In Romans 12:4,5 and I Corinthians 12:12-26, Paul compares the church to a human body. Read I Corinthians 12:12-26 carefully. Paul says just as the human body is one body made of many parts, so is the church one body in Christ. All who have been baptized are parts of spiritual body, the church. Every part of the human body is different, and each part has its own job. All the parts of the body cannot be a hand or a foot. So it is in the church. All the Christians have different responsibilities, and each Christian has his own responsibility.
In the human body, if one part is injured or fails to do its work, the whole body suffers. The same is true in the church. When one Christian refuses to do his own work or fails to accept his own responsibility, the whole church will suffer. The only way the human body can do its work well is for all the members of the body to work together each doing its own part. The same is true with the church! The only way the church can do its work well is for all the Christians to work together each doing their own part.
If you are a Christian, you are a part of the church. The only people the church has to do its work are you Christians. If each of you help the rest of the church by doing all you can, the church will grow well. If any of you refuse to work and refuse to help, the whole church will suffer, the work will not be done, and the church will not grow -- it may even die!
Often Christians say, "The church ought to do so - so!" Many times these Christians do not understand they are saying, WE ought to do so - so!" The church does what the Christians do because Christians are the church! When Christians talk about the church, they are talking about themselves.
When each Christian gives, as he has been prospered, the church will have money. When each Christian helps build a meeting house, the church will have a meeting house. When each Christian helps visit the sick, the church will visit all the sick. This is true of every work of the church - when all Christians try, the church will do the work.
YOU are a part of the church. YOU have your own responsibility to the church. Are you doing your part? Are you a sick member that makes the church suffer? Are you a strong member that helps make the church grow? Your congregation will be as strong or as weak as you help make it.
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