The Church, the Body

THE CHURCH, THE BODY

The Bible uses many metaphors to refer to the church, the local congregation of baptized believers. Many of them are familiar to us – a bride (John 3:29; 2 Corinthians 11:2), a building (1 Corinthians 3:9; Psalm 127:1), a city/Zion (Matthew 5:14; 1 Peter 2:6-10; Psalm 127:1), a field (1 Corinthians 3:6-9), a flock (Luke 12:32), a house or temple (Ephesians 2:20–22; 1 Timothy 3:15). The church is a bride and Jesus the husband; a building and Jesus the builder, a field and Jesus the owner, a flock and Jesus the shepherd, a temple and Jesus the inhabiter of it.

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. Here the church metaphor is “body.”

Romans 12:4-8 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

The teaching through the metaphor of “the body” emphasizes unity (one life), diversity (many parts, functions), and headship (one head). It puts us in our place.

It puts us in our place in regard to ourselves. We are not alone (Romans 12:3 “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”)

• Considering the church as a body jettisons high thoughts of ourselves (“not to think of himself more highly”).
• Considering the church as a body reminds us God is working with others (“God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith”).
• Considering the church as a body exalts the goodness of each having his own important and varying gifts (“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us”).

It puts us in our place in regard to one another. We are the body (1 Corinthians 12:27 “ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular”). 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

• The church as a body is one in the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3 “endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”). There is organic unity and practical unity.
• The church as a body serves both the head and one another (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all”). 
• The church as a body, through differing gifts of the Spirit, can serve and function effectively and efficiently (1 Corinthians 12:4–7). Every member has an unique function and also depends on the other members (1 Corinthians 12:14–25). 
• The church as a body – the whole body, every member of it – shares one and the same life.  “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

It puts us in our place in regard to our Lord. Christ is the head (Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church”). 

• Jesus Christ is head in the sense of authority to whom we submit (Ephesians 5:23–24 “the church is subject unto Christ”). 
• Jesus Christ is head in the sense of influencing and ministering to the body, e.g. for health and growth (Colossians 2:19 “the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together”). 
• Jesus Christ is head in the sense of his exercising power over the body for its good. He is the Saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23).

We church members need to be put in our place, in at least two senses.

To put someone is his place is to remind someone of his position, to show him he is not better than others, not as important as one thinks he is. Understanding the church as a body performs this function for us. We are part of something bigger than ourselves

To put something is its place is to position or arrange an object correctly, such as installing physical objects in their intended or correct location. A library book has a certain and exact number which identifies its placement in the proper order in relation to the rest of the books on the shelf. Understanding the church as a body teaches us of our proper placement “on the shelf” – under and subject to the head of the body, Jesus Christ.