The Church as a Body

We’ve all heard someone say, “I don’t need the church. I can be just as good a Christian at home.” Worse yet, maybe you’ve found yourself thinking this from time to time. While it’s true that we can pray at home, study the Scriptures at home, and worship God at home, there are aspects of our Christian life that must take place in the context of Christians gathered together in community. We need the church, and the church needs us.

The Bible describes the church as a ‘body’. The human body needs every member, every part, every organ, to work effectively. The apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 12.12. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” Christians form a body. We’re spiritually connected with one another and with Jesus Christ.

Because the church is like our physical bodies, we should expect that there will be diversity within the body. Think about it. Our physical bodies consist of dozens and dozens of different parts. We have hands, feet, eyes, ears, a heart, a  tongue, a skeletal structure, the list goes on and on. Each part plays an essential role in the body.

Likewise, the church is a body of diverse people. God delights in racial diversity in the church. He’s called people from every tongue and tribe and nation to be a part of His church. God delights in age diversity. Children and teens should be equally at home in the church with young adults, middle agers, and seniors. A church with a diversity of ages is balanced and vibrant. God delights in the diversity of personalities in the church. Some of God’s people are quiet and analytical. Some are loud and energetic. Others are emotional, or intellectual, or relational, or even practical. God also delights in the diversity of gifts, spiritual abilities, in the church. Some teach, some serve, some lead, some organise, some show mercy, some have a special knack for sharing their faith or giving generously of their resources. All are valuable to God.

There’s one more thing we need to understand about the church as a body. The body needs a head. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is that Head. Ephesians 4.15-16 says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Jesus is our Head. By His grace He joins us together, holds us together, and directs our steps.

Every church is responsible for looking to Jesus for its direction. Every Christian is responsible for honouring Jesus in his or her life. In order to honour Him, we must honour His body, the church. We need Jesus and, according to Jesus, we need each other.