We are All Members of Christ, Though We Are Different
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
One time I took a class that was supposed to prepare me to live in countries that weren’t mostly Christian. One big section of it was “What to do when some high-profile Christian person says something hateful or stupid and people use it against you.”
I needed that chapter bad.
I am so glad that the teacher taught it the way he did, though. He pulled a real bait and switch on us. Instead of teaching us how to defend facts or draw attention away from the person, he taught us about the body of Christ.
In Romans it says “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” And that doesn’t matter what high-attention job they have or political platform or movie credits. So when someone claims that they are a Christian, as weird as they might be, I rejoice that I can trust God to start His work in them. They might not have their theology right, but they have their faith right, and that’s where we all start.
Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
The entire church is the Body of Christ. I capitalize the B out of respect. Early Church fathers spoke of “She” when they talked about the Body of Christ. As Christ’s Bride and Body all at the same time, the Church is a very intimate and inseparable part of Jesus! He is the head of all of us who call on His name!
At the same time, Jesus knows we are all going to be very different.
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
And if we don’t like that kind diversity in the body of Christ, well it’s not up to us! (Thankfully)
In all of our disagreements and statements, in our upcoming election days and our preferences with teaching, music, lights, location, times, authors, etc. We are all part of the ONE body of Christ and we are all connected, like a liver and a hand, to the one Head.
Like any neurological or nerve condition that affects how the head communicates with the body, let’s not blame other parts of the body, but try to enhance our connection to the head together. That is what will make the Body of Christ healthy.
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