Each part allows others to function according to ability and design. The whole body benefits from the proper functioning of all its members. Eph. 4:16, 1 Cor. 12:18, 20

            2.  The body cooperates by exercising and aiding its parts to improve their functioning.

            3.  What confusion there would be if every member insisted on doing everything himself,

                 regardless of what others were doing at any time. 1 Cor. 11:21, 14:23, 33, 26, 404.The church ought to develop the abilities and increase the potential of each member. 

                  a.   It is true that each member is responsible for his own growth and improvement. 2 Tim. 2:15, Gal. 6:4-5

                  b.  But it is also true that the strong should help the weak (Rom. 15:1), and all should “bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:1-2

      D.  In a healthy living body/church all parts respond to the head. cf 1 Cor. 1:12-13

            1.   There is only one body/church and only one Head of the church. Eph. 4:4, 1:22-23

            2.  All members confess Jesus as their only Lord. Rom. 10:9-10, Phil. 2:10-11, 1 Peter 3:15, Luke 6:46, and Acts 5:29.

            3.  If the head is amputated, the body dies.

                  a.   Without Christ we can do nothing; apart from the head we die. Jn. 15:4-6

                  b.    But Christ the head will still live, even if all members of the body are lost to him. 

      E.  A healthy living body/church disciplines all its members and rejects those which cannot be healed, corrected, etc.

            1.   Diseased or dysfunctional body members must somehow be rendered inoperative – perhaps (as a last resort) amputated. Mt. 5:29-30

            2.  The church is sometimes obliged to purge itself of members who are diseased and dysfunctional.

                  a.   Whether we call it excommunication or amputation, the result is the same.

                  b.  But every legitimate effort must first be made to lead the member to repentance and correction, and restoration. 2 Tim. 4:2

                  c.   As a last resort surgery – amputation, withdrawal or denial of fellowship – may be required. 2 Thess. 3:6,14; Romans 16:17.

            3.  The body/church will survive the loss of individual members but no part can survive amputation from the body.

II. THE RESULT OF THE FIVE THINGS WE HAVE MENTIONED, WHEN THEY ARE PROPERLY APPLIED.

      A.  A church which is sensitive to all its members, which accepts and cooperates with all healthy members, and disciplines itself under the headship of Christ will grow.

            1.   It will grow spiritually, increasing in grace and knowledge. 2 Pet. 3:18

            2.  It will grow numerically, reaching out with the life-giving gospel. 2 Tim. 2:2

            3.  It will grow spiritually and numerically because it is a good example of life and health. Others will want to become part of it and share in it. Phil. 2:15-16, 1 Pet. 3:15-16, cf Acts 16:30, 2:37

                  a.   The human body does not grow by accepting and adding parts of different bodies.

                  b.  The church, the body of Christ, does not grow by accepting into its fellowship those who are not Christian according to the scripture’s definition.

      B.  All who obey the gospel are baptized into one body and become members together in that one body. 1 Cor. 12:13

            1.   The Lord accepts only one body, the church of which He is Head. Eph. 4:4; compare John 15:1-7. Different figure: the vine accepts only its own proper branches.

                  a.    Acts 2:41, 47. The Lord adds together all whom he saves.

                  b.  We jeopardize the souls of those we accept without the Lord’s approval. They may assume the Lord accepts them just because the church accepts them. Mt. 7:21f

            2.  Division among members of the body is condemned. 1 Cor.12:25, 1:10, 11:29

                  a.   The Greek word for faction or division is HERESY.

                  b.  Discipline (even amputation) is not division of the body. Titus 3:10-11

                  c.   Purging and pruning may reduce the size of the body, but it makes the body more productive. John 15:1-7

            3.  We are to be judges, critics – fruit inspectors. Mt. 7:1-20

            4.  We are to be teachers for Christ. 2 Tim. 4:1-4, 1 Tim. 3:2 and Titus 1:9-11.

      C.  Jealousy destroys the body; love builds it up. 1 Cor. 8:1, James 3:14 and 16

            1.   We ought to be winning souls, not just winning arguments.

            2.  Jealousy had developed over spiritual gifts in Corinth, and it became a divisive heresy.

            3.  Many waste what they have, only because it is not what they want, what others have.

            4.  Remember there are no independent parts. No one should usurp another’s place and prevent another from functioning. Paul’s rather humorous treatment of the problem is a serious indictment of the heresy at Corinth . 1 Cor. 12:15, 17

            5.  The body of Christ is designed to be a team. One who does his own part and allows others to do theirs shares in the credit for whatever the whole team accomplishes.

      D.  How can you and I promote the unity, health, and welfare of our local congregation, and of the church universal)? How can we help make the church grow as God intends?

            1.   First, by individual personal commitment to the truth. John 8:31-32, 17:17

            2.  Then, develop and demonstrate genuine love for every member. 1 Cor. 13:13

            3.  Find your place and fill it as well as you can. Rom. 12:5-15, especially verses 6-7.

             4.  Develop a real team spirit. Find your own place, not somebody else’s. Let others find their place and fill it too.

            5.  If you must “take sides” on any issue, be sure you are “on the Lord’s side.”

CONCLUSION:

            1.   An independent Christian is as impossible as an independent eye, or other body part. The mark of a real team is interdependence – all for one and one for all.

            2.  Rather than emphasize how much the body needs the members, we ought to emphasize that the member is dead apart from the body.

            3.  Let God use you as a living member of the church and as an instrument for His own purposes to bring growth to the whole church. 1 Cor. 3:6

            4.  We must urge everybody to accept the Lord's way and become a part of his body, his church. Acts 2:37-40, 41, and 47.