The Church is the Body of Christ

Lately on Sundays here we have been talking about different word pictures for the church. Today we want to look at verses that talk about the church as Christ's body. This is a pretty commonly used word picture. Let's check it out...

"He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything." Colossians 1:18

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions." Colossians 1:24

"And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Ephesians 1:22 &23

Christians are what make up this body: "Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it." 1 Corinthians 12:27

1 Corinthians 12:14-26 Explains how we are each different but no less important than another. We need each other to work together. One part is no good all by itself. And what is super important to remember is the fact that Christ is the head. That means we should all be listening to Him.

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!" Matthew 17:5

We need to be in submission to Christ as well: "For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything." Ephesians 5:23 &24

We need to abide in His teaching: " Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teachings of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son." 2 John 9

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4:4 & 5

"Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread." 1 Corinthians 10:17

 We are only supposed to have one Head - Christ. There is also only one body - The Church. It should not be full of divisiveness. We should work together to follow Christ and tell others about Him.