The body of Christ

Today the Lord reminded me of a lesson which I have thought too long to post here. It is about the body of Christ, and I feel it is timely that I post it. There is a movement in the churches to put everyone on "the same page" and it undermines the work of the Holy Spirit to develop us each into our own part of the "body". This lesson is almost 13 pages in length, but it illustrates God's design for His Church. If it is too long for you to read in one sitting, please print it out and read it as you have time. Thank you.

We think of the Church of Christ as a Bride. He called us His Bride in Rev. 21:2 & 9. Another name He calls us is His body (see 1 Corinthians 12). The body of Christ congregates in Churches, and is His Church. In Eph 1:23 it is made clear that the church is Jesus’ body. The term “bride” indicates intimacy, and oneness. The term “body” indicates function and action. In studying the ministry of the church, intimacy would be ministry to the Lord, and function or service would be ministry to men.

How does the body of Christ function in a ministry, or perform body ministry? In Ephesians 4:15-16 it is said that the Lord, Jesus, joins us together, providing growth and support for us as we each do our part to build the body up. It is a joint effort (no pun intended). The result will be that we will grow up into Jesus, Who is the head of the body. Another passage on the body of Christ is 1 Corinthians 12:12-30. In verse 18 it is said that God “has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.” In these verses Paul writes about the various gifts of the Spirit, and offices of the 5-fold ministry which God puts into the body. So it seems that the body of Christ should be complete, and each individual church or ministry has by design those members which are needed to build itself up into the fullness of the stature of Christ. When the body is healthy, its members are all functioning to build it up.

Over the last several months I have been praying about the body of Christ. What is God’s design for His Church? The Lord directed me to look at the human body and see the parallels there. Therefore, I’d like to record some insights I’ve gained during this time of study.

The basic component of the human body is the cell. The cell contains the DNA for it’s function, much like we each contain our calling and God-given personality. Though there are many needs in the human body, they can only be met by those cells which have become the right organ or body part which will meet the need. Therefore it is vital that we do not reject any part of our body.

Before birth when cells are forming in the womb to make the baby, the earliest cells are stem cells. These cells begin to differentiate, or specialize, as they move into position in the baby’s body to their appointed place. After birth, the cells become highly specialized and are restricted to what type of part they can create. For example, blood stem cells can only create the components of blood such as red and white cells, among others. Neuronal stem cells give rise to cells of the brain and nervous system. In a healthy body, each cell goes by design to it’s appointed position and performs it’s designed function. A failure of the stem cells to differentiate, or specialize, is called cancer.

Just as cells leave the bone marrow where stem cells originate from, so we as believers take on a new life after believing on Jesus as our Savior. Our growth includes training by the Holy Spirit, and being set into the body of Christ where God chooses. We are encouraged by His Word to grow in grace and knowledge of God, and in the gifts of the Spirit. If the community (body of Christ) we belong to does not allow each individual to grow, it will not be healthy, and in time will develop spiritual cancer.

As cells come together in the human body, they form tissues, a collection of similar cells that group together to perform a specialized function. Organs are structures that contain at least two different types of tissue functioning together for a common purpose. Examples of organs are the liver, kidneys, heart, and skin. Organ systems are composed of two or more different organs that work together to provide a common function. Here we begin to see that the body has a harmony which is necessary to accomplish it’s purposes.

In the body of Christ the gifts, vocations, and callings of people are placed to enhance the body’s overall functions. There are groupings of gifts, for example, in an evangelist which allow his evangelism to be expressed effectively. The evangelist must also network with others in his ministry to serve in his greatest capacity. And those in his ministry will send him out to do his work amongst others, for this is his intended purpose. You could say it is his DNA. The groupings of gifts in people (their calling and ministry formation) are necessary for God’s work to be done. This is why God can set us into works which He predestined for us to do; it’s in our original design (Eph 2:10).

There are 10 organ systems: skeletal, muscular, circulatory, nervous, respiratory, digestive, excretory, endocrine, reproductive, and immune. If we were to vote on which system to be in, probably none of us would want to be a bladder or intestines. We think of the heart as being a more noble part of the body. Indeed, when the heart stops, so does life. But what is the heart doing? It is pumping blood to all the other parts of the body, for the life is in the blood (Lev 17:11). The blood, by design, carries contributions from each organ to distribute appropriately. Waste from the stomach ends up in the colon. Waste from other systems may end up in the bladder. Nourishment from the sun also enters the blood, arriving to an area in the small intestines to make vitamin B12. The interchanges are almost infinite in number!

Let’s start with the skeletal system. It’s role is to provide support for the body, to provide attachment sites for the organs, and to protect internal organs. We read in Ezekiel 37 that the Lord showed Ezekiel a vision of dry bones, nothing else. The Lord asked him “Can these bones live?” (vs 3). There was structure, but no life. Wisely, Ezekiel said “O Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” So the Lord told him about His plan to make the bones live by supplying the parts that were lacking. He mentions tendons, flesh, skin and breath. The bones came together, held in place by the tendons. The tissues were applied, and covered over with skin. And the Lord breathed breath into these bodies to give them life. This is an example of how structure alone is not able to sustain life. The whole body is needed.

Muscles provide movement. They work together to move our limbs, and also are responsible for moving materials through other parts of the body, such as moving blood through our veins. By controlling the gross movement of our body, muscles allow us to go in a direction. The work of the muscles is initiated by the brain, sending signals through the nerves to the muscles. In Habukkuk 2:2 we read that the prophet was to “write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it”. The herald was to catch the vision and run with it. This person would be gifted with wisdom on not only the interpretation of the vision, but how to implement it, or put it into motion. A herald is a forerunner, being the first to run with the vision. As muscles perform throughout the physical body, so we also need persons in the church body with the ability to “catch” the revelation of the Lord and “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Eph 6:10). Discipline trains a person to be a forerunner (Heb 12:11). The muscles give us a glimpse not only of the gift of the herald, or forerunner, but of the life style of discipline laid out in Heb 12:1-13. The conditioning of the athletic runner parallels that of the Christian and is foundational to being able to carry out the Word of the Lord.

The circulatory system is a transportation system for every member of the body. Nutrients, air, wastes, and hormones travel through our veins. An interesting parallel is that our veins are called blood vessels, and a boat is also called a vessel. As Christians we are asked to edify and build up the body by what each one of us supplies to the body as a whole. This happens through the circulatory system in the human body, and through our gifts in the spiritual body. In 1 Peter 4:10,11 we read that “each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” . . . The circulatory system facilitates body ministry, in effect.

The Nervous system relays signals through the body. This directs behavior and movement of other organs. These messages come from the brain, located in the head, and in return, messages are sent from destination points back to the brain. In some cases, such as when one’s finger gets burned, the end-point which is experiencing the pain sends the signal back to the brain, which sends a signal to the muscles to move the finger away from the fire. Priests, prophets, pastors, evangelists, apostles, teachers . . . the list of those who receive messages from the Lord is endless. Each one of us has the ability to hear from God because we have the Holy Spirit. Yet there are some who are specialized into roles in which they hear and impart messages from the Lord. Others, like the nerves in the ends of our fingers, are specialized into roles where they communicate the needs of the body to the Head.

The Respiratory system provides air to the tissues of the body. This system also provides for carbon dioxide to leave the body. In the earlier example, the Lord told Ezekiel that the bones would come to life after He breathed into them. He had Ezekiel prophesy to the breath to come from the four winds so that the men could live. The Lord told him that the breath was His Spirit (vs 14). The Spirit is called the Comforter, and the Spirit of Truth. The inbreathing of the Spirit in the body of Christ should reflect growth in the knowledge of the Lord. It also should facilitate the exhaling of error. The Spirit knows our thoughts and the intentions of our hearts. If these are not good, He exchanges our sin for His truth and peace. Those who minister in the Spirit restore the members to truth and build up the body in it’s growth in the Lord.

The digestive system breaks down our food, allowing nutrients to be absorbed into the body. Paul talked about feeding people spiritual food, milk for the young in faith and meat for those more mature. Jesus also used food as an example of nutrients needed for spiritual growth, Himself being the bread of life. Those who instruct in the Word break large concepts down into smaller bites so that they can be digested. In the human body, the pancreas helps with the utilization of our sugar, even though it is from the endocrine organ system. So in the body of Christ, it may take pastors, teachers, and others gifted in teaching to enrich the body of Christ according to all its needs.

The Excretory system filters out wastes, toxins and helps balance water and other nutrients. We need these organs functioning in our body to prevent a feeling of being toxic and bloated. We also need brothers and sister in Christ who have the gift of discernment, knowing which things need to be passed out of the body. The foundation of discernment comes from knowing right from wrong and good from bad. When a body feels toxic, it’s people of discernment are calling good evil and evil good . . . putting bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Is 5:20). Those who are trained by “solid food” train themselves to discern between good and evil (Heb 5:14). So the lessons learned from the teachers, put into practice over a period of time, bring discernment. Those with discernment keep the body from becoming toxic. See also Malachi 3:18.

The Endocrine system makes hormones which relay messages throughout the body. These messages are aided by the nervous system and help control physiological processes such as growth. Many of these operate on a feedback loop. If the body is cold, the hypothalamus will send a message to regulate the temperature by shivering to produce heat. The thyroid gland helps regulate the metabolism, as well as body temperature. There are too many functions to write about. It is interesting how different organs in this system address needs and problems in different ways. There is diversity in the endocrine system, just like there is diversity in the body of Christ. People who listen to the needs and problems of others and adjust the body to compensate for their weaknesses actually facilitate growth of the whole body. The harmony in the body of Christ is dependant on listening to those who give us feedback (1 Cor 12:25). We have disharmony when we think we can do without some parts! (1 Cor 12:21-23). Indifference and sin cause us to grow cold inside (Mt 24:12) whereas love is what gives motivation for our faith to function (Gal 5:6).

The Reproductive system makes cells that allow reproduction. Paul said that he was in birth pains until Christ would be formed in the Galatians (4:19). Those who father the faith of others are the reproductive system in the body of Christ. The care and nurturing over souls in their infancy of faith takes time, as does the formation of a baby in the womb. Bringing a baby forth into the light of Life takes labor, as does the work of discipling young converts into men and women of faith who can stand on their own 2 feet (with the help of the Lord, of course).
The Immune system removes and destroys invading microbes and viruses from the body. The lymph system also removes fat and extra fluids. When a person’s immune system shuts down, they are vulnerable to attacks from things which eventually will kill them. God designed the human body to ward off enemy attacks. He says that “I have plans for you . . . plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jer 29:11). Just as our immune system helps keep our body healthy so that we can prosper and live out the plans the Lord has for us, so there is a spiritual immune system which battles evil so that the Lord’s purposes can be carried out on the earth. This spiritual warfare is spread throughout the physical body in the blood vessels, and lymph nodes. In our churches, we should all pray for peace, and against evil. However, a closer look at the immune system will show us that there are specialized gifts which should be employed in spiritual warfare. Since Paul writes that the weapons of our warfare are “powerful” (2 Cor 10:4,5), I will write about the specialized gifts of those who war in the Spirit.

The Immune System; warfare within and spiritual warfare

Our immune system sets a parallel with spiritual warfare by it’s very design. I will briefly explain the design of this intricate system, and then discuss the parallels in our faith, and our ability to overcome the schemes of our enemy (Eph 6:11).

Our physical body has two levels of protection against disease. The first level is called natural immunity and is made up of the following;
• the physical barriers of the skin and mucous membranes,
• the physiological factors such as temperature, normal flora, etc.
• protein secretions which help external fluids resist invasion and provide internal protection as well
• cells which recognize bacteria and yeast and defeat them upon entrance into the body. These cells mount a local response at the point of entry and clear up small infections. This response is called inflammation.

Our natural immune system differs from the second level of immunity in that it carries no memory of the offending intruder. Each offense is dealt with individually. Offending agents, such as yeast or bacteria can be kept at bay by keeping the skin in good shape so that there is no point of entry. But a wound, no matter how small, can allow the offending agent inside where it causes harm. We can see an example of this physical oppression in the story of Job. Job’s skin (among other things) was afflicted in an attempt to cause him to turn against God. He scraped his skin with broken potsherds because his affliction was so great (Job 2:4-8). Some bacteria had gotten under his skin and many theologians think poor Job had boils.

Spiritually, Job’s enemy was trying to get under his skin also. What happens when “things” get under our skin? Things get past our protection. What could our protection be in the adverse circumstances of our life? Our protection is our faith. Job had faith in God. Our faith is describes as a protective barrier against our enemies fiery darts in Ephesians 6:16. So we can see that our skin is an example of the shield of faith, keeping satan’s accusations at bay. When we maintain faith in God’s good nature and character we prevent the infectious bitterness that grows in our soul. But if we let our shield down and doubt His goodness, our wounds lead to infection personally, and affect the body of Christ (Heb 12:15). We can have grace for our trials, which prevents infectious bitterness. This is the admonition referred to in Hebrews 12:15; “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” We have the natural protection of our faith if we raise it up. However, if we are angry and let bitterness take root, we find we have disobeyed the Word of God (Eph 4;31) and are out from under His protection. The grace God gives us for our trial is an example of those cells which fight against the offending agent at the point of entry. We were designed to win!

The most commonplace physiological factor that lowers the immune system is temperature. If a person is too cold for too long, their immunity goes down and colds, viruses and pneumonia can settle in, along with local infections on the skin. People in foreign prisons often succumb to immune-suppressed diseases they would more easily have overcome in a warmer environment. Spiritual coldness affects us also. Though Jesus said that the world would know that we are Christians by our love for each other (warmth), He also foretold of a time when the hearts of men would grow cold (Mt 24:12). Therefore we need to “heat” each other up through encouragement (Heb 10:25) since the times have grown increasingly more evil. And again, it is the weakest member in the body which needs the most care (1 Cor 12:22-25).

The second level of our immune system is called the adaptive immunity. This immunity increases in strength and effectiveness with each encounter. The offending agent is recognized in a specific manner ant the immune system acquires memory towards it. Because the adaptive immunity remembers the agent, re-encounter with this agent causes a secondary response that is more rapid and powerful. The adaptive immunity uses the following to combat offending agents (called antigens);
• lymphocytes – these white blood cells come from the bone marrow and have their beginnings, like all cells, as stem cells. Their life is one of patrol and response. There are 3 types of lymphocytes; A-lymph come from the bone marrow, as mentioned. B-lymph leave the bone marrow and go to lymph nodes. T-lymph leave the bone marrow and undergo further maturation in the thymus. The bone marrow and thymus also make the immature lymph cells.
• The A-lymphocyte cell surface has receptors which recognize antigens and secrets antibodies to kill antigens in the following ways;
o blocking the activity of their enemy
o telling other white blood cells about the antigen and helping them to recognize their enemy
o activating the cells in the natural immune system which destroy the antigen.
o Multiplying themselves in number
• B-lymphocytes produce antibodies and cytokines, which are used against antigens
• T-lymphocytes see antigens and display fragments of it on the cells surface, thus providing memory for other cells to refer to. One type of T-lymph kills infected or tumor cells. These cells undergo a process of maturation and education prior to release into the circulation by spending time in the thymus.
• Natural Killer (NK) lymphocytes represent a first line of defense to infections, tumor growth and other abnormalities in cell growth. NK cells can detect antigens by receptors on their skin.
• Phagocytes – take up, or eat, foreign substances in the body, such as antigens. Their properties are;
o Recognition of bacteria after contact
o Presenting the T cells with antigens, resulting in activation of T cell. T cell secretions increase the phagocyte presenting role, and so it becomes a “feed back” loop until the antigen is eliminated.
o Garbage pick-up; further dissolution of dying antigens
• Dendritic cells – one type lives on the surface of the skin, detecting antigens. They cannot present to the T cells, but can carry it through the lymph node system where mature dendritic cells there can present the antigen to T cells, if they encounter the right one (one who can effectively mount a response to the antigen). If so, these dendritic cells are the best at presenting antigens and far fewer of them are required to start an immune response then any other cell which may present antigens for recognition. A third type of dendritic cell traps antigens for long periods of time. They cannot present antigen to T cells but are important in developing responses by other lymphocytes.
• Granulocytes – There are three types, described below;
o Neutrophils – have receptors for antibodies and are involved in the inflammatory response
o Eosinophils – destroy parasites and contribute to the response to allergens
o Basophils – are responsible for hypersensitivity responses.

The Lymph System
The lymphatic system receives fluids from the veins and is moved through its system by the action of pressure applied by contractions of nearby muscles. So those who are “muscles”, or forerunners in the body of Christ, aid in advancing members of the body who war evil. In fact, if there are no forerunners, no men or women with vision, the body perishes (Prov 29:18).

Special protection for infants and children

Though infants and children are at a disadvantage to war against the offences that enter their lives due to their size, weakness, and lack of experience, there are some factors which work in their favor. A well known way to protect children from early illness is breast feeding, as the mother’s milk passes on her antibodies to the infant. Immunizations are also given to help ward off many childhood diseases. And, in the thymus gland, which helps mature T-cells for the immune system, we see that the gland itself enlarges gradually during childhood, and then begins reducing in size after puberty. These are a few example of how immunity is enhanced for the very young. We see that the Lord also leads the young, and those with young, gently (Is 40:11). He nurtures the new babes in Christ with the pure milk of His Word. One of the protections mentioned for the recent convert is to not be promoted to oversee the flock (1 Tim 3:6). In the physical body, a test showed that when immature immune cells were exposed to antigens, they peacefully accepted them. In other words, they tolerated evil and were unaware of their role to fight them. These antigens were like “certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago. (They) have slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord” (Jude 4). What a good description of an antigen! The possibility for infection is greater if the new convert is exposed simply because of his naivety. Much of the compromise in our own country is due to religious tolerance. Yet God has designed the body of Christ to have discernment, if we will just give the time to mature in the place He appoints us to.

Disorders of the immune system

Leukemia – Leukemia is a white blood cell cancer. The causes noted to this date are 1) genetic disorders, such as Down’s Syndrome, 2) exposure to toxic chemicals, and 3) viruses. This cancer has the following characteristics;
• Limited differentiation (specialization), instability, clumping together of white blood cells due to prolonged life span.
• Suppression of normal blood cell formation for other blood cells in the bone marrow.
• Infiltration of organs, even reaching to the brain
• Displacement of stem cell space in the bone marrow, thereby inhibiting production

Leukemia can be acute, leading to early death, or chronic, leading to a longer diseased state. The parallels of leukemia with disorders in the body of Christ begin with the causes.

The genetic disorders would be an example of having a DNA which is not “normal” or conducive to one’s calling. Some churches will not allow people to operate in their gifts, such as prophecy or the casting out of demons. This would be a body which had a DNA different than the body of Christ, Who gave these gifts “to prepare God’s people for the works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:8-13). If a church is of other genetic material, it tries to build itself up through other means, such as programs and projects. These people are those who serve but not because they have a relationship with Jesus (Mt 7:21-23 & Lk 13:24-27). They are helpless to protect themselves against the evil schemes of the enemy and do not become formed into the image of Christ. A body of Christ in which members serve one another in love fulfill God’s Word (Gal 5:13).

Exposure to toxic chemicals would be exposure to bitterness, which defiles many (Heb 12:15). Those who bite others end up destroying themselves also (Gal 5:15). A body of Christ which has these things in it’s members is open to wounding and destruction.

A virus is a type of teaching which forms the Christian into an image other than Christ. The example in Jude 4 shows that the false teachers changed the truth of God’s grace into a license for immorality. If the body of Christ tolerates evil, it will be defenseless against sin. When tolerance of false teachings infiltrates the body of Christ, resentment of God’s holy ways takes root. In Rev 16: 12-16 we read about deceiving spirits whose objective is to gather people against each other. False teachings cause disunity and hinder the service of members of the body of Christ. When false teachings encourage men to rely on their own understanding and wisdom, they exchange a spiritual walk with the Lord for earthly gain, marked by selfish ambition, envy, disorder and every evil practice (Jms 3:15,16).

A special kind of virus, known as HIV, specifically targets the T-cells of the immune system, rendering them useless. This virus enters into the T-cells through their receptors, combining it’s genes with the cell’s genetic material. Then the HIV genes direct the cell to produce the various proteins needed to reproduce HIV. The result is a body which slowly dies from the many infections and cancers it becomes exposed to.

The body of Christ which takes in false teachings aimed at it’s immune system runs the risk of leaving the body unprotected against deceiving spirits. Teachings that cause rejection of the 5-fold ministry and the gifts of the spirit come through many teachers who promise “safe” ways where men can know and follow God. These lessons take on the form of “peace and safety” (1 Thess 5:3) yet lack the true elements of the Word of God. Those who see no need for God’s gifts eventually replace them with their own words and understanding. Yet God teaches the cells of the immune system to recognize the enemy. So, God teaches the members of the 5-fold ministry to recognize false teachers and false brethren. He also gives discernment of evil spirits as a gift to many members of the body. The brother or sister who warns others of sin entering the body, or reveals the hidden deceit in a false teaching is like a cell of the immune system which presents the antigen to other cells so that they can fight it. The body which allows it’s members to operate in this gift will remain healthy.

Communication is an integral part of mounting a defense against the enemy’s plans. A body of Christ which discourages communication of the insights received by it’s members concerning the needs of and threats to it’s members will become a sick body.

Maturity is essential for the specialization needed to keep intruders out. A body of Christ which places a novice in leadership will cause him to suffer harm, and cause the body as well to be dysfunctional. Also, a body which determines the area of service for it’s members without regard to the DNA of each member will fall into dysfunction. God imprints each member of the body with the works they are called into and sets them in places to prepare them for service. He is the head of the body. False brethren deny God His Sovereignty (Jude 4).

What is the usefulness in examining the physical body? If we understand the functions of the body we will understand that God has a use for each member of the body of Christ. In examining the organ systems, their interactions, and specifically the role of the immune system we can see the role of God’s groupings of believers into specialized functions, and the need for a defense system which will keep the body healthy. And, in studying ways in which our physical body becomes unhealthy or dysfunctional we also learn a valuable lesson about guarding ourselves against the schemes of the devil who seeks to rob, kill and destroy each member individually, and defeat the body as a whole. The greatest lesson though is that God has made provision for us to be healthy, and to overcome the devil and all his schemes. Let us follow His Word and good example, as seen in our bodies and in other examples of His Creation. For God has surely revealed Himself in all His hands have created. Amen.