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.
– Romans 12:4-5
There are many Born-Again Believers who have not matured past this verse. Where are you at in your understanding of what a church is? Is the church to you a place where like-minded people meet? Is the church to you a place to listen to preaching? The church is so much more than this. We must realize the local church is a LIVING, FUNCTIONING BODY whose members – each and every one of them – have their own duties to perform for the body to function correctly. There are no big people and little people in this body. There may be those with more observable roles and those with more discreet roles, but they are all essential for a church to reach its potential. A local church should be striving to reach its potential, but many are plagued with carnal hindrances. We ended last time with the thought from 1 Corinthians 12 that in order for a church to not have schism (division), the members should realize –
- God has given every member a gift
- Every member must learn to use this gift
- Every member should use the gift with HUMILITY
We now take a look at Romans 12:5.
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” – Romans 12:5
Just as a body has many parts to it, the Body of Christ has many parts to it. Here, Paul continues with a deeper thought – we are members one of another. What is your gift? Do you know? What burden has God given to you for the church? What duties are you supposed to take up in the church? Many Born-Again believers do not know their gift because they have been looking for fulfillment in the wrong places! They have joined themselves as members to others! In MY local church (and I say “MY local church” as a hand would say “MY body) – in MY local church the members shouldn’t be able to do just fine without me just as I shouldn’t be able to do just fine without one of the members. The reality is that members of the church have found fulfillment in other places because they are members of other places. DO YOU KNOW YOUR PLACE in your local church? If not, it’s time to start separating yourself from that which is displeasing to God and is taking your attention away from spiritual things. Notice Paul is talking about GIFTS which must be RECEIVED! It’s got your name on it!
Notice something else about this idea of being “members one of another.” Each member of a local church belongs to each other. Have you ever noticed how a baby will open his mouth to receive a spoonful of food without even looking at the spoon? The brain, eye, tongue, and mouth all took part in receiving the food. The eye saw the food, the tongue’s experience told the brain to desire it, the brain told the mouth to open, the tongue received and enjoyed the food. These members of the baby’s body all belonged to each other and did the bidding of each other. We all belong to each other! Paul says in Ephesians 5:2, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” You belong to everyone else in the church. It is your duty to meet the needs of the church, and you do this through your gift.
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”