Category Archives: Members

Bible, Body, Members, Romans, Scripture, Service, Unity

ONE BODY IN CHRIST

ROMANS 12:5

“so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another.”

“All for one and one for all.” You may have heard that chant before. I was watching my beloved Georgia Bulldogs capture the SEC men’s baseball championship a couple of days ago and thought of that chant. That baseball team is made up of 41 players. They each have their own position to play. The pitcher is usually the one that gets all the attention, but he is not effective without great players surrounding him. He cannot pitch that ball without someone to catch it. One team but many players.

Paul continues his analogy of the body and individual parts that he began in verse 4. The Greek word for “body” is sṓma. It can represent the physical body orBody of Christ, the church. Here, of course, Paul is using it to refer to the church. The Greek word translated as “parts” is melos. It means a member which belongs to the whole, like a limb of the body belongs to the whole body.

APPLICATION

Any successful sports team works to make sure every member of that team is valued and appreciated. The team needs every member to be whole. The same is true of the body of Christ. We need every member to be whole. Everyone plays their part. I’ve told this story before, but it bears repeating. There once was a small stone chapel in Ireland that was just outside the edge of the village. There was no electricity in that chapel, so the only light that was available was the lanterns from the members. Each Sunday evening the villagers would light their lanterns and bring them to church to provide light for the service. With each additional lantern that arrived, the chapel became brighter. The people inside may not realize how much one lantern meant to the chapel’s brightness. But those outside could watch and see how as each lanterned entered the building, the glow became brighter.

Listen, beloved. Your light matters. You may not see it, but it does. When your light is missing the glow isn’t as bright. What part do you play in the body of Christ? Carl, I don’t have a very big part at all. I’m not a singer or a preacher or a teacher. Don’t discount your role in the body. If you are a follower of Christ, He has gifted you with a role in the body. If you don’t know what that is, take a Spiritual Gift Inventory to see just how He has gifted you. Ask Him to show you.

Let me close by sharing what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. “27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.”

Father, I want to serve as You have gifted me. I am thankful for how You have put the Body of Christ together.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Abiding, Access, Bible, Blessing, Church, Fellowship, Heirs, Members, Partakers, Scripture

FELLOWS

EPHESIANS 3:6

“to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,”

Last night I had the privilege to attend a meeting with about 70 men here in Knoxville. I watched these men during the evening and was so encouraged at their fellowship. Many of them knew each other from the ministry where I serve, Every Man A Warrior. These guys hugged each other, shook hands, laughed and just generally enjoyed the night. What was amazing, though, was to see how they welcomed the other guys who were new to this. They made them feel welcomed and like, well, one of the fellows.

Don’t you just love this verse today? Paul tells the Ephesians that they are now fellow heirs, fellow members and fellow partakers. That’s a lot of fellows! In the Greek text, the word “fellow” does not occur. Each time it is really the preposition, sun or syn, which means to be closely identified with. You’ve heard me say it before that this preposition is that inseparable, permanent “with.” Paul wants us to know that these positions we are now in will always be that way.

APPLICATION

“Fellow heirs” is the Greek word sugkléronomos, which means “joint-heir; used of believers sharing in the inheritance of the heavenly Father with (through) the chief heir, Jesus Christ.” (HELPS Word studies). We will share jointly in the inheritance of Christ. There will be no dividing the inheritance. We will all share it together forever.

“Fellow members” is the word sussómos, which literally means joint body. The body refers to the body of Christ as in the community of believers which make up the church. Some denominations think they are the only ones who will be in that body, that they are the only true church. Paul says differently here. If you have believed in Jesus and have given your life to Him, you are a permanent part of that body. Romans 10:9-10 tells us, “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

The final “fellow” is “fellow partaker.” This is the word summetochos which means to be changed having taking part in something. The promise of Jesus Christ presented to us in the Gospel. The word is only used here and later in Ephesians 5:7 where it is used in a negative way. Let’s back up to verse 6 to get the context. “6 See that no one deceives you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them;”

You are a fellow heir, member and partaker. Enjoy it!

Father, thank You for bringing me into the fold as an heir, a member and a partaker.

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