Wednesday, December 3, 2014

We are HIS body



“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” – 1 Corinthians 12:27

Paul writes to the Corinthian church saying “concerning gifts, I would not have you ignorant.”  The reality is that we as mankind can often be ignorant, and sometimes, willing ignorant.  The devil will pervert that which the Spirit gives, and cause destruction wherever he can.  He would have us believe that in doing the will of God, and using our gifts, we are proud and haughty.  He would have us think that humility is always coupled with silence and meekness with littleness.  Furthermore, he would trick us into thinking that because we have no “obvious” gift, then by default we have no gift at all and therefore a right to sit on our hands.  This is not so, the devil is a liar.
The apostle Paul gives us the analogy of the physical body to help explain the diverse gifts that are given by the Spirit.  Your eye, your hand, you little toe, each have a specific place and function on your body.  A designed purposed, and it was created by God for that purpose.  However they do not operate autonomous, but fall under the command of the head of the body (the mind).  The hand does not reach unless the mind gives it instruction, nor the mouth move, or the eye blink.  They each work together so the body can move and function; so the body can accomplish what the mind wills.  So, we, as sanctified believers are to be members of the body working together to accomplish what Christ would have us do.  This is the function of His church; to be Christ on this earth.  Now, let us pause for a moment and consider this; if the hand is doing what the hand is built to do does it have anything to glory of?  Certainly not, and is it wrong for that member to work and do as it was meant to do?  Certainly not, the teacher should teach, the preacher should preacher, he who can help should help, to do so is no uncommon thing and to shrink back from this duty is not humility but unwise and unprofitable.  You have been called out of sin and into righteousness.  You have been gloriously changed and it is God that will direct you to do His will and help you to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.  But how to know your gift and function within the body of Christ?
I fear we as Christians, make the mistake (I know I have) of thinking.  What is MY gift or what is MY talent.  We being to think and analyze, saying within, “what can I do for God?”  That is to say, what can I accomplish, where do I fit.  Am I a preacher? Am I a teacher?  Take care in this line of thinking.  In the sanctified life, any ambition, even Christian ambition, which is not in the will of God can be a detriment to your spiritual life.  Some may enter the body and want to be a preacher or a church leader; always manipulating and striving to this end.  This is counterproductive, for if we are striving to our own ambition, we are not doing what we are called to do.  Let us leave off, seeking, looking, and striving for MY talent for God, and seek rather for the gift which the Spirit gives.  The question is not “what can I do for God?” But rather, “God, what would you have me do?”  Seek the will of the Father and serve the body.  You will find in doing so that you are never without employment in the work of God.
In this mentality we find the presence of humility, meekness, obedience; and in this mentality we find the absence of pride and arrogance.  For it is no great thing for the eye to see or the ear to hear, is that not what you were made to do?  So with the Christian, the service to God, in the will of God, whilst seeking God is nothing to glory in, but in this we find God gets the glory.  This was the life of Christ, and after all we are the body of Christ, and members in particular.   


No comments:

Post a Comment