Hebraic Musing – How is the “Body of Christ” supposed to “Get along”?
Last week’s Musing
pointed out that we are NOT to try to “get along” with the World;
but Scripture has a lot to say to us Christians about “Getting along”
with each other.
How are the
members of the “body of Christ” supposed to “get along”? In 1 Corinthians, Paul depicts the Body of
Christ, His Church, in a familiar parable using human body parts to represent
types of church members. “Now the
body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that
reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I
am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease
to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the
sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of
smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of
them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would
the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye
cannot say to the hand, “I don't need you!” And the head cannot say to the
feet, “I don't need you” 1 Corinthians 12:14-21 NIV Meanwhile,
some members want to rest and don’t want to be involved while others are
prideful of their important “job” in the church! Key point – All the parts of the human
body are necessary, they all need to work together; just as the members of the
Body of Christ are all necessary and need to work together!
Paul goes on in
vs.22-26 “On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat
with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with
special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.
But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the
parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the
body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If
one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored,
every part rejoices with it.”
Can some members
of the church (Body of Christ) decide to rest and not contribute? Or, can some members consider themselves so
important that they can function without others? If so, are they really being a part of the
“Body of Christ”? Each member is to fulfill
their unique and important function in the “Body”? Paul is demonstrating through this Word
picture that everyone is important in the body of believers. When Jesus said in Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all
creation.”, was Jesus speaking to all of us? Or just the select few who consider
themselves “called”?
In Phillipians
2:3-4 Paul set a standard that goes against the grain of human nature. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or
vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others.” We are called to have an interdependence on
one another in the body of Christ. Inter-dependence
is much more important than independence!
The idea that you
can be self-sufficient and not need others is the philosophy of Satan, and
exact opposite of God’s plan. We need
each other as God pointed out in Genesis 4:9 “Then the LORD said to Cain,
“Where is your brother Abel?’” By
God’s design, we need each other. In
fact, God uses others to sanctify us. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man
sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17 We live in the greatest technological age, yet
in this day and age we have the loneliest and most isolated generation in
American history.
It’s time for us
to heed Apostle Paul’s admonition to be united in deeper fellowship with one
another. If we are going to stand on the
Word of God in the battle for truth, then we need others around us to hold us
up while we hold the line.
Points
to Ponder
What
is your gift? And how is it being used
to build His Church?
Is
the Church a trophy case for the righteous? Or a hospital for the sick?
Do
Christians focus more on their independence than interdependence?
BTW
– How and from whom did you hear the truth?
How did you grow?
♫ Go, tell it on the
mountain…That Jesus Christ is born.
♫
Yosef
a.k.a. Joe Brusherd August
5, 2025 2 of 2
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our
faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)” Weekly “Hebraic
Musings”
Note
– Inspired by Jason Buss’ message “Against the Grain” - Imanuel Baptist on July
20, 2025
