Position in Christ, Position in Church

Romans 12:4-5 NASB For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, (5) so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. The Function of the Church Paul has spent a lot of time in Romans explaining how individuals (we) can be reconciled to God and become recipients of the life of Christ. Now being related to Christ, we must develop Christlike relationships with each other. When believers become heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ, they also become fellow heirs with each other. The setting in which these relationships operate is the assembly of believers—the local church. Ours being Light of Hope Bible Church. Our natural tendency to selfishness and individualism fights against the concept of the body of Christ, but the renewed mind produces a different attitude. Those who are instructed from the Word of God led by the Holy Spirit of God recognize the uniqueness of the believer's position in the church and also are committed to being a part of the body of Christ. When Christ was on earth, He inhabited a body similar to our physical bodies and, accordingly, knew of our physical limitations. But after His Resurrection, He was free to come again in the Person of the Spirit (living in our hearts) and inhabit numerous individuals who, together, would become the means of His continued activity on earth. So diverse were the abilities and ministries of the Lord that it would be ridiculous to expect any one individual to begin to match His ministry. However, when many people come together as His body, they can collectively begin to demonstrate the array of ministries which He longs to perform through their united efforts. Because we live in a “specialized” world, we have tended to form churches around the specialist (leadership of church) and have encouraged the congregation to participate more as spectators and critics than as participants in ministry. This not only robs the church of her vitality and versatility, but also tends to produce a dull uniformity where there should be a cohesive, Spirit encouraged coordinated diversity. I thank God for the unity among the members at Light of Hope Bible as the Elders persevere to serve according to Ephesians 4:11-12 equipping the saints for service to God. I leave you with the scriptures Ephesians 4:11-16 NASB And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (14) As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; (15) but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, (16) from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Love to each of you in Christ, Pastor Mike