For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 WEB
In this statement, Paul uses the metaphor of a human body to describe the church. Many times in his first letter to the Corithians, Paul refers to the body of Christ. In verse twelve, Paul teaches that the spiritual gifts of all believers come together to form the full body Christ, the church. His message encourages the church to work in unity with appreciation for the gifts and talents of others.
No individual is complete without the fellowship of others. God intends that we come together in worship and in the service of his heavenly kingdom as the body of Christ. For this reason Paul led his fellow Christian Jews to assemble together. He wrote to them in Hebrews 10:25 encouraging fellowship with the following words, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. WEB”
Jesus taught in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them. WEB” There is power in our assembly. When we come together in Christ, something greater than ourselves is present. Jesus Christ himself is present. In the presence of Christ sinners transform into the obedient servants of God. When we gather in his name, the omnipotent power of God is present in the assembly.
The Same Lord
Led by his Holy Spirit, the body of Christ collectively carries on the ministry of Christ. Whatever we ask of God in Jesus name, according to the word and will of God, Jesus promised to faithfully provide. Christ said to his disciples in John 14:12, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. WEB”
Whether our gifts are large or small, few or many, each believer is an integral part of the body of Christ. Just as every finger, fiber, and limb of a human body has its own purpose and importance, each individual Christian is a valuable member of the body of Christ. This is the message Paul shared with his fellow believers in Corinth. As he wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, “Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. WEB”
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for my brothers and sisters of faith. Thank you for the encouragement of your holy word. Lead me with the wisdom of your Holy Spirit. Help me to share the truth of your love with the world. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: The Scriptures
