You are a part of the body of Christ!

Read 1Cor.12; Rom 12; Eph.4

Rom. 12:5 says “so we, being many, are one body in Christ, individually members of one another.” The NT teaches that all “Christians are members of one another”. Paul develops this idea in relation to different local churches. Paul’s unique illustration is the human body to get his point across. In Pauls’ Epistles the word body (soma) is mentioned more than 30x, particularly in the books of Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians. This is to illustrate the functioning of a church. Approximately half of the time he used the word, he was referring to the human body, with many parts and members. The other half he applied the term to the church-the body of Christ

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul highly emphasises the use of this analogy of the human body, more than Ephesian 4, and Rom 12. Why did Paul explain this extensively to the Corinthians, and not so much in Romans and Ephesians? Primarily because of their immaturity, and carnality. They were a church with so many problems. Therefore, Paul has clearly and carefully explained to them the similarity between the human body and Christ’s body-the church.

Here in 1Cor 12: 12-26 alone the word body is mentioned 17 x (in these 3 paragraph alone)

Then Paul gives his very concise statement in v.27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” Many preachers, including myself have made a mistake in the past by saying that the emphasis of 1Cor. Rom12 and Eph 4 is about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now I found out that this not so. Surely the gifts of the Holy Spirit are mentioned there, but the emphasis is to illustrate and describe to us the functioning of the body of Christ.

You often hear a preacher say “Christians must search and discover their spiritual gifts in order to function in the body of Christ.” Why do we say that? Simply because, in all the passages in Rom. Cor. and Eph. Paul mentions the gifts. But as you study these passages very carefully, nowhere can you find a verse which says, “to look for or discover your gift.” If you can find one let me know and I’ll give you five cents.

Nowhere in the entire Bible are we told to discover our gifts in order to function in the body of Christ. Is that controversial? Search the Scriptures like the Bereans. How do we become part of the body? If you are born again you are already a part of it, but if not, you must:

First, repent of your sins, accept that you are a sinner.

Second, by faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God who came in human flesh to die for your sins on the cross, He was buried, but rose again to give you eternal life. If you trust Him, you become part of the body, the real Church. This is the Gospel.

There is only one Gospel. There is no such thing as a social gospel, nor a prosperity gospel. If some TV evangelists tells you ‘there is’ or just implies this, turn your TV off. They are a bunch of liars, they just want your money. God’s Gospel is a Gospel of Grace. All by grace and grace alone.

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