For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. 1 Corinthians 12: 12-14, NKJV.
Dear LORD, as we study Your Word today, please help us, by Your grace, to see each other as all part of the “Perfect One,” Christ Jesus our Savior. In His name we ask this blessing. Amen.
You may have noticed that I reversed the famous Latin phrase, E pluribus unum, “Out of many, one, to, E unum pluribus, Out of One, many. That decision was inspired by the last phrase of our Scripture for today, “For in fact the body is not one member but many.” Because the apostle is using the metaphor of a body to refer to the church, I thought it was spiritually healthy to put the emphasis on the One who is the head of the church – Jesus Christ. It is out of His sacrifice, that the church exists. Without the One and Only Jesus, there would be no church!
The phrase spiritually healthy, has been used to describe the shift, because sad to say, too often, leaders in God’s church (pastors and officers), seem to come to the conclusion that we are the one member in the entire congregation that can get anything done; at the very least, done right. Paul is reminding us, that, the body, is not one member – but many. As such, we all share the sacred responsibility of doing God’s will, to the best of our individual ability.
We have seen in these last decades a wonderful change in our Christian congregations. They have become more diverse. Because of this, our worship services have been enriched (in most cases, I believe). This is because each culture, within these congregations, bring their special flair to the worship of the Living God. When “all things [are] done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14: 40), the Savior is “lifted up [and is able to] draw all [who are present to Himself]” (John 12: 32)! Not to the pastor or the officers, but to Himself! That is the purpose of church attendance – to see the Risen Savior lifted up in order for Him to bring people to salvation! Amen!
It behooves us to ponder these words, of Solomon, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded” (1 Kings 8: 27, KJV)? Therefore, He has made known to us, what is His purpose in allowing the church to exist, “[T]hese I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. . . for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Isaiah 56: 7, NIV; see the entire chapter). Emphasis provided. The church is God’s “salad bowl” for all nations. In His church we blend, we harmonize, we all contribute our personal flavor!
The next time we attend church, let us remember, that the One and Only Jesus, is the reason we, the many, have a place in His house of prayer!