Each One of Them as He Chose

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? s it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” (1 Corinthians 12:14-20 ESV)

What is the body spoken of here? It is the body of Christ, the Church, the people of God who have trusted in Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior. They are those who have died with Christ to sin, and who have been reborn of the Spirit of God to live to God and to his righteousness and to walk in his holiness in obedience to his commands. They are the ecclesia, the people who are called out from the world and to God to his eternal kingdom.

Although we all form one body, we are many individual people living in different places all over the world. We have all been given spiritual gifts of the Spirit of God, and it is God who empowers these gifts in everyone. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. And some of the gifts are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, and distinguishing of spirits.

Although we are physical people, this is not speaking of us all forming one physical human body. So, when this refers to the various human body parts, it is speaking figuratively, not literally. This is for illustrative purposes to help us to understand how the body of Christ is to work. Each part of our physical bodies has its own unique function, yet each part is necessary to the proper working of the entire body (speaking here of the human body).

So, it is with the body of Christ. We are all gifted differently, and we each are assigned of God our various parts (roles, functions, callings) within the body of Christ. And we are all necessary, and we are all to be working parts, with each part doing its work for the building up of the whole body of Christ to maturity in Christ, which includes speaking the truth in love to one another so that none of us is hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

And our shepherds are the ones who are to be equipping and training us for ministry, and they should be the ones to also allow for us and to provide for us to use our giftedness and to function in our God-assigned roles within the body of Christ for the proper working of the body as we encourage one another in our walks of faith in Jesus Christ so that we can all grow to maturity in Christ, and so we aren’t led astray by clever charlatans.

Now, just because we have different gifts and different functions, one from the other, that does not make one superior over another. For we all serve the same God, and it is only in the power and working of God’s Spirit that any of us can operate in the Spirit. So all glory goes to God. So, we should not think that just because we are not like someone else that we are less or that we are not necessary. We are ALL necessary to the proper working of the body of Christ. We are all essential. But we must be obeying God.

[Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:15-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20]

To Be Like Him  

An Original Work / March 16, 2014  

Based off Scripture

Crucified you are with Jesus.

To be like Him, oh, you’ll be,

Because He died at Calv’ry,

So from sin you’d be free.

Oh, what joy He brings into your life,

Giving life with Him endlessly. 

Oh, what plans He has for your life.

Share the gospel faithfully.

Show the people He loves them.

Now His witness you’ll be.

Tell the world of sin about Jesus,

How He died for them on a tree.

Purifying hearts, He saves them,

Who believe on Christ, God’s Son.

Turning now from their idols,

New lives they have begun.

Jesus saves from sin; we’re forgiven.

Over sin, the vict’ry He won!

When He comes again to take us

To be with Him evermore,

There will be no more crying.

Gladness will be in store.

Heavens joys will now overtake us:

We’ll be with our Lord evermore.

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