Tag: members

June 20 – Tools For God’s Use


“…so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:” – Romans 12:5-6 (ESV)

The passage from we considered yesterday led us to understand that all faith believers are members of one body in Christ Jesus. This is true even though as that body we have done quite a job of division of this body. So we have a plethora of what are called “denominations.” But God calls all believers to live and work together with unity, plurality, diversity, harmony, and identity – and we’ve failed spectacularly. The terms identifying these five goals have been well redefined by the powers and spiritual forces of evil we wrestle against; (Ephesians 6:12). Thankfully Paul did not end his instruction with verse 5. Our success achieving the five goals comes by each member applying the spiritual gifts given to us. Spiritual gifts are tools, not toys. They are not to be used to attract people to ourselves but employed by God, through us, for His purposes and for His glory. Whatever our gifts may be—to do with speaking or with serving—they are given for the well-being of the church. God gives these gifts to be used as He intends so that body of Christ as a whole might be strengthened.

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Sourced from the Bible Teaching Ministry of Truth For Life, a daily devotional by Alistair Begg

June 19 – Same Difference Together

“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 12:4-5 (ESV)

Belonging is important. Wondering whether we belong where we are presently is a pertinent question. It’s usually asked in relation to a country club, a gym, or something similar. We might be wondering, “Is this where we belong?” Paul used the illustration of our physical bodies to describe the church, both universal and local assembly. It is not a long reach for us to understand this. Each of us have a human body made up parts with different functions yet belonging to one body. Each function is important and if we were to lose a part of our body, we might be in a crisis situation. Just so when one part does fails to work, all the parts are affected. Our bodies rely essentially upon the control and functions of our heads. In the body of Christ this is manifest most clearly in each local assembly of believers. Jesus Christ as head of the church commands that we work together with: unity, not living in isolation; plurality, because of our different parts; diversity, because functions are necessarily different; harmony, as we work in cohesion; and identity, for we cannot be ourselves when we are by ourselves.

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Sourced from the Bible Teaching Ministry of Truth For Life, a daily devotional by Alistair Begg