Page 37 - The Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2009

ONE BODY

MANY MEMBERS

“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... BUT NOW GOD HAS SET THE MEMBERS, EACH ONE OF THEM,
IN THE BODY JUST AS HE PLEASED. IF THE FOOT SHOULD SAY, "BECAUSE I AM NOT A HAND, I AM NOT OF THE
BODY," IS IT THEREFORE NOT OF THE BODY? AND IF THE EAR SHOULD SAY, "BECAUSE I AM NOT AN EYE, I AM
NOT OF THE BODY," IS IT THEREFORE NOT OF THE BODY? IF THE WHOLE BODY WERE AN EYE, WHERE WOULD BE
THE HEARING? IF THE WHOLE WERE HEARING, WHERE WOULD BE THE SMELLING? AND IF THEY WERE ALL ONE
MEMBER, WHERE WOULD THE BODY BE? BUT NOW INDEED THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS, YET ONE BODY. AND THE
EYE CANNOT SAY TO THE HAND, "I HAVE NO NEED OF YOU"; NOR AGAIN THE HEAD TO THE FEET, "I HAVE NO
NEED OF YOU.“...BUT GOD COMPOSED THE BODY, HAVING GIVEN GREATER HONOR TO THAT PART WHICH LACKS
IT, THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY, BUT THAT THE MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CARE

FOR ONE ANOTHER. AND IF ONE MEMBER SUFFERS, ALL THE MEMBERS SUFFER WITH IT;
OR IF ONE MEMBER IS HONORED, ALL THE MEMBERS REJOICE WITH IT.

NOW YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY.” 1 Cor.12:12-37 excerpts

“FOR I SAY, THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN TO ME, TO EVERYONE WHO IS AMONG YOU, NOT TO THINK OF
HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK, BUT TO THINK SOBERLY, AS GOD HAS DEALT TO
EACH ONE A MEASURE OF FAITH. FOR AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY, BUT ALL THE
MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, SO WE, BEING MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND

INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER. HAVING THEN GIFTS DIFFERING ACCORDING TO THE GRACE
THAT IS GIVEN TO US, LET US USE THEM: IF PROPHECY, LET US PROPHESY IN PROPORTION TO OUR FAITH;

OR MINISTRY, LET US USE IT IN OUR MINISTERING; HE WHO TEACHES, IN TEACHING; HE WHO EXHORTS,
IN EXHORTATION; HE WHO GIVES, WITH LIBERALITY; HE WHO LEADS, WITH DILIGENCE;

HE WHO SHOWS MERCY, WITH CHEERFULNESS.” Rom. 12:3-8

“I, THEREFORE, THE PRISONER OF THE LORD, BESEECH YOU TO WALK WORTHY OF THE CALLING WITH WHICH
YOU WERE CALLED, WITH ALL LOWLINESS AND GENTLENESS, WITH LONGSUFFERING,

BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN LOVE, ENDEAVORING TO KEEP THE UNITY OF THE SPIRIT

IN THE BOND OF PEACE. THERE IS ONE BODY...” Eph. 4:1-4

“THEREFORE, AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY AND BELOVED, PUT ON TENDER MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMILITY,
MEEKNESS, LONGSUFFERING; BEARING WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER, IF ANYONE HAS A
COMPLAINT AGAINST ANOTHER; EVEN AS CHRIST FORGAVE YOU, SO YOU ALSO MUST DO. BUT ABOVE ALL
THESE THINGS PUT ON LOVE, WHICH IS THE BOND OF PERFECTION. AND LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE IN YOUR

HEARTS, TO WHICH ALSO YOU WERE CALLED IN ONE BODY...” Col. 3:12-15

“...BUT, SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE, (the believer) MAY GROW UP IN ALL THINGS INTO HIM WHO IS
THE HEAD -- CHRIST -- FROM WHOM THE WHOLE BODY, JOINED AND KNIT TOGETHER BY WHAT EVERY

JOINT SUPPLIES, ACCORDING TO THE EFFECTIVE WORKING BY WHICH EVERY PART DOES ITS SHARE,

CAUSES GROWTH OF THE BODY FOR THE EDIFYING OF ITSELF IN LOVE.” Eph 4:15-16

“...HOLDING FAST TO THE HEAD, FROM WHOM THE WHOLE BODY, NOURISHED AND KNIT TOGETHER

BY JOINTS AND LIGAMENTS, GROWS WITH THE INCREASE WHICH IS FROM GOD.” Col. 2:19

The above verses contain nearly all of Paul’s teaching, admonishment, and exhortation to Christians as
members of the Body of Christ, which includes you and me. Therefore, I advise that you don’t lightly skim read
these verses, but rather ponder the contents carefully, for every member of the Body of Christ will be judged by
the standards contained within it:

“ FOR WE MUST ALL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST,

THAT EACH ONE MAY RECEIVE THE THINGS DONE IN THE BODY, ACCORDING TO WHAT HE HAS DONE,

WHETHER GOOD OR BAD. KNOWING, THEREFORE, THE TERROR OF THE LORD, WE PERSUADE MEN...” 2 Cor 5:10-11