The body over which Christ is head is the Church. “And gave Him to be head over all things to the church which is His body.” Ephesians 1:22 “And He is the head of the body, the church.” Colossians 1:18 Paul suffered “for His body’s sake, which is the church.” Colossians 1:24 The Church of Christ is the spiritual body of Christ, there is nothing else He has on this earth that represents Him. In absence on the man, the wife ALWAYS represents the husband, so the Church, the Lord! “Unto Him be glory (through or by her Christ gains ALL the glory He desires) in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.” Ephesians 3:21
There is one body, one church. “For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally members one of another.” Romans 12:4-5 “But now they are many members, yet but one body”. 1 Corinthians 12:20 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body: and be ye thankful.” Colossians 3:15
Jesus loves and nourishes His body and will save it!! He loved His fleshly body, but gave it for His spiritual body!! “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself up for it.” Ephesians 5:25 “For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Christ also the church; because we are members of His body.” Ephesians 5;29-30 “For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, being Himself the savior of the body.” Ephesians 5:23 Jesus loves His body with a tender love, He loves you with this love IF YOU are a member of His body. He adds all the SAVED to His body when one is baptized into Christ for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38, 47, and in the church He nourishes the redeemed with His word and cherishes the saints of God with a love unknown among mankind. “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: that you, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height. And to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19
As in every family, there is a close relationship existing between all the members of the body!! “And whether one member suffer, all suffer with him/her; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with him/her.” 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 There is union and harmony in the body by design as there is in any home that respects God!! Diversities of offices there are, yet a oneness of design and purpose-a wonderful harmony of action. “If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.” If your arm is broken, the whole body sympathizes; the other members shield it; every member is discomfited when one member suffers!! When the body becomes diseased, everything possible is done to restore it to health. The mouth might not like the taste of the medicine proscribed, but it will not stop the body from receiving the medicine that will restore physical strength!! When all efforts in its behalf fail, and the life of the body is in danger because of the member that cannot or will not be cured, we then and then alone resort to amputation. Then, delays are dangerous; so should it be in the body of Christ. Everything possible should be done to restore to health a diseased member. But when all efforts fail, and he/she continues to grow worse, and the way of truth is evil spoken of because of him/her, we should not hesitate to withdraw from them!! The body will serve any member of the body, but the body cannot be destroyed just because one diseased, sinful member will not repent!!
