“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. “
1 Corinthians 12:12-13

–

AUGUST 5, 2024

The most important course I took during my freshman year of medical school was Gross Anatomy. I was assigned to a cadaver with three other students, two classmates working on each side of a human body that had been donated to science. I was in the Anatomy Lab for several hours every morning with fellow first-year medical students completely dissecting our cadavers into their individual parts.

One thing we learned thoroughly: The parts of a human body differ in appearance and function, but all work together to form one body.

Similarly, the body of Christ is made up of believers who differ in countless ways. But every one of us has been made alive through the same Spirit. We are unified into one body because we have believed the same gospel, which is Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and resurrected. We have different roles within the body, but we are united by our faith in Jesus. Despite variations in ethnic background, economic status, and gifting, all of us who know Christ are part of His body.

Our faith in Christ supersedes personal preferences and opinions. We can defer to one another because the important thing is not to be right but to love. We serve one another because Jesus came to serve.

None of us do this perfectly or even consistently. We confess our frequent failures. We acknowledge our weakness and vulnerability to temptation. But we do not let our mistakes deter us from getting back on the path when we realize we have gone astray. We are honest about offenses against others, and we forgive one another. We seek to edify our brothers and sisters in our speech and actions. We are not concerned about appearances, except for Christ to be seen in our lives.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • What is the most important thing in your life and what is the evidence for your response?
  • How have you experienced unity in Christ amongst people who differ in many ways?
  • When have you set aside your opinion or preference in order to promote the unity of the body of Christ?

 

Church Reading Plan: Jeremiah 33; Psalm 3-4