The body of the church is made up of all who believe. Each of us were given specific giftings to be used to build up the church and to expand God's Kingdom. This is valuable information when trying to understand our roles as members of the Body.
Romans 12:4-5
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other
As members of the Body we have many functions but we also have many responsibilities; for the more we are given the more that will be expected (Luke 12:48). Each of us has to figure out what God has entrusted to us and use that. The enemy wants to cause division in the Body and sometimes that comes from differences of opinions or religious beliefs or practices. Our focus should remain on unity and the rebuilding of relationships rather than arguments that are not edifying (Phil 4:8). We should find ways to view those from other churches as allies rather than debating with them which often detours non believers from coming to the faith.
Jesus said in Luke 9 verses 49-50, if they’re not against us then they’re for us regarding the other churches/believers who were casting out demons in his name but weren’t in their group.
If we’re all playing for the same team we can stand as one body. Satan uses division in the church to weaken our forces. When a team doesn’t play as a team, each performing their individual roles they will lose. (The quarterback has to receive the ball from the center before he can pass it to the wide receiver, but if the linemen don’t block for him none of that can happen.)
Mark 3:24-25
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand
Here are 4 Ways we impact the Body
• Spending time in the word studying it and using it for exhortation
(2 Tim 3:16-17)
• Practicing our gifts which were given for building up the Kingdom
(1 Cor 14:12)
• Avoiding quarrels that cause division in the body (2 Tim 2:23-24; Romans 12:18)
• Spending time in fellowship with other believers ( Psalm 119:79; Proverbs 27:17)
Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
What ways are you currently impacting the kingdom positively?
What are some examples of things that you’ve either participated in or seen that could have been damaging to building up the body?
Knowing what you know now, how could you handle that same situation better in the future?
There’s a saying that says we’re only as strong as our weakest link. We are all valuable to the Lord and we all have roles. Even those who maybe don’t seem as spiritually mature as others. We are ALL useful.
1 Corinthians 12:15-26 says,
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
When an area of the physical body is weak, you must strengthen the muscles around it to support it. People spend a lot of money buying braces and wraps and taking physical therapy to support those specific joints that are struggling. A knee brace would be equivalent to that, so with that being said, Who are you em(bracing) today? How are you supporting those around you who are struggling?
Sometimes you may feel like you have a lot of weight on you because you are the muscle that’s being strengthened to hold up the weaker member of the body. In that moment who is your brace? It should be Jesus who will give you the strength needed (Phil 4:13) but can you think of times when you turned to something or someone for support that wasn’t? How did that turn out for you?
The first step I mentioned in impacting the Body was spending time in your word. As you spend time studying and reading the Bible you are building yourself up which makes teaching and edifying those around you easier as you are able to speak God’s truth into their lives and situations. This will also keep you from being misled too and falling victim to false teachings and other lies from the enemy.
Ephesians 4:14-16
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. I can think of many times when I hadn't spent enough time in prayer or the word of God and seen negative impacts in my life because of that. I tend to become irritable and short tempered when I'm distant from God.
Luke 6:45 says, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart."
( https://www.bornagaingwen.com/blog/you-are-what-you-eat )
Can you think of times that you may have intentionally or unintentionally distanced yourself from God and saw a negative impact? Maybe you weren't even aware that the two were related. I can't prove it but I swear that the more time I spend with God the nicer I am. Sure kindness and gentleness are fruit of the Spirit and all. However; if I go a couple days without getting in the word, I can literally see myself become more nit picky, flustered and even overly sarcastic which is usually just plain mean to be honest. Imagine a potted flower going too long without water and how it starts to wither in certain areas. That's me, when I'm off the word.
I challenge you to spend some time asking yourself what are some things that you could do better to make a stronger impact on the body? Maybe you’re struggling with one of the 4 ways I mentioned before. What could you do to become more consistent in one of those areas?
As believers we are God’s representatives (2 Cor 5:20). We should try our best to act in a way that models the God that’s living inside us (Col 4:5-6). We need to strive to live in one accord with one another as His body (Heb 12:14). God will help us to be like minded with one another and to endure this race together (Rom 15:5-6).
Ephesians 4:1-4
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call
1 Corinthians 1:10
I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no division in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and PURPOSE.
What does unity mean to me: A group of people working together for the same PURPOSE.
In our cases—to save souls
