My Body is severed. Parts are strewn everywhere. Like Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, I have been pulled this way and that, until even my insides have been tossed aside. Unity is desperately needed amongst the members of My Body. It is time for each part to come together, for you cannot see who you really are without the others. Apart from each other, what is your purpose? Does not each member contribute to the whole? Does not each part support each other? What if the skin were missing? How would the bones, muscles, and organs be held together? Without the protection of the skin, you would die. So too, is the body without all of its parts functioning together as a whole. This not only applies to the local church body but to the worldwide body of believers. You in America need the part of the body in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, etc.
It is time for each part to focus on the benefit of the others regardless of their function. It is time to lay down your comparisons and realize how much you need each other. It is time to serve one another and learn from each other. As you learn to love and serve in humility you will be in rhythm with My heart, for I am the Head of the Body and you must follow My lead. Then and only then will everything come together in perfect unity bringing glory to My Father. I am coming back for a pure and spotless Bride, therefore, ready yourselves and lay your lives down for each other. Model true love by loving each other as I have loved you.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 The Passion Translation (TPT)
One Body with Many Parts
12 Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we all were immersed and mingled into one single body. And no matter our status—whether we are Jews or non-Jews, oppressed or free—we are all privileged to drink deeply of the same Holy Spirit.
14 In fact, the human body is not one single part but rather many parts mingled into one. 15 So if the foot were to say, “Since I’m not a hand, I’m not a part of the body,” it’s forgetting that it is still a vital part of the body. 16 And if the ear were to say, “Since I’m not an eye, I’m not really a part of the body,” it’s forgetting that it is still an important part of the body.
17 Think of it this way. If the whole body were just an eyeball, how could it hear sounds? And if the whole body were just an ear, how could it smell different fragrances? 18 But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires. 19 A diversity is required, for if the body consisted of one single part, there wouldn’t be a body at all! 20 So now we see that there are many differing parts and functions, but one body.
No Competition for Importance within the Body
21 It would be wrong for the eye to say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” and equally wrong if the head said to the foot, “I don’t need you.” 22 In fact, the weaker our parts, the more vital and essential they are. 23 The body parts we think are less honorable we treat with greater respect. And the body parts that need to be covered in public we treat with propriety and clothe them. 24 But some of our body parts don’t require as much attention. Instead, God has mingled the body parts together, giving greater honor to the “lesser” members who lacked it. 25 He has done this intentionally so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern, and so that there will be no division in the body. 26 In that way, whatever happens to one member happens to all. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices.
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