THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH (II)

Body of Christ

As the bride of Christ, the Church is also His body. The bride and body metaphors are really one. Several times in Ephesians 5:21 to 33, Paul mentions the two metaphors together. In verse 23, he says that Christ is “the saviour of the body” in His relationship as the Husband of the Church. Again in verse 28, the husband who loves his wife, loves “his own body.” Verse 30 reminds us that “we are members of his body,” and verse 31 quotes Genesis 2:24 as regards the marriage union.

The great spiritual lesson taught by the metaphor of the bride is the lesson of the purifying influence of the love of God in our hearts. Perhaps the strongest lesson taught by the metaphor of the body is the lesson of the mystical spiritual unity of believers, as members of the body of Christ (Rom 12:5; Eph 4:25).

The unity of believers in the body of Christ is strongly emphasized by Paul: “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Eph 1:22–23, cf. Col 1:18); “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph 4:2–6).

The ministry of the church is certainly not a one-man show. That is the reason why the Lord has given to members of the church different gifts “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph 4:12–13).

Unity of the Body

The unity of the body of Christ means Christian peace (Col 3:15). What a glorious thought, the peace of Christ, that calm and poise of heart and mind which rest with a conscience completely yielded to God’s will!

However, this does not mean that the believer will not face any problems or difficulties in his life and ministry. Paul for instance experienced great anxiety in Troas (2 Cor 2:12–13) and in Macedonia (2 Cor 7:5–6). Nevertheless, God will bless His people with His grace and peace when they live a life that is in complete obedience to His Word and submission to His will.

The unity of the body of Christ thus calls for the purity of the members. If we are personally members of the mystical body of Christ, it follows that our entire being, including our physical bodies, are members of Christ. And we must take care never to use our bodily parts as instruments of sin. Paul says, “Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body. And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor 6:13–20).

Not a One-Man Show

Paul twice says that we, as members of the body of Christ, are “members one of another” (Rom 12:5; Eph 4:25). For the Church to function and grow harmoniously, every member of the Church must recognise that he needs other members to grow in the Lord. No member in the body is dispensable or is more important than the other. Every believer has a special gift and a special function within the body of Christ. Paul thus argued, “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. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Cor 12:15–27).

Many Gifts, One Purpose

There are spiritual gifts for all the individual members of the body of Christ (Rom 12:6). Every believer has his own gift from God, one of one kind and another of another (1 Cor 12:6–8, Eph 4:7–8).

There are four lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. The differences in these lists, and the manner in which each is given, suggest that no list is intended to be exhaustive, and that the gifts enumerated are not necessarily connected with particular offices or occupations.

The list in Romans 12:4 to 8 is as follows: (1) prophecy, (2) ministry (a very general term for service), (3) teaching, (4) exhorting (or consoling), (5) giving, (6) leadership, (7) showing mercy.

The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4 to 11 is: (1) wisdom, (2) knowledge, (3) faith, (4) healing, (5) powers (probably meaning miracles), (6) prophecy, (7) discerning spirits, (8) languages (“tongues”), (9) translation of languages.

In 1 Corinthians 12:28 to 31 there is a double list. In the first covering of the ground we have (1) apostles, (2) prophets, (3) teachers, (4) powers (miracles), (5) healing, (6) helps, (7) governors, (8) languages (“tongues”). As Paul goes over the ground again, we have no mention of “helps” or “governors” but we have the additional item of “translation.” It is thought that “helps” probably refers to several kinds of minor offices or ministries which developed in the early church. “Governors” is thought to indicate a differentiation in the eldership as between teaching elders (1 Tim 5:17) and ruling elders or governors of the church.

The list found in Ephesians 4:11 is very brief: (1) apostles, (2) prophets, (3) evangelists, (4) pastors and teachers. Each of these could be regarded as a special occupation or office.

Prophecy is the only spiritual gift found in all four lists. Apostles are mentioned in two of the lists (1 Cor 12:28–29; Eph 4:11). The gift of languages (“tongues”) and the gift of translation and healing are mentioned in the two lists found in 1 Corinthians 12. Teaching is found in the list in Romans 12, and in the second list in 1 Corinthians 12. In Ephesians 4:11 we find the gift called “pastors and teachers.” These two functions of shepherding and teaching are to be considered as one gift. Every pastor (shepherd) ought to be a teacher and every teacher ought to be a shepherd.

The office of apostleship is a very special one and is not perpetuated in the Church. There were only 12 Apostles involved in establishing the NT Church, and the writing of the NT Scripture. There is no longer any need for Apostles today since the Church is already established worldwide, and the Scriptures are already completed and canonised. Apart from the office of apostleship, “ministry” (Rom 12:7) might be considered a reference to the office of deacon. “Governments” or “governors” (1 Cor 12:28) could be a reference to ruling elders.

The gifts of the Spirit are manifold. We are not intended to have a complete list. The Spirit breathes where He chooses (John 3:8). The sign gifts such as apostleship, miracles, tongues, healing, etc are evidently not for all times and places in the Church. Each member of the Church is given some gift as evidence of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit (see Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 7:7; 12:7; Eph 4:7). The manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of the redeemed individual is referred to as a “seal” (Eph 1:13; 4:30; 2 Cor 1:22), a distinctive mark of membership in the body of Christ. Nevertheless, the giftedness of a person is no measure of his spirituality. Know also that the spiritual gifts are not to be used in isolation. Paul says of himself and Apollos, “we are labourers together with God” (1 Cor 3:9). The gifts are for “the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12). JK

True Life BPC Choir renewed and reformed to sing with a refreshed heart in joyful service. “O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things” (Ps 98:1a).