Body of Christ Christian community, "born again Christians", Christian churches, Christian assemblies, prayer groups, bible studies, etc... *What is the Body of Christ? The Apostle Paul writing to the church in Rome puts it frankly in Corinthians 12:27 "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." Or in other words, each of us that are "born again Christians" are a part of that "body of Christ". The Apostle Paul further emphasizes in 1 Corinthians 12:12 what that "body" is: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ." That makes each of us a unique and important part of that "one body". *Objective for the Body of Christ: The Apostle Paul writing to the church in Ephesus helps to clarify the purpose or objective of the "body of Christ" in Ephesians 4:12-13 "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." In other words, we are all part of the "body of Christ" and should be doing some sort of "works of service" so that all Born again Christians ("body of Christ") may learn, grow, and come together in the same faith and knowledge of Jesus. It all boils down to developing Christian Community. Whether it be churches, assemblies, bible studies, prayer groups, etc... *Body of Christ development: The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 gives us numerous facets regarding the structure of the "body of Christ": 1. In verse 12 the body "... is made up of many parts ..." meaning that each of us are a unique part. 2. Also in verse 12 the "... body is a unit ..." and is "... one body... ". The whole body is a single entity. 3. When anyone accepts Jesus as their personal savior [refer to "Salvation"] they receive the Holy Spirit as described in verse 13 "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body..." The emphasis should be made here that the "one body" is the "body of Christ". 4. Verses 14-17 uses easy to understand human body parts to describe the importance and uniqueness of each part. 5. Then verse 18 caps it off and puts value to each of the parts: "But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." In other words, we are each unique, put in our unique position, with God given talents and abilities. 6. In verses 21-24 the emphasis is on the value of the lesser "parts": "... But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ..." Which means that non of us can claim that our talents and/or abilities are of no value. 7. The next couple of verses are against any kind of division amongst the parts. In verse 25 "... there should be no division in the body ...". This would apply, not only to talents and abilities, but also belief and conviction. 8. The result of division is described in verse 26: "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." 9. Verse 27 declares who the "body of Christ" is: "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." 10. Verses 28-31 describe the make-up of God's church. With a special emphasis at the end regarding the primary goal in verse 31 "But eagerly desire the greater gifts." Which would be God's blessings and eventually eternity with Him. --- "church" or "assembly" ekklesia (ek-klay-see'-ah); from a compound of NT:1537 and a derivative of NT:2564; a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): KJV - assembly, church. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright I 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.) --- *Bible References: Romans 7:4 "So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." (from New International Version) 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 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. 16 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. 17 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? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 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!' 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 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, 24 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, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts." (from New International Version) Ephesians 4:11-13 "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (from New International Version) *Non-Biblical References: To the secular world, the "body of Christ", if it means anything at all, probably refers to Jesus' body. The more educated may know that it refers to Christians, but usually with no emphasis on its origin or sense of unity. *Overview: Essentially, all Born again Christians are a part of the "body of Christ". Each of us are a part of that "one body" and have been given unique talents and/or abilities. No matter how small those talents and/or abilities may seem, God's Word impresses upon us that each of us need to exercise them to their fullest for the up lifting and growth of the entire body. Essentially, it all boils down to our own personal responsibility to God to do our best for the "body of Christ". *Additional Links: blank