" For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."
Romans 12:4
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ... God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body... Now, you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Let me repeat that:
"...you are the body of Christ..."
1 Corinthians 12:27
One song I have always loved and that has always encouraged me to do more for other people is Casting Crown's If We Are the Body.
I believe in a God who can do anything. I believe in a God who can and does work miracles. I believe Jesus is not only God's son, but that he IS God, and that he can do anything that we wishes to do as well. That being said, even though I believe Jesus can do anything, I do not always believe that he will.
Jesus had the power not to die on the cross. He didn't want to, yet he choose to do his Father's will over his own. (Matthew 26:39)
Born again believers in Christ make up his body. We have the power to obey what God, the Bible, or the Holy Spirit tell us to do. When we obey, we are representing Christ to other people. We ARE Christ's hands and feet.
How often does God tell us to do something and we refuse? I hope my heart doesn't stop beating because it doesn't want to do what it was created to do anymore... I hope that someday my body doesn't wither away into a paralyzed state where my mind is still perfectly active- What misery to have all the mind and will-power in the world to tell your body what you want it to do, but because of one reason or another the body simply cannot respond. It will not obey.
I believe Christians figuratively paralyze Christ on a daily basis.
We don't obey because what Christ demands seems foolish to us. In doing this, we tie his hands from doing HIS good work (not our good work) and also from spreading the gospel, which is essentially the love of Christ.
When is the church going to wake up and start obeying Christ? When are we going to start acting like his body instead of our own?
I do not believe Christ can do anything through a body of believers who is unwilling to sacrifice their wants and comfort to a master who's will might be very different than their own.
It's time to wake up and start functioning like the true body of Christ. Won't you un-paralyze God's son and allow him to work through you in the lives of others?
