Monday, July 7, 2008

Church = Body?

Monday, July 7, 2008: 1 Corinthians 12:14–16
For in fact the body is not one member but many.
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?

Background: Paul, in Ephesus, replies to questions from the Corinthian Church in AD 55 during his 3rd missionary journey. (He had established the Corinthian Church in AD 52 during his 2nd journey) The question about which Spiritual Gift is most important is addressed in Chapter 12. After giving a list, Paul uses the metaphor of a body to explain the Church using its gifts. Just like a body exists for a short time and dies, the Church meets as a body occasionally. (Twice on Sundays and once during the week, perhaps.)

Can a member disqualify himself from the body? Using any excuse for not attending a meeting of the Church is like a hand detaching itself from the Body.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008: 1 Corinthians 12:17–19
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?

Can you choose which member you are in the Church? No, God decides according to His pleasure: you are to recognize your gift and use it.

Wednesday, July 9, 2008: 1 Corinthians 12:20–22
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.

Will your Church be better off without one nasty member? This is like the mouth rejecting the stomach because it hurts! No, all the members are needed.

Thursday, July 10, 2008: 1 Corinthians 12:23–25
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.

We cover parts of our body and not others: what is the Church in analogy? We treat new members with care, not burdening them with strong spiritual food.

Friday, July 11, 2008: 1 Corinthians 12:26–27
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

Is this a reference to the local Church you attend? Yes, you feel for a member who is going through difficulties. But you are not aware of problems in a Church down the street. In extension, you cannot stay home: you must become a member of a Church.

Conclusion: the chapter ends with Paul showing a better way! This is LOVE, the subject of Chapter 13, which will be for next week.

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