In the twelfth chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians one finds the church compared to the physical body. Within that chapter one will find the foot, the hand, the ear, the eye all mentioned. The Holy Spirit through Paul states that all of these are necessary. What if the body were made up of a foot? What if the entire body were a hand, or an ear, or an eye? How would such a body function? Each and every part of the physical body is important, and each member of the church, the Lord’s body, is important. Notice what is said, “For the body is not one member but many” (1 Corinthians 12:14). Since this is the case, a Bible student can learn the following from this passage:
Every member is SPECIAL. “If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Corinthians 12:15-18). Each member has a part to play in the body. Each member has a special part to play within the body. What if you had no feet? Feet would then become real special. What if a person had no hands? Hands would be and are special. What if a person had no ears? Ears are special for many reasons, but hearing is one special reason. How special is eyesight? Think of a beautiful sunset. How do you know the beauty of it without eyes? Someone might try to explain the sunset to you, but one really does not know the beauty until then have seen it with their own eyes. The eyes are also very special. Each part of the body is special because it has something that it alone can do. Can an ear see? Can an eye hear? No in each case, so this shows that each part is special. Each member of the church is special and each member has work that they need to be doing.
Every member is to SERVE. Look closely at verse 17 of 1 Corinthians 12. It says, “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?” The parts mentioned are serving the body. The eyes see the world around us and help us in making correction decisions about life. The ears have a special service in that they take in sound and tell us certain things. We can hear the Gospel. We can hear the songs sung. We can hear warnings of all kinds. The ears are to serve the rest of the body. The nose is in the service business also. The nose smells different things and helps us with taste. The nose can smell if danger is close by. The nose serves the body well. The hands serve the body as well. Think of all the things that are done by the hands and how it serves the body. The feet also serve the body, carrying it about so that other parts of the body can serve. Think of how handicap the body would be without each part mentioned.
Every member is to SHARE. “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another” (1 Corinthians 12:25). If the body parts do not share with one another then there is division (schism) within the body. If the feet do not communicate with the rest of the body there is a problem. If the hands refuse to communicate with the mouth, no nourishment could be taken in. If the hands refused to touch and communicate what they felt serious consequences could and would results. There would be no softness of a baby felt. There would be no smoothness felt. All of which could be disastrous to the body. That would lead to death of the whole body! How sad. If the eyes refused to share with the rest of the body the beautiful flowers, how sad that would be. Think of the division that would be within the body to cause such a problem. If any one of the body parts quit sharing with the body we would be at the doctor’s office in just a little bit trying to find out what is wrong with us. If it happens in the church what do we do? Do member of the church share with one another what is happening in their lives? If the body is going to work like it should then sharing must be a part of the body. If the church is going to function like it should then sharing is going to be a way of life. Body parts don’t just know when something is wrong with other body parts there is communication between them. The church ought to be the same way. The preacher or elders cannot just tell when something is wrong with a member of the church. Communication must take place for sharing to be done.
The church of Christ is very special. We need to treat her as though she is special. The church of Christ is made up of different members. Each member is special, with their work to do. The church of Christ is made up of different members. Each member is to serve. There are no big “I’s” in the church. There are no big “You’s” within the church. All are on the same ground with each serving the other. The church of Christ is made up of different members. Each and every member is to be sharing with the other members.
The church can get to where each member is not doing their part. Each member can get to the point where they want to grumble about what they are doing and what the other parts are not doing. One member can get to the point where they are criticizing what other members are doing or not doing. When this happens schism starts within the body. When schism begins the body begins to die. This is so because the other parts of the body are not there to aid the other parts. The body is to help each part of the body make it to the desired goal. In this case the desire goal is heaven. Let us resolve to help each other. Let us know that each member here is special. Let us know and the put into action that we are to serve one another. Then let us make sure that we will share heaven together. Let us share the way to heaven with others and help them obtain the goal we so much desire.
Love Keith
