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Discerning the Lord's Body |
Dear Brethren,
What do the Scriptures mean about
discerning the body of Jesus Christ? This is a crucial question.
In fact, this is the most important question that we in the Church can ask ourselves
today. "For he that eateth and drinketh [Passover] unworthily, eateth
and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1Co 11:29)
We certainly do not want to take Passover unworthily. Do we really understand what Paul
meant by, "the Lord's body?" When we read the words, "the
Lord's body," we should understand that Paul was referring primarily to
the Christian believers who make up the Church of God. "...The Church, which
is His body." (Ephesians 1:22-23)
Too many Christians today see this verse as meaning only that
we must recognize the healing that we receive from the beaten body of
Jesus. Paul was inferring much more! Will God increase the incidences
of healing among Christians simply because we ask Him for more
miracles? Or, is there a greater aspect of this Scripture that is being
overlooked? We need to know the answer to this vital question.
Let's look at this verse in its context. Division among the
brethren was Paul's subject when he wrote that the Lord's body was not
being properly discerned. He said that we must examine ourselves as to
whether or not we are a part of any division before we take Passover.
"For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that
there be divisions among you." (1 Corinthians 11:18)
In addressing division within the Church, Paul shows that, not only our
healing, but our very salvation depends on our truly caring for one
another. Scripture does not allow for Christians to co-exist without
properly relating to one another. It is clear that for us to have
a right relationship with God, it is first necessary to "get right" with
others. Jesus tells us that, as Christians, our priority must be to
reconcile, not only with God, but also with one another. Christ taught
that reconciliation has a higher priority than even church attendance.
"Be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."
(Matthew 5:24)
How does a Christian become a part of the Lord's Body? True
Christians enter the Body of Christ at their baptism. Since our unity
with the Father and the Son begins at baptism, then so does our unity
with one another. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized
into one body ... and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13)
How much more clearly could it be written? Brethren become unified
spiritually - one in Spirit, and one in the Body of Christ. By
definition, it is absolutely impossible to have Christian love for only
a part of the Body of Christ. We cannot serve some brethren while
neglecting other brethren. "With all lowliness and meekness, with
longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There
is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in
one hope of your calling." (Ephesians 4:2-4)
It is very clear what God's intent is - that people learn to live, to
love, to work, to associate, etc., together. God wants us to learn how
to live with one another now, so that we will know how to live with Him
eternally. When we partake of Passover, we are reaffirming our desire
to be one body by partaking of the Bread of Life, which
is Jesus Christ, our Passover. "Purge out
therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are
unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us." (1
Corinthians 5:7).
We cannot hate, despise, or reject any of the saints, as that behavior
defines "not" discerning the Lord's body. We are obligated to
extend our realm of fellowship to include all who have the earnest of
God's Holy Spirit. Paul characterized our self examination as properly
"discerning the Lord's body." Brethren, do we understand the
full extent of this Scripture?
First of all, we must absolutely grasp the definition of the Lord's
body from the Bible itself. The Body of Christ is the
entire Church of God. This concept of one body is solidly
established in Scripture. "The bread which we break, is it not the
[fellowship] of the body of Christ? For we being many
are one bread, and one body." (1 Corinthians 10:16-17)
"For [Christ's] body's sake, which is the church." (Colossians
1:24)
"Ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." (1
Corinthians 12:27)
"Ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians
3:15)
"For as we have many members in one body. So we, being many, are one
body in Christ, and every one members one of another." (Romans
12:4-5)
"For the perfecting of the saints...for the edifying of the body of
Christ." (Eph. 4:12)
Many verses firmly establish that "the Lord's Body" is a direct
reference to the people of the Church of God. When Paul said that we
must be properly "discerning the Lord's body," he meant that we cannot
take the Passover and at the same time be responsible for any part of
the division within the church, otherwise we "eateth and drinketh
damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body."
There is a direct correlation between our well being and the unity and
oneness we share with all of the children of God, who constitute the
Lord's body. Paul said that sickness and death were the result of
partaking of the Passover while division existed among the saints.
Those brethren, who Paul was addressing, had not discerned the Lord's
body.
"For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
(1 Corinthians 11:30)
Discerning the Lord's body means accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
in the way it was intended. Our past guilt is removed, and our past
sins are covered when we are redeemed and justified by the precious
blood He shed.
Our personal sins cut us off from God. "But
your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins
have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
We are reconciled to God the Father by the death of His Son. We are
healed by His stripes. Our salvation awaits us because Jesus was raised
to life by the Father, and so we shall be saved by His life. (1 Peter
1:18-21, Romans 5:9-10, 1 Peter 2:24)
This entire healing and salvational process is contingent on our having
direct positive interaction and unity with God's children. If we, who
are called of God, possess a genuine devotion and Godly tenderness for
the brethren, we will not diminish the sacrifice of Christ. "Love
does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the
law. And do this [ loving our neighbor ], knowing the time, that now it
is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than
when we first believed." (Romans 13:10-11)
Let's be sure to spend time in prayer and self-examination at this
Passover. Jesus teaches us to lay our lives down for one another.
Through Jesus it became possible for the entire world to be reconciled
to the Father. We follow His example in keeping every avenue of
reconciliation open with our brethren.
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Sermon: "Discerning the Lord's Body"
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