May 5th, 2024 - The Body of the Lord Jesus Christ

Ephesians 1:22, 23 tell us that the head of the assembly of called out ones (the Ekklesia) is Jesus and the ekklesia is His body. Just as the human head controls all that happens in the human body, so Jesus is in control of everything that happens in His body – the ekklesia.

Romans 12: 3-5 highlight the following:

1. Humility among the assembly

2. God has given to every man the measure of faith

3. Like the human body, the ekklesia though being one body has many members and they do not do the same things. Each has a specific task which can be done by them only. There is very little duplication of output by the members.

4. So despite being many members in the body of Christ, each member depends on the other and are inter dependent as regards the working of the body.

1Cor 12: 12-27 describes the human body and the role of some of the highlighted members for example the foot and the hand (vs 15), the ear and the eye (vs 16). The idea that one member cannot constitute the body as it is only one function is explained in vs 17. We are reminded that God has set every one of the members in the body as it has pleased Him (vs 18) and that one member cannot make a body as a body consists of many members (vs 19). So it is in the ekklesia which is the body of Christ. Eph 1:22, 23. 1Cor 12:20 reemphasizes that there are many members yet one body.

The supremacy of one member over the others is addressed in 1Cor 12:21. One member cannot say to another that it has no need of that member because its function seems to be more important. The writer says that even weaker members of the body are important to the proper functioning of the body and none can be done without. He goes on to say that even our private parts though weak in comparison with others are treated with greater respect and care for by the more visible and presentable ones 1Cor 12:22-24.

Unfortunately, the current places of gathering of the saints demonstrate this one member behaviour much to the detriment to the operation of the body of Christ. Not many leaders, whether they hold the title of Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist or Teacher see the need for the other gifts of the Holy Spirit to be demonstrated in the assembly whenever it gathers. It should be noted that the verses following Romans 12: 4 and 5 speak of the gifts of Holy Spirit and the verses following 1Cor 12:12- 27 also speak of the gifts of Holy Spirit that God has set in the Ekklesia. If the members of the human body supply whatever is necessary for the wellbeing of the whole body, then God did the same for the body of Christ by setting “first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrators, various kinds of tongues”. The writer then asks similar questions that were asked of the human body in 1Cor 12:17. Any gathering of God’s people must have the manifestation of the gifts of Holy Spirit if that gathering is to function as the body of Christ as God intended it to do.

So today we have people manifesting various gifts in the Ekklesia and those gifts are the only ones that are permitted to manifest whenever the assembly gathers. The gifts of Holy Spirit that God has given to others in the assembly, either temporarily or permanently, are stifled or not acknowledged and are not permitted to be manifested under the guidance of Holy Spirit and the scrutiny of the spiritually mature ones. How can we continue to operate in this body of Christ without all its members operating? We will need to read the Scriptures again and seek God in light of the revelation that He will give us.

1 Cor 12:31 encourages us to earnestly desire the gifts that Holy Spirit wishes to use through us and which will be the best gifts for us. We have been uniquely crafted by God to operate in certain gifts which will have their most potent manifestation when we submit to His will. As leaders trust God to manifest His gifts through everyone and anyone in the congregation . He will have the full body of Christ operating as it was intended to do to the glory of the Father.