A Call For Unity In The Body Of Christ, Part 3 Guest Post by Mickey Estes
In I Corinthians 12: 12-27, Paul explains a significant aspect of our Christian walk. He compares our natural body to the body of Christ.
“For even as the body is one yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit we were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many.”
Then he goes on to remind us that the foot, hand, eye, and ear are all important to our functioning in much the same way that the many parts of Christ’s body are important. Each part is different, but each part is essential. All of the parts need each other to be healthy.
In Ephesians 4:16, he gives even more insight. He says that the whole body is “fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” That’s a mouthful, for sure, but an important one.
If we look at the whole scripture, we see 1) each part effectually working 2) fitly joined together and compacted 3) by that which every joint supplies, and 4) making increase of the body, building up itself in love.
The joint represents the joining of the parts. The major substance comes, not from the parts, but from the joints. In Christ’s body, the substance comes, not just from us as individuals, but from the relationships when the parts come together. If we will allow ourselves to be “fitly joined together” with others of different gifts, the substance, the anointing, will begin to flow to a greater extent than we have ever seen it.
We know that this is true with our natural bodies. We also recognize this in the local church, as we appreciate the many gifts necessary to run a church. Now it’s time to take it to the next level. God is calling for us to join with other believers, of many walks and many doctrines, not compromising, but finding the common ground in Jesus Christ.
We come together in our camp and worship God in our special way. Then we find the time to join with others who worship in a different way, so that we might be fitly joined together to appropriate God’s plan for our communities. As we pray together, we will shake the heavens.
We are the body of Christ. One body; not many. Remember, the stones that you use to build the bridges that unite, will come from the walls that divide. As we humble ourselves and allow God to fitly join us together, we will see a great awakening in our nation.
