This is My Body

Article Index

Teachings of Alister John Lowe, Th.D., Ph.D.

Issue 5, February 1995

This is My Body


THIS IS MY BODY

1 Corinthians 12:12-27
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we allo baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye can not say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Throughout His entire earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus never performed one miracle outside His physical body.

Rumors of the boyhood miracles of Jesus are completely unfounded.

One such rumor has Jesus modelling a pigeon from clay, applying spittle to its head, thereupon becoming a real bird which is released into the heavens.

The Bible record does not show Jesus operating in His public ministry until He is baptised in the Holy Ghost at thirty years of age. He never performed any miracle, he never preached any message, he never healed any sick person until His maturity for ministry. He began that ministry by declaring, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me....

Would to God modern day preachers would follow His example.

In the isolated example of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, a member of the body is immediately directed to him as the instrument through which God effects healing for his eyes and the bapitism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 9:17,18 And Anaias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

God has limited Himself to the body of Christ! With all its imperfections God has chosen the church. He could have created a glorious bride for His Son by fiat. He could have used angels. He could have used cherubim. He could have used seraphim. He has chosen us. In this sense, God has no hands but our hands. He has no feet but our feet. He has no heart but our heart. Think of it. The Almighty God has limited Himself to the weakness of the human frame.

But this is no marvel, for He has already set the precedent of limiting His Son in a human body!