Quick Thoughts on the One Body
Mom and I were blessed to spend part of last weekend with some of the good ladies from the Estes church of Christ near Henderson, TN. Their retreat theme this year was beautifully exhibited in their actions and hospitality while we were there. That theme was “Many Members, One Body.”
As I suspect they did, I’m guessing your mind went immediately to either 1 Corinthians 12 or Romans 12. However, being Faughn/Tatums, we did not go the expected route. Oh, we wound up there in Lesson 3, but we decided to look at things a little differently. While I can’t fully re-create three full-length lessons, I’d like to give you the content “in a nutshell.”
On Friday night, Mom directed the ladies’ thoughts toward Ephesians 4, pointing out that the seven ones we so quickly race to get to will not appeal to people if we don’t back up and look at the verses that come before them. She pointed out that verse 1 begins with “therefore,” connecting this teaching to the doctrine Paul has set forth in chapters 1-3. He then “urges” the brethren to walk worthily. This is not a suggestion; it is an urgent plea. In verse 2 he describes what this looks like and in verse 3, tells them to be “eager” to maintain unity. Again, why? So that people will want to be a part of that unified body: One Body.
Saturday, we took a look at some divisions that occurred even in the earliest days of the New Testament church. We started with the Corinthian church which had several areas where they needed to be admonished. We took heart in the fact that they needed those reminders even though the great Apostle Paul had lived with them for a year and a half and only about three years had passed since that time. Maybe we aren’t doing so badly today! We did look back in Acts and note the root of contentions: greed and pride, cultural differences, and even differences of opinion or personality. All of that said, we discovered that though unity seems impossible, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
Finally, on Saturday afternoon we went where everyone had been expecting to be: 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. We looked at the variety God created with a purpose “for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). The key is to play to each other’s strengths and absorb each other’s weaknesses.
In seeking to solidify the basic message of the weekend, I took some “poetic license” with our three major Scriptures: Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 12, and Romans 12. I’d like to share that thought here today for your study, consideration, and application: “Having gifts differing according to the grace given to us, let us use them for the common good, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
