The Body of Christ

All believers in Jesus Christ are one body; the church of which He is the head. (1 Corinthians 12:13, Ephesians 2:14-20).

Called to servanthood

Several people believe that once you are saved then that’s it. “I already have a ticket to heaven”. But salvation is extremely different from that. When you get saved, you get a calling to be a servant of Christ. Paul even says that if he has to be a slave then he will be a slave of Christ. In Ephesians 6:6, he tells us to be slaves of Christ by adhering to His will from the heart. It means that we are to do as God says. The will of God will be weighty to an individual (1 Corinthians 12:11), but it will take the effort of this believer to produce an effectual change in the corporate vision.

When we got saved we got saved into the body of Christ. We were made to drink in the same Spirit; the Spirit by which all of us have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). In the next verse, Paul continues to say that when you join the cohort of believers you are not a stranger. You are a fellow citizen with the saints (other believers) and are of God’s household. 1 Corinthians 12:13 says that we were baptized into one body (the body of Christ), whether Jews or Greeks (irrespective of where you come from), whether slaves or free (irrespective of your social status).

You are special and needed no matter how small

Incorporation into the body of Christ is essential. We all have a part to play in this body. Thinking of it like a normal physical body; no matter how small a part is, the part is pivotal in the functioning of the whole body.  For example, the inner ear is a minute part of the body.  The smallest bones of the body are found in this section of the ear. The inner ear nonetheless is responsible for the balance of the whole body. Severe damage to this part by a very loud sound or infection will cause a person  to lose balance. Pain in the small toe can cause the whole body to ache. The liver, lungs, skin, toes, nose, eyes, fingers and every other part therefore cannot be ignored.

Every Christian is gifted differently by the Holy Spirit.  According to 1 Corinthians 12, every person has a gift for the edification of the body. These gifts are wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, effecting of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, various kinds of tongues and interpretation of these tongues.  The exploitation of these gifts will aid the upright functioning of the body of Christ. Salvation is not a walk in the park. There are several challenges and a Christian becomes weary along the way.

Do not forsake the gathering of believers

²⁵ Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

(Hebrews 10:25 KJV)

Drawing strength from fellow believers is common and is certainly among the best ways to deal with the issues that arise from salvation. This is because sometimes due to human nature, we need physical comfort and that is exactly what God does. He does not send the Holy Spirit, instead, He sends someone to comfort you.  That is what the body of Christ is here for and not just for spreading the Gospel and achieving the Great Commission. For this same reason, it is important for believers to be part of a congregation. To express their faith in the presence of peers who partake in the faith. 

Furthermore, being part of a congregation is beneficial for healing, corporate anointing, admonishing, and rebuking (See James 5:16 and Psalm 133). You also need a place where you can share your gifts with others. A Bible-believing church is the best place. It is therefore pertinent for us to pray for the body of Christ globally and to engage in the body as well because it needs every part it can have; including you.