A cliche is "a phrase, expression, or idea that has been overused to the point of losing its intended force or novelty, especially when at some time it was considered distinctivley forceful or novel." Is it me, or is the Body of Christ metaphor for the Church becoming cliche? It seems to me like people are just throwing the term around everywhere I go. The have a basic understanding of the concept, but the practical implications are lacking. Sadly, I think we are missing so much to be had from it.
In I Corinthians 12:12, the Apostle Paul describes the Church in this way; "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ." So Christ is exactly like the human body when it comes to structure. The human body is many body parts that are connected in such a way that they look and operate like one body. So, Christ is many Christians that are connected in such a way that they look and operate like one Christian. So, let's go get a bunch of ropes and crazy glue and attach ourselves together, cram into a big house and open one bank account for all of us. Or, let's learn together what the body of Christ truly is and align ourselves with it!
Both the human body and Christ contain what is known as anatomy and physiology. Although they may only look like words some kid may have spelled to win this year's national spelling bee, they are vital concepts to understanding this analogy. And for those whose only memories of these terms recall drawings of naked and transparent bodies in Health class text books, let's make sure we understand what they are. Anatomy is the structure of the parts of the body and how they fit together as one cohesive unit to carry out the body's physiology, or intended function. In other words, structure determines function.
Every time a question is asked as to why a human body part functions a certain way, the answer is always the same; because it's structured to. Seriously, if it was only for looks would anyone have any feet? Have you taken a good look at those things lately? The brain is structured to transmit signals. The heart is structured to pump. The stomach is structured to digest food; and so on. If you change the structure of those parts in any way, you change how it functions. "So it is with Christ."
Download "The Anatomy of the Church" podcast for further discussion at 2ndmanunited.com
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