The Body of Christ

Scripture says that believers are the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:27; Eph 1:27; Col 1:18, 24). It means several things -- mutual support, bearing one anothers burdens, working together, that sort of thing. One popular notion is that we are His arms and legs. We are the physical presence that does His work. We're supposed to be doing here what He would do here. Maybe. But the question seems to never be asked, "What would Jesus be doing here?" Well, sort of. You know -- WWJD. "What would Jesus do?" But we don't have to guess at that. Jesus told us. I bet you're not as clear on that as you might have thought. What did Jesus say His purpose was? I would think it would make sense to find out and do that.

Here's one I bet you didn't expect. "I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law" (Matt 10:35). I can hear it now. "Wait! That can't be right!" But I didn't say it; He did. Oh, no, that wasn't His aim. It's just that if we follow Him as He intends, it will produce conflict with those who don't, including family. And following Him as He intends is, well, what He intends.

This one should be patently obvious. "I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). Jesus came to do whatever His Father wanted. Not what He wanted. Not what we want. Now that's an interesting perspective, isn't it? Because often when we are told we need to be His arms and feet, they're saying we should do what we or they think is nice or kind when Jesus aimed for what His Father intended.

How about this one? "Now is My soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify Your name'" (John 12:27-28). Jesus said that He came for a particular purpose. That was to die. Not just die; it was to die for God's glory. I wonder if any of those urging you to be Jesus's hands and feet are thinking of having you and I die. I doubt it. But that was a primary purpose of Christ on earth.

A couple of very clear statements give us some more insight. At one point He said, "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness" (John 12:46). Another time He said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10). Jesus came to spread light and to give abundant life. Now, in all honesty, we don't actually have that capability. But we can share the light and we can encourage others to live the abundant life.

Jesus shared with Pilate one other purpose. "For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth" (John 18:37). The truth was Jesus's primary purpose -- the truth about His Father and His Father's glory, the truth about Him, the truth about us and our sin and our need for Him, and more. Bearing witness to the truth is something we can do, except usually when we hear, "We need to be Jesus's arms and feet" they are talking about doing nice things and often intentionally aim to remove the truth in favor of kindness (as if kindness without truth is actually kind). "They don't need a judge; they need a friend." Jesus came to bear witness to the truth. We should, too.

The concept of the Body of Christ is multifaceted. We are to care for each other. We all have our own functions to perform. We are to do what Christ intends here. Knowing what He intends, then, would be important. Don't let Social Justice Warriors or well-meaning Christians tell you something different than what Jesus did. He has a better idea of His purposes than they do and we should follow Him.