15. Relationship Words in the Word: Body
- Relationship Words in the Word: Body.
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Jesus Messiah… All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it with his own place and function.” (1 Corinthians 12:12, 27).
Body (Greek, “soma”); St. Paul used this term figuratively to illustrate the organized whole of assembled Christ-followers that are more of a growing organism than a static organization; the collective group of the Christian church, both local and universal; the fellowship of believers in Jesus who are united in purpose and focus; the assembled group of those who are dedicated to Christ and thus joined together and constantly connected in God’s Oneness; just as Christ’s human body was raised to new life in His resurrection, the body of Christ in His community is animated by His life-giving Holy Spirit; just as the human body is directed by a person’s mind, the body of Christ is directed, guided and held together by the Christian body’s Head, who is Jesus; the Christian body is the church, His followers who are called out and set apart to worship and grow together into God’s image; the church body is joined together to Christ as mutually dependent members who are being renewed as individual believers as well as a community of lovers of God; the body of Christ continues to exist on earth to represent Him to the world and do what Christ did in His human body during His ministry here.
Christ Has No Body Now But Yours (featuring Josh Garrels)
Christ Has No Body (a prayer-song by Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun born in Spain,1515-1582).
“Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”
“In the human body there are many parts, each with a unique function. And so it is with the body of Christ. For though we are many we have all been mingled together into one body in union with Him. This means that we are all vitally joined to one another, with each contributing to the others. We all belong to each other, mutually dependent on one another.” (Romans 12:4-5).
“Let the shalom of the Anointed One, the peace which comes from the Messiah, be your heart’s decision-maker, for it is this peace that God has called you together in a single body. As members of one body, you were appointed to live in His peace. And always be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15).
‘Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, to guard the sweet harmony of the Holy Spirit, binding yourselves together in peace. For there is one body and one Spirit; just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.” (Ephesians 4:36).
“They have lost connection with the Head and not held firmly to Him, from whom the whole body is nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, growing with the growth that is from God.” (Colossians 2:19).
“We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like the Messiah, who is the Head of His body, the church. Under His control, the whole body is being fitted and held together by the support of every joint and ligament, with each part working to fulfill its function. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing, building itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:15-16).