Studies in the
Scriptures
What is a Member of The Body of Christ?
A much deeper meaning of what a member is!
Nab B. September 3, 2022
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ...For the body does not consist of one member but of many...If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." (1 Cor 12:12,14,26 ESV)
I used to view a church member as someone who joins or associates with a group. The word 'member' as used today suggests someone or something that can be easily removed or replaced.
Notice how the word 'member' is defined in one dictionary:
"Someone or something that belongs to or is part of a group or an organization." The Britannica dictionary.
There is nothing wrong with this definition but that is not the sense portrayed in Paul's passage above. The Greek word ‘melos’ translated as ‘members’ in 1 Cor 12:27 means a body organ:
“Now you are the body of Christ and members [Gk, melos] individually”.
This biblical meaning of the word member is vastly different from today's. A body organ can’t be easily removed, or replaced without inflicting a lot of pain on all other members (organs)!
It's likened to a family with many different members. If one member is separated (e.g. leave, illness, death), much pain will be inflicted on the other members. It is no different (even stronger) in the diverse family of God, the body of Christ.
The metaphor of the human body (as used by the Apostle) is a sublime example of 'unity in diversity' in the body of Christ. It's the Spirit that unites and bonds all through love, "Above all these things, have love, which is a bond of the perfection." (Col 3:14 YLT)
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another." (John 13:35)
"As I have loved you" sums it up! Christ's love isn't like friends' love, parental love, or lovers' love. The source of this love is divine, from above. And it is ours to give and receive!