The Body of Christ- To Love Fervently

Over the past year I have really thought a lot about the Body of Christ, the Church. My thinking on it really started when we had the  COVID shutdown 1 1/2 years ago and churches were told to close down too. We realized just how much we missed meeting with others in the Body of Christ. It became even more precious to me. The other thing that has caused me to think on it a lot is the support and encouragement I have received from the body of Christ in this past year as I was dealing with my marriage falling apart. My local congregation has prayed for me and my family and encouraged me in countless ways. Beyond that Christians from around the world have prayed for me and reached out to me during this time. I am so incredibly grateful. (The pictures in this post are a few a snapped quickly last week in the fellowshipping time after services at our church.)

   The church is the Body of Christ and just like your eye doesn't go and do life on it's own (and if it does that is a huge problem!) neither should any of us. We are a part of the body, an integral part. Others need us and we really need them. To be able to function properly we need to be in communication with the head (Jesus) and with others in the body. We need to spend time together. We can't get our church "fix" simply by tuning in to our local service that is being live streamed. While I realize their are some people that are truly housebound and might have to do that they can also still be involved in the body by communicating with others, praying for others and sharing their heart with others. But most of us are not housebound and we are capable of meeting with our local congregation. We need to do that to truly function as a body.

  

One Body with Many Members

12 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. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves[a] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

There are many verses that speak of the Body of Christ and of how we are to treat one another. I really think the is a super important topic and one that cannot be fully addressed in one post so I am hoping to make a bit of a series in thinking about this.

Last week when we were on vacation I was reading in the book of 1 Peter and ran across this verse in 1 Peter 1;22: "Since you have purified your souls in obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brothers, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God."

   I started meditating on what in means to truly love others fervently. When I looked up the word "Fervently" it means "Very enthusiastically or passionately". I am guessing if we love others fervently they are going to question whether we love them or not. They will see it in our words and actions. Other versions say to love "deeply" or "earnestly". 

    I think to love others in this way we are also going to need to be purposeful about it. It won't just happen by chance.

   The next day I was reading some more and ran across this verse:

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:7 & 8

Yet again we are told to love fervently. I think it might be something that we should work on. Anyway, that has been on my mind, something that I hope to do much better. I just thought I would share with you. 

 

  I am looking forward to gathering with other believers tomorrow.  I will be thinking on how I can love them fervently.