The Next Step is Yours

[HKHaugan]

Epi.23 The Next Step is Yours

One Body, Many Functions 1Cor.12:12-31

Paul uses the human body with its parts as an illustration of how the Body of Christ works spiritually with its grace gifts from the Holy Spirit. Three things to observe in this comparison.

First, each part of the physical body is dependent on the other to make the whole body function properly. Each part has a special function to give balance to its working.

Second, some parts of the physical body may seem to be weaker but are indispensable. Size, weakness and strength are not values when considering how each part functions. It’s about how it supports the whole.

Third, some parts of the physical body are treated with more modesty and less discussion while the visibility and discussion of others is acceptable. Again, the importance of any part is not determined by its visibility. Seen or unseen, each performs a specific, unique and important function. All have equal acceptance and necessity.

The most important thing to see in Paul’s analogy is its purpose. The physical body with all its functions is the container, the ‘tent,’ the package, in which the invisible spiritual person, an ‘I am’, an image of God, believes and trusts how to behave in order to carry out its spiritual functions in the Body of Christ. Neither the physical body nor its functions are the identity, the character or the seat of choice and decision. It is the person in the body that has the heart, the spirit, the soul, where the identity is conceived and developed.

Another aspect to think about is that Paul’s observation of the physical body is based on its visible parts. That’s because how we use our bodies is what is seen. Spiritual gifts are not in themselves visible but the action they inspire is. Look at how he describes the physical body’s action(1Cor.12-20). “If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body.’” Obviously, the hand can’t literally talk, but it does deliver an invisible message. He mentions the eye, the ear and the nose with the same intent, to get us to think spiritually. He continues his ‘spiritual-thinking’ message when he talks about the equality of the physical body’s functions (12:21-26). God’s intention is involved. His intention is spiritual, real and observable. Each part has a concern for the others (vs.25). What appears weak by the world’s standards are indispensable (vs.22) and the ‘lesser’ receive honor (vs.24). Even the concept of modesty plays in here (vs.23). There is a functional reason clearly stated here as well, no division; they work together for the good of the whole. If one part suffers it affects all the others and if one is honored, all rejoice (vs.26).

If anything is going on here it has got to be this; Paul is getting us to think spiritually about everything we see. Nothing is left out. His detailed comparison of the physical body and the spiritual Body of Christ is classically Paul. I’m sure if he had been trained as a doctor in our age, no organ in the body would be left out.

But Paul doesn’t stop with comparison. He has a purpose. It’s to see the Body of Christ as a spiritually united organism that brings people together on a much deeper level, a heart level, rather than the temporary visible body and material world in which we live. In Christ we are forgiven sinners. I and my momentary survival are not the focus. He is our focus. We are on a journey together not only to live as individuals and have eternal life but to have eternal life now in the context of a loving God who is personally concerned with each family member. Paul wants us to see ourselves as having eternal significance and purpose in every next moment right where we are everyday. We have a never ending life shared in an everlasting perfect family. It starts here in the Body of Christ.

Spiritual gifts are the spiritual organs that enable the individual to serve God through his or her function in the Body of Christ. Each member is part of the way the spiritual family works. They come alive when they receive the Lord Jesus through the Holy Spirit who gives them gifts to function in their part of the Body. We are more than just members. Like James says, “Do not merely listen word and so deceive yourself, do what it says.” The deception comes when we think now that we are members of some congregation, that’s it. We attend the meetings, give a few shekels, help occasionally to set up chairs and sweep up. That’s just the skeletal part.

But those chores come alive when they are motivated by the gift of service or helps. They are no longer ‘chores’ that have to be done and ’somebody’s got to do it.’ Gifts change our attitude from something that is done resentfully or dutifully to joyfully. Life in the Body as part of the Body begins when we actually function attitudinally through the spiritual gifts we have been given. We look forward to their use. We get to know Jesus more and more personally. We are part of the Body’s growth and movement that changes the local environment in which we physically live.

Here’s the overall principle: we go from dependency to independence to mutual inter-dependency. When we were born we were totally dependent on our parents who gave us a start in life by teaching us how to be independent. Then we started life on our own as independent individuals. Soon we learned that we had to be dependent on others for our survival. This is when we learned inter-dependency. We need others and others need us to perform economic and social functions. But they don’t last. We discover we have a deeper spiritual need that is not temporary, that sin has dislocated us to be self centered instead of God centered. With Jesus as Savior and Lord we are members of His Body. Here we learn an eternal maturity. We become dependent on God in Jesus who leads us to be interdependent with our brothers and sisters in the Body. Our local identity is being a disciple of Jesus with a special interdependent spiritual function in the Body.

Reviewing what it means to be spiritually maturing, we turn to God’s Word. There we see God has created us to be images and likenesses of Him. That spiritual birth and its understanding start the moment we receive Jesus as Savior and Lord and become a part of His spiritual Body. Through the Holy Spirit He makes us conscious of our relationship as a child of the Father and a brother or sister of all the others in His Body. Jesus is our identity giver. We are His disciples.

As disciples we are given gifts from the Holy Spirit to grow with one another in the Body and as witnesses to Jesus in the world around us. Knowing as much as we can about Jesus through His Word we see Him as the example of what a perfect spiritually gifted human being looks like and then follow Him as we move from one moment to the next.

As disciples of Jesus we are learning a new way to live,---by faith. It means looking forward to every next moment to be a witness wherever we are and with whomever we come in contact. Faith is the lifestyle by which we never know what is going to happen until we are conscious of Jesus in that every next moment. We are not looking forward to what might happen, but to the unknown ’that will happen.’ That’s the faith lifestyle.

Belief may be the first step. Belief is for the mind. But you don’t stop there. That’s just the beginning. The second step is trust, trusting Jesus as you approach each next moment. Trust is for the heart. Trust is to trust Jesus and His Word. But you don’t stop there either. The mind and the heart, belief and trust get you ready to step out. Now it’s time for your spirit to act. That is when faith kicks in, when you step out and share your full attention to whatever happens in that next moment.

Spiritual gifts are the secure functions through which faith operates. They are the vehicles for faith. They are the, qualities of God’s grace (charis=grace) that qualify each believer with the passport qualification to leave the border of your heart and cross the border of another heart when they let you in. Remember the ‘move out---move on---move in’ principle (Epi.19 Head ‘em Up and Move ‘em Out, From March 2^nd blog)? Well, that’s faith in action.

If you find yourself wishing you had more faith or that you could just be more faithful, then do this: read what the Word says about spiritual gifts in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesian 4. Pray and examine where you really are in your witness. Recall your testimony about when, where and why you received Jesus. Pray to identify which one, or several, seem to fit who you are. Ask a brother or sister in the Body to be honest and tell you what they think you’re spiritually able to do. You’d be surprised what they will tell you. Then go to a prayer group to start the learning and practice of what you discover. Faith happens when you’re using your spiritual gifts. It’s the Holy Spirit energizing them.

There was a Nike running shoe ad several years ago that got to me. It showed a guy just getting out bed early in the morning, looking at his Nikes and getting ready to put them on. Then these words appeared, “For the second hardest step you’ll ever take.” Like those Nikes, your spiritual gifts are right there in front of you awaiting your putting them on. The next step is yours.