First Corinthians 12 Part 9 The Church Is Many Members Joined Together By God's Spirit
The marvelous composition of our body mirrors Christ's body, the Church.
As we begin to study spiritual gifts, the Spirit of God guided Paul to connect these with truth about the church.
The church is also called the body of Christ. The church is not a building where Christians gather together.
Rather, it is a living organism composed of believers in Christ. This is why Paul uses an excellent and easy to grasp analogy comparing Christ's church to our body.
We can easily understand the application of his teaching.
Our body has about 78 organs and more than 200 bones.
It has four distinct types of tissues like connective tissue or lining tissue.
Our body has at least 8 different systems such as respiratory, renal or nervous systems.
Our body is made up of 11 different elements including carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.
Our body will have between 28 to 36 trillion cells and each cell has a complex replication cycle.
Each component of our body is necessary to the integrity or completeness of the whole.
If you have had surgery, you quickly discovered how interconnected and specialized your body is.
God's design is truly marvelous beyond words.This applies to His church which is composed of innumerable individual Christians located all around the world. This uncountable host of believers are connected with each other and Christ by God's Spirit.
Our bodies are marvelously made by God for our good and His glory.
Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
As we consider just some basic truths about our body, we can extoll as King David did, the power and goodness of God our Creator.
We can rightly praise Jehovah because we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God in the image of God.
This means that our life has purpose and meaning that is centered around glorifying and worshiping God.
Now we can see why Paul compared Christ's church to our body. His church has many members but it is an organic whole, one body in Christ.
The church is Christ's body and He is our Head.
Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
God the Father has put all things under the authority of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Therefore, Jesus is the Head of the church and the church with all its many members in many places, is Christ's body.
We are joined to Him by the indwelling Spirit of God and His fulness fills His body.
We can readily see that these truths are designed to show us our duty to glorify God in how we live each day.
As there is one Lord, one Spirit, one Father, so the church is united.
Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5) One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6) One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Paul taught the Ephesians that the Church is one body joined together by one Spirit under one Head, the Lord, and over it all is the One, True God of Heaven, the Father.
Jesus Christ is the Head of the church which is His body.
Colossians 1:15-19 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Paul taught this same truth to the Christians at Colosse. Jesus Christ is the fullest expression of God and He created all things that exist.
Jesus Christ is the Head of the body, which is the church.
The Spirit of God places each believer into Christ's body as He deems best.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Since the church is the body of Christ, each individual Christian is "baptized" into this body.
It is plain that Paul speaks of a spiritual work and is not referring to water baptism in this text.
Spiritual baptism by the washing of regeneration by the Spirit of God.
Titus 3:4-6 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
It is due to the loving-kindness of God that He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place.
Jesus suffered the wrath of God on the cross which should have been poured out on us.
Jesus is God's perfect Passover Lamb, slain for us, shedding the blood of God on the cross (See Acts 20:28).
Therefore, those who hear and heed the gospel of Christ are born again. We receive the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Thus, we are a new creation in Christ and the old way of life passes away (See 2 Corinthians 5:17-21).
We begin learning to walk in newness of life in accord with the apostolic teaching.
Jesus received the wages of our sins which is death so that God might offer the gift of eternal life to all who believe on Christ (See Romans 6:23).
He uses the metaphor of drinking water to describe this act. We have been made to drink into one Spirit.
We drink the living waters of the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman about this and He invited those at the great feast to come and drink of the living waters offered by Christ.
These living waters, which is a picture of the saving and regenerating work of God's Spirit in human hearts.
The living waters from God are freely offered to all who trust Him.
Isaiah 55:1-3 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
Christ's invitation connects with Isaiah 55:1-3 where Jehovah invites all who hunger and thirst for God to come and drink and to taste and see that the Lord is good.
The Lord calls out to all people through His gospel. "Stop, come, look and see what I offer without cost to you."
God's invitation is to all people. He has provided what we need in terms of salvation, through the sacrifice of His Son.
Most people rush through life trying to find the newest gadget, or experience something new, or to accumulate enough wealth to feel secure.
God says "Why are you rushing around for things that cannot satisfy the longing and emptiness in your soul?"
The sure mercies of David are promised to all who will turn to Jesus Christ with repentant faith.
1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
Paul leads us to this point as he is guided to teach us about the church as the body of Christ, and of Jesus Christ our Head.
He is going to connect this wonderful truth with the petty squabbles and internal strife experienced at Corinth.
He is going to correct those who think too highly of themselves by demonstrating that all members of Christ's body are vital and necessary.
He will show that this enormous variety and diversity in the church is all the work and operation of the Holy Spirit and we must not resist what he is doing.
Bob
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