BODY OF CHRIST (INDIVIDUALLY & COLLECTIVELY)
INTENTION:
There are parts
within each one of us, as Created from the Lord, that represent the parts of
Christ. Every human being has those Christ-aspects, God-aspects, and Spirit-aspects
that represent the Lord.
Let’s embrace each
and every one of those parts in each and every one of us—for as we each
represent the Lord in a specific area, we collectively represent the Lord as a
whole.
I.
TOPIC:
We want to look at the Body of Christ—both as an Individual
and as a Collective.
Though, each of us together make up a collective Body of
Christ, we ourselves are a representative of Jesus Himself.
For each of us (individually), we are “being transformed
from glory to glory” to fully “reflect” the image / glory of the Lord (2
Corinthians 3:18); for as Christ Jesus is, so are we in this world (1
John 4:17b). And as we individually reflect parts of the Image of Christ,
we as a whole (culmination of individuals), also reflect that Full Image of
Christ (from those parts that align with the Lord). And that Image is Love—for
God = Love (1
John 4:16b).
We had previously looked at how all the Gifts of the Spirit (Bible
Study Lesson 035), Ministry Types (Bible Study Lesson 046), and the
different Activities (of God through us) exists through each and every one of
us. As such, we each, individually, are a Body of Christ.
Yet, because there are multitudes of individualised humans
and believers, the sum of all of us creates a collective Body of Christ—a
collective representation of the Lord with each part of us reflecting a correct
aspect of the Lord.
And for each individual person, we all are at differing
maturities in our existence with the Lord. As such, we develop in our own
unique way exposing Gifts, Ministries, and Activities through ourselves—which
are each differing forms of how we display Love (Jesus and the Lord as a
Whole).
Yet, these Gifts, Ministries, and Activities are not to be
thought of as a “calling” or “profession”, but rather just how you manifest
each as part of your normal being. Your everyday actions and interactions
reflect each one—whether your nature / nurture, personality type, upbringing,
race, identity, age, gender, description, and more.
For one person, one Gift may stand out more (in which they
get more comfortable and confident in)—the same for Ministries and Activities.
Thus, because we each manifest in our own timing, we have to rely on others who
have manifested differently than us. Thus, we can observe and learn from each
other on what His Love looks like.
This does not mean we / they are more perfect in their relationship
with the Lord; it just means we each have our own freedoms to work into. None
of us is absolutely perfect when it comes to representing the Lord—we all have
our hindrances of the flesh (unhealthy / unhealed parts of ourself) that we
battle. And because none of us are perfect in this world, we have to
collectively take the Godly (Love) things that do manifest in each of our lives
to form a complete picture of Christ Jesus here on earth.
When we look at the faults of others and ourselves, we will
never fully see Christ. Yet, when we only focus on seeing (recognising) Christ correctly
manifesting out from myself / yourself, we can add it to everyone else who we
also focus on seeing Christ manifest from. You manifest a particular area of
Love (representation) of Christ, another person a different area of Love, and
on-an-on till we collectively make up the Whole Love of Christ.
This does not mean we cannot each manifest more the Love of
Christ in the differing areas of life; for to only look at one person as an
example of Christ will not give us the full experience of Christ (as Jesus
Himself could demonstrate). This is part of Our Duality struggle (Bible
Study Lesson 044).
So, we can strive for all the Gifts, Ministries, and
Activities of Love in your own individual life as we heal and reveal Them in
ourself; while at the same time, looking at the Love in others (the collective
Body of Christ) to help you in your journey to uncover more of Christ (Love) in
you.
We will read below regarding the these within the term “Body
of Christ”, and then share about what the Body entails as an individual and as
a collective.
Reading verses 4-11 following:
interpret it as being differing Gifts at differing times in each and every
person—that the Gifts manifest through any of us at a time needed for the
person (people) in front of us that Gift is meant for. The Gift is not for the
giver, but for the one needing to receive it. Then, in reading verses 29-30
following: interpret the answer to the questions as being a YES (that I can,
even though I may not realise / manifest it yet).
II.
READING: 1
Corinthians 12:1-31 (CSB) {PoG}
Now concerning spiritual gifts: brothers and sisters, I do
not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were {Gentiles}, you used
to be enticed and led astray by mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that
no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can
say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5
There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different
activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. 7 A
manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good: 8 to
one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of
knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to
another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles,
to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another,
different kinds of tongues, to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 One and
the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he
wills.
12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all
the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we
were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether
slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. 14 Indeed, the body
is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I
don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the
body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to
the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the
whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an
ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each
one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they were all the
same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one
body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head
can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of
the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that
we consider less honourable, we clothe these with greater honour, and our
unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable
parts do not need.
Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honour
to the less honourable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but
that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one
member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honoured, all
the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of
it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping,
leading, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are
all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak
in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But desire the greater gifts. And I will show
you an even better way.
III.
RELATED VERSES AND QUESTIONS:
A. What
is that “better way” as Paul concludes: Love. Everything that manifest from the
Lord is Love—God = Love (1
John 4:16b). As such, when we recognise that Sacred / Holy Love of the Lord
through us, it is purely this (this Love) that truly displays the Lord in me
and in us.
1
Corinthians 13:8-13 (CSB)
Love never ends. But as
for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as
for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. 11
When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned
like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 For now we
see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in
part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. 13 Now these three
remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.
Question: What are different ways the Lord’s
Love shows in this world?
B. Christ
is a one-Body of Love and Equality—removing division. From Creation, humanity
(each individual person) has the wholeness of the Lord—"Created in Their
Image” as being Their fulness in each person regardless of being male or female
(Genesis
1:26-27)—each “male” and each “female” represented all of the Lord in them
equally and fully. It is humanities own doing that creates separations,
hierarchies, and division—first at the “Adam / Eve Fall” (Genesis
3:16b), at the Tower of Babel (Genesis
11:1-9), and in the Law (Ephesians
2:14-22). But now, because of Christ, all those separations have been
destroyed—not specifically that Christ unified things together, but eliminated them
and those perceptions. For in Christ “there is not/no…”.
Galatians
3:27-28 (CSB) {PoG}
For those of you who were
baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. 28 {There is no Jew, there
is no Greek, there is no slave, there is no freeborn, there is no male, there
is no female}; since you are all {individually and collectively (G3956)} one
{neuter - ἐν (G1520)} in
Christ Jesus.
Question: Why do you feel discrimination still
occurs in the Church / Body of Christ?
C. Our
collective Body of Christ is often considered Church—but it is not as a
building, select group of people, nor a denomination. When we take off those
representation-limits, we can see the Lord (Love) in everything and everyone
(whatever situation it is in). As the Lord shared to me: “To SEEK ME IN ALL
THINGS and then to FIND ME IN ALL THINGS.” This way, the Lord demonstrates
Themselves in ALL and through ALL—sometimes we just need His wisdom,
revelation, knowledge, and spiritual understanding to seek and find Them in ALL
things.
Ephesians
1:7-10;17-23 (CSB)
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our
trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he richly poured out on
us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 He made known to us the mystery of his
will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ 10 as a plan
for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in
heaven and things on earth in him.
17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father,
would give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. 18
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know what
is the hope of his calling, what is the wealth of his glorious inheritance in
the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us
who believe, according to the mighty working of his strength.
20 He exercised this power
in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the
heavens— 21 far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every
title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he
subjected everything under his feet and appointed him as head over everything
for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of the one who fills all
things in every way.
Colossians
1:9-20 (CSB)
For this reason also,
since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking
that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding, 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully
pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge
of God, 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might,
so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to
the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the
light. 13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into
the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness
of sins.
15 He is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
16 For everything was
created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created
through him and for him.
17 He is before all
things, and by him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of
the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that
he might come to have first place in everything.
19 For God was pleased to
have all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to
reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Question: How does just viewing God through
“believers” or only “Godly things” limit the fulness of the Lord?
D. Collectively,
we must cooperate and coordinate with one-another. If we become jealous of
other people’s manifesting Gifts, Ministries, or Activities. Likewise
judgmental towards them and those manifestations if we only focus on their
labelled “sins” (strongholds / unhealed / unhealthy parts). God shows no
favouritism / partiality (Acts
10:34) in that His Gifts are free gifts to anyone and without repentance (Romans
11:29). Our role is to build each other up, not tear each other down. So,
appreciate the Gifts, Ministries, or Activities in your own life and in the
life of everyone else (regardless of the things I / we / they do). If we are
only looking at what we perceive as the “faults” of another person (judging
them), we can miss the God-in-them that is in them and/or ourself—let our Love
be without hypocrisy.
Romans
12:3-18 (CSB)
For by the grace given to
me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he
should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of
faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do
not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in
Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given
to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion
of one’s faith; 7 if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if
exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence;
showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without
hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as
brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honouring one another. 11 Do not lack
diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope;
be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in
their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do
not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live
in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the
humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for
evil. Give careful thought to do what is honourable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If
possible, as far as it depend.
Question: How can you respect another person’s
Gifts, Ministries, or Activities without judgment or comparison? Can a person
manifest in each even when “deep in sin”?
E. All of us, as a collective Body of Christ, form a
special family (with all our unique or broken parts). You and I are truly a
welcomed part of the Lord’s home as His family—His household. He is our safe
parent. You are a real child of the Father. You can call Them Home! When you
are scared, you can go home for safety. When you are alone, you can go home for
comfort. When you feel rejected, you can go home to feel welcomed. And whenever
we go home, let us (as siblings) welcome each other as the Lord welcomes
us—without judgement, shame, or hardship.
Ephesians
2:18-22 (CSB)
For through him we both
have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So, then, you are no longer
foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of
God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with
Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building, being
put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you are also
being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.
Question: Do you feel you belong in God’s home
(household)?
F. This
household deserves Love! So much of our family dynamic on earth has hurt and
pain. The more we love, the less hurt and pain we inflict on others and on
ourselves. Thus, this is not just about loving our own family or only other
believers, let us Love EVERYONE (never forgetting to have love towards
yourself). This Love not only is God, but bonds us together (G4886, exactly
as ligaments bind the members of the human body).
Colossians
3:12-17 (CSB)
Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 bearing with one
another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another.
Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. 14 Above all,
put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of
Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be
thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell richly among you, in all wisdom
teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual
songs, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, in
word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God the Father through him.
Question: What parts of the Body are not
creating that “bond of unity”?
G. It
is this unity that even Jesus Himself prayed for. His prayer for all believers
helps guide / instruct us on ways we can unify (become one in Him individually,
and one with each other in Him collectively) as being through Love. He
demonstrated this Love between Him and the Father; but also showed it in how
much He Loved both His disciples and all people (even in their imperfections). We
must believe and expect His prayer will come true for us—with us acting on
fulfilling it by Love!
John
17:20-26 (CSB)
“I pray not only for
these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. 21 May they all
be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so
that the world may believe you sent me. 22 I have given them the glory you have
given me, so that they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in
me, so that they may be made completely one, that the world may know you have
sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so
that they will see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me
before the world’s foundation. 25 Righteous Father, the world has not known
you. However, I have known you, and they have known that you sent me. 26 I made
your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love
you have loved me with may be in them and I may be in them.”
Question: How does Love bring about this unity
(even when we are all so different)?
IV.
FURTHER THOUGHT:
A.
1
John 4:9-11 (CSB)
God’s love was revealed
among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we
might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but
that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11
Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
Thoughts: It truly only is about Love. The
Body of Christ is and should always be Love. Not the conditional love that this
world and religion promote, but that Unconditional Love where, no matter what,
the Love that is me is never affected by anything you are or do; nor do we base
our Love on them loving us or not. God Loves because He is Love—and we Love
because we are also Love. Really, when we can fully grasp the fulness of what
God’s Love is for us and through us, we demonstrate a Body of Christ in ourself
(individually) and in all (collectively). And because He is Love and His
Created still exists in all human beings, we can recognise and experience Love
in and through any human being—ANY (even whether a believer or not).
V. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & SUPPORT:
A thank you to Kelly and Joshua who are inspirational in this life-journey. And to all the family, friends, sponsors, and donors who have fed into this ministry and outreach.
If you would like to support this ministry and outreach, you may do so via our website or at:
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