116. The Body of Christ
1 Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Believers are, as a whole, the body of Christ, and each individual believer is a member of the body. The metaphor is familiar to us, but it is not so easy to relate the picture practically to our lives. The Church, as the Body, continues the ministry of Jesus on the earth. Since Jesus’ human body is no longer physically visible on earth His life must continue on in and through the church, the believers in Christ. Christ is certainly present on earth everywhere and in everything, but He is particularly and effectively present in the People. He does His work of preaching, teaching, converting, edifying, saving, healing, loving, etc. Everything Jesus did He still does in and through the Body.
This promise is both a responsibility and a privilege for us. It is a privilege for we all get to have a part in the work of God on earth. It is a wonderful blessing to be used of God to do His work; the channel and instrument is blessed. To be used of God to do a good work may be the greatest blessing that we enjoy in life. It is a responsibility in that we must always be aware that we are representing Christ on the earth to the rest of the population. What the world sees in us may affect what they think of Christ. We are “little Christs;” we are Christ-in-the-flesh; we are Jesus with skin on. We ourselves, and virtually all people, will hear the Gospel of a loving Jesus Christ from people who say and show it. Certainly, everyone will see easily that we are sinners, but we can humbly show people that we are forgiven sinners in whom God Himself resides. Where will people find God on the earth? People will find God in the people who are the body of Christ, the temple of the living God.
Everything the Church on earth does preaches the Gospel and loves people for the work of service and building up the body. We are blessed when we live out the promise of being the body of Christ: we are blessed and built up when we bless and build up others. The body is a mutual blessing.