The Body of Christ: Many members
For as the body is one and has many members (1 Corinthians 12:12, see verses 12-17).
Paul continues to use the human body as an illustration of how the body of Christ functions. In 1 Corinthians 12:13 he reminds us of how we came into the body of Christ and how we are sustained within it. It is by the power of one Spirit that we have been baptised into one body. I became a member of the body of Christ when I trusted Christ through the work of the Spirit of God. Once saved, I am sustained in my new life by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. I need His ministry to enable me to enjoy and express my life in Christ in fellowship with other members of the Body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is in us all and with us all. He demonstrates His presence by building up each member and the whole Body of Christ.
There is an old Jewish fable about heaven and hell. In it, hell has a big table filled with the most appetising foods. Around the table are famished people who all have long spoons attached to their hands. The spoons are so long that it is impossible to get food to their mouths. Because they cannot feed themselves, they starve. In heaven, there is a similar table with the same kinds of delicious food. The people there also have long spoons attached to their hands. But they are all happy, well-fed and enjoying each other’s company. Instead of trying to feed themselves, they used the long spoons to feed each other! The Spirit’s work is to make us Christ-centred. This work puts the welfare of our fellow Christians at the centre of our thoughts. It also spills over into a concern for the spiritual blessing of other people.
In verses 15-16 the apostle explains what happens if I become self-centred and self-pitying. It is unfortunate when Christians become obsessed about what they are not. It may appear humble to think I am not useful because I am not gifted in the same way as another Christian. But it is not. It is a form of arrogance. I am really saying, God got it wrong because He did not make me like that brother or sister. I am also saying that I am not satisfied with God’s will and purpose for me. There is also the further danger that, because we do not value God’s purpose for us, we will not appreciate God’s work in the lives of others. Such dissatisfaction is destructive, not constructive. In verse 15 Paul raises the question, “What would happen if the foot and ear decided to stop functioning because they were not a hand or an eye?” It would result in the whole body being disadvantaged. There are many functions to be fulfilled in the church, and each member is essential. Christ’s church suffers when I am not prepared to be content with what God wants me to be.
The building we used, when I was a young Christian, had big and heavy mahogany benches. These had to be moved twice every Sunday for our different meetings. It was simple but heavy work. To do it, two brothers worked in harmony to move each bench. No one asked me to join in; it just seemed natural for me to help. It was my first experience of Christian service. I did it in fellowship with gifted brethren who were still prepared to do the simplest tasks. When we willingly fulfil what Christ has enabled us to do, we discover God supplies more grace and increases our usefulness, and the Body of Christ benefits. “Do not neglect the gift that is in you” (1 Timothy 4:14).
