One Body in Christ: Growing Up Together

My husband and I have been married almost 36 years. After a year of separation (he was in Kansas completing his leadership training, I was in California at school), my family drove me out to meet him and we were married a couple of days later on July 16, 1981. We barely knew each other. And we both soon discovered that we were very different people.

He was a man of adventure, ready to try new things, go to new places. (Three weeks after the wedding, we moved to Australia. See?) He loved the Word of God and would study it for hours, particularly through an understanding of the Greek language, figures of speech, and other research-y kind of things. Physically he was very strong, a hard worker with plenty of endurance to finish the job at hand. He found energy and inspiration from sharing his love for God and life with lots of people, making new friends anywhere.

I, on the other hand, could have happily made a permanent home for us in California. I loved the Word of God too, but from a very practical point of view. If I learned anything doctrinally, my next immediate pursuit in the Word was to find out what I was supposed to do about it. I took plenty of rest-stops if I was working on a physically demanding project (and I would usually enlist Gene’s help). I found energy and inspiration from prayer, reading, and sharing my love for God and life with a few close friends.

As the years rolled on, we learned to appreciate our differences. Instead of annoying each other (for instance, he thought I took too long to think and I thought he rushed through things) we chose to support each other by each taking on the challenges that suited our individual strengths (I, deliberate and detailed, took account of our financial matters; he, energetic and enthusiastic, helped our young son learn and grow).  We were stronger together.  And it’s funny but now, I am almost always ready for the next adventure! And he is more willing to just sit awhile and “be” together.

By His grace and love, God has called each of us as individual members to the one body of Christ. We each come into this membership with our own desires, needs, abilities, strengths, perspectives, and levels of maturity. Then God calls us to do what is probably the most difficult thing on earth to do—work together as one body, with Christ as the head, to glorify God and show His love to the world.

The result is described here in Ephesians 4, growing up together in God’s love. There’s no higher calling in life, and I’m thankful to be a part of it with you!

Ephesians 4:15,16: [Amplified Bible]
But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ.
From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.

Following are eight ways we can live together and work together as one body in Christ  (with related scriptures; feel free to add other verses in the “Comments” below).

1. Take responsibility for myself. (Romans 12:3, I Corinthians 6:19,20; 7:24)
2. Do not think of myself more highly than I ought to think. (Romans 12:3; I Corinthians 10:1-18)
3. Do not compare ourselves with each other. (I Corinthians 12:12-24,27)
4. Have the same care for each other. (I Corinthians 12:25,26; Colossians 3:14,15)
5. Honor one another. (Romans 12:3-5, I Corinthians 7:17; 12:23,24; Colossians 3:10)
6. Speak the same thing. (I Corinthians 1:10)
7. Be of the same mind [according to the Word of God], and the same judgment [making godly decisions together]. (I Corinthians 1:10)
8. Do not allow worldly judgments to divide us. (I Corinthians 7:17-24; 10:1-18; Colossians 3:11)

Romans 12:3-5: [Amplified Bible]
For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service].
For just as in one [physical] body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use,
So we, who are many, are [nevertheless just] one body in Christ, and individually [we are] parts one of another [mutually dependent on each other].

I Corinthians 1:10:
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

I Corinthians 6:19,20:
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

I Corinthians 7:17-24:
But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

I Corinthians 10:1-18: [Amplified Bible]
Now I, Paul, urge you by the gentleness and graciousness of Christ—I who am meek [so they say] when with you face to face, but bold [outspoken and fearless] toward you when absent!
I ask that when I do come I will not be driven to the boldness that I intend to show toward those few who regard us as if we walked according to the flesh [like men without the Spirit].
For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man.
The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ,
Being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete.
You are looking [only] at the outward appearance of things. If anyone is confident that he is Christ’s, he should reflect and consider this, that just as he is Christ’s, so too are we.
For even though I boast rather freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed [of the truth],
Nor do I want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters;
For they say, “His letters are weighty and forceful and impressive, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible [of no account].”
Let such people realize that what we say by word in letters when we are absent, is the same as what we are in action when present.
We do not have the audacity to put ourselves in the same class or compare ourselves with some who [supply testimonials to] commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they lack wisdom and behave like fools.
We, on the other hand, will not boast beyond our proper limit, but [will keep] within the limits of our commission (territory, authority) which God has granted to us as a measure, which reaches and includes even you.
We are not overstepping the limits of our province, as if we did not [legitimately] reach to you, for we were the [very] first to come even as far as you with the good news of Christ.
We do not go beyond our proper limit, boasting in the work of other men, but we have the hope that as your faith [in Christ and His divine power] continues to grow, our field among you may be greatly expanded [but still within the limits of our commission],
So that we may preach the gospel even in the lands beyond you, but not to boast in work already accomplished in another one’s field of activity.
However, “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”
For it is not he who commends and praises himself who is approved [by God], but it is the one whom the Lord commends and praises.

I Corinthians 12:12-27:
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
And if they were all one member, where were the body?
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Colossians 3:10,11:
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond norfree: but Christ isall, and in all.

Colossians 3:14,15:
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.