Building of one another

Bienhome Muivah *

In the same way, we are many, but in Christ we are all one body. Each one is a part of that body, and each part belongs to all the other parts. (Rom. 12:5)

The New Testament clearly and unequivocally states that Christians are "members of one another".

All New Testament authors recognized the truth. But it was Paul who developed the concept of extensively in his correspondence with certain churches. It was also Paul who exclusively used a unique illustration to get his point across-the human body.

In his letters to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Ephesians, and the Colossians, he penned the word 'Body' more than 30 times to illustrate the functioning church. Approximately half of the times he used the word, he was referring to the human physical body with its many parts and members.

The Analogy

Paul's most extensive use of the analogy of the human body appears in his letter to the Corinthians, no doubt because of their carnality and immaturity. Because of their immature state, he made a special effort to clearly and carefully spell out the similarity between the human body and Christ body-The Church.

1 Corinthians 12:14-26, The human body has many parts. The foot might say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." But saying this ...

There was no way that even the most carnal and immature Corinthian Christian could miss Paul's message. His point of application was that Christians are "members of one another". Thus he concluded these lengthy, descriptive, and repetitious paragraphs by adding this concise statement: "Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body" (1Cor. 12:27).

Paul was teaching the New Testament believers that no individual Christian can function effectively by himself. Not long ago a speck of dust blew into my eyes. Instinctively I rubbed my eye with my finger. I didn't have to debate with my finger to help my eye. After pulling the lid down, causing my eye to cry, the dust was washed out. In a short time my eye was back to normal. But without my hand, including specially functioning fingers, the irritant would have remained.

Just as "there are many parts of one body" in the physical make up of human beings, so the body of Christ is made up of many members. And each member is important. We are indeed, "members of one another". No member Christ's body can say, "I don't need you". We all need each other.

Second, Paul was also teaching that no member of Christ's body should feel he is more important than another member of Christ's body. His emphasis here is Humility! Though implied all the way through the Corinthians passage. (Some Corinthians were saying, 'I don't need you and I am more important than you').

Paul made it clear in his letter to the Romans, when he wrote: "For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you" (Romans 12:3).

Then Paul went on to emphasize, "so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Rom. 12:5). It seems that the Romans were having a similar problem, similar to the Corinthians, but probably not to the same degree. Some were carnal in their attitudes about their spiritual gifts, using them in such a way so as to make other members of the body feel unimportant. Paul wrote, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love" (Eph. 4:2).

Why do Paul emphasize humility, gentleness and patience? Because, as he went on to say, "There is one body and one spirit" (Eph. 4:4).

With the statement, he is in essence saying the same thing he said to the Corinthians. "For were all baptized by one Spirit into one body" (1 Cor. 12:13). In other words, no members of Christ' body is more important than the other. Though one person may have a more responsible position, in God's sight even the person who may go unnoticed is just as important and necessary in the body of Christ (1Cor. 12:22-23).

When we use the analogy of the human being, immediately our minds picture the expressive parts of the body: mouth, hands, feet, eyes, the outwardly movable. But the hidden parts like bones, ligaments, muscles, glands, these are also vital to proper functioning. Could the hands or feet or tongue operate without controlling muscles and the all controlling brain?

Third, Paul was teaching that Christians should work hard at creating unity in the body of Christ. This is why Paul wrote clearly to the Corinthians: The body is a unit, though made up of many parts (1Cor. 12:12). This is why he immediately appeal, Brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1Cor. 1-10).

To sum up, then, what Paul was teaching in these passages is this:
Not one of us can function effectively by ourselves; we need each other. And finally, all of us as family, all of us as members of Christ' body are to strive diligently for peace and unity.

Amen