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CHRISTIANS AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

“For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Corinthians 11:29 ESV); “that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 ESV

“For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Cor.11:29, ESV); “that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1Cor.12:25-27, ESV)

1 Cor.11:29 is a sobering verse. Paul has already warned Christians to examine themselves before taking part in the Lord's Supper to avoid doing so in an unworthy way (1Cor.11:28). The first view of this scripture refers to the symbolic parallel to Christ's body in the elements of the bread and cup and the warning that Christians should see them as different from other food. In other words, the Lord's Supper should not be treated like just another meal used to satisfy physical hunger. It must be approached with respect as something much more meaningful and important. Along with that, partaking in communion is "proclaiming" the death of Jesus (1Cor.11:26). If a person proclaims Jesus' death but is disobedient to the gospel, that person is essentially daring God to judge them (Gal.6:6-7). The second interpretive view is that "discerning the body" means recognizing the relationship between Christ's body and the "body of Christ," known as the church. In other words, we must see Christ in our fellow Christians and treat them as we would Jesus when we come together (1 Cor.10:16-17).

When Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, he was interrupted by the risen Jesus Christ, who accused Paul of persecuting Him personally, indeed, because Christians are the body of Christ. Thus, discerning the body of Christ is truly recognizing his presence among the Christians, or better still, in the Christians. If we treat other Christians with contempt, ridicule, or even worse, rejection, then we are, in fact, persecuting Christ. If one member suffers, all suffer. If one member is honoured, all are honoured. Division in the body of Christ is a serious sin. We should honour one another, esteem one another (as better than ourselves), care for one another, support one another, and bear with one another. We should love each other as we love ourselves. The body of Christ is also our body, and we should take ownership of it to protect it as ours and as belonging to our Lord.

It is time that we allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and lives. Are you persecuting and rejecting Christians of other denominations, of other races and nations? “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” (1Cor.12:12-14, ESV)

PRAYER POINTS

ME: Ask the Lord to reveal to you any lies you believe about other Christians that influence how you act or react to other Christians from a different race or denomination in your own nation or other nations.

US: Be intentional to connect with Christians in the Body who are of a different race or nation. Instead of accusing them or calling for revenge, why not help them to come to a reconciliation? Hear their stories. Climb into their skin. Pray that the Lord will grant us grace as we move forward in the process of reconciliation so that we will be totally honest and truthful in our dealings with each other from different races and different churches.

THEM: Pray for truth to prevail in all areas of society in our nation, that lies will be exposed, and that those who continue in lies will be convicted to repent and turn their hearts to walk in truth. Pray that the truth will truly set us free!

"In an attempt to hinder, if not altogether halt, the next move of God, Satan has sent forth an army of fault-finding demons against the church. The purpose of this assault is to entice the body of Christ away from the perfections of Jesus and onto the imperfections of one another." – Francis Frangipane