Body Life
The image “the Body of Christ” is a familiar metaphor for the Church (all those who are truly saved). The Church is called “one body in Christ”
so we, though many, are ONE BODY IN CHRIST, and individually members one of another.
Romans 12:5 ESV
“one body”
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the BODY OF CHRIST? Because there is ONE bread, we who are many are ONE BODY, for we all partake of the ONE bread.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 ESV
“the body of Christ”
Now you are THE BODY OF CHRIST and individually members of it.
1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up THE BODY OF CHRIST
Ephesians 4:11-12 ESV
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all HUMILITY and GENTLENESS, with PATIENCE, BEARING with one another IN LOVE, EAGER to MAINTAIN the UNITY of the Spirit in the BOND OF PEACE. There is ONE body and ONE Spirit—just as you were called to the ONE hope that belongs to your call— ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:1-6 ESV
and “the body”
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in THE BODY. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:3-5 ESV
The Church is convincingly connected with “the body” of Christ:
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, HIS BODY, and is himself its Savior.
Ephesians 5:23 ESV
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of HIS BODY, that is, the church
Colossians 1:24 ESV
When Immanuel entered our planet, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him.
Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have YOU PREPARED FOR ME
Hebrews 10:5 ESV
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but EMPTIED HIMSELF, by taking the form of a SERVANT, being BORN IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN. And being found in HUMAN FORM, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8 ESV
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body.
John 2:19-21 ESV
Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross. Rom. 5:8
After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly and tangibly. In this way the Church functions as “the body of Christ.”
The Church is often called the body of Christ for these reasons:
1. Every members of the Body of Christ has been joined and held to Jesus in salvation.
Rather, speaking the TRUTH IN LOVE, we are to grow up in every way INTO HIM who is the head, into Christ, from whom THE WHOLE BODY, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, WHEN EACH PART IS WORKING PROPERLY, MAKES THE BODY GROW so that it BUILDS ITSELF UP IN LOVE.
Ephesians 4:15-16 ESV
2. Ideally members of the body of Christ follow Jesus as their Head.
And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is HIS BODY, the FULLNESS OF HIM who fills all in all.
Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV
3. Together as members of the body of Christ we are the physical presence of Christ on earth. The Church is the organism through which Christ reveals His life to the world today.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
4. Each members of the body of Christ are indwelt by the Spirit of Christ for the purpose of Christ.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Romans 8:9 ESV
5. Every members of the body of Christ possess a diversity of gift(s) suited to particular functions.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 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.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 ESV
6. All members of the body of Christ share a common bond with all other believers, regardless of background, race, or ministry.
that there may be NO DIVISION in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
1 Corinthians 12:25 ESV
7. Every members of the body of Christ is secure in their salvation.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are ONE.”
John 10:28-30 ESV
For a Christian to lose their salvation, God would have to perform an “amputation” on the Body of Christ! (John 15)
8. All members of the body of Christ partake of Christ’s death and resurrection.
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:12-14 ESV
9. Every members of the body of Christ share Christ’s inheritance.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Romans 8:16-17 ESV
10. Every member of the body of Christ receives the gift of Christ’s righteousness.
For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the FREE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:17 ESV
Closing Prayer