The Nature of the Church: The Church as Body

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18).

One of the most fruitful metaphors describing the relationship of Christians to Christ and to one another is the church as a body. Paul constantly uses this metaphor to attempt to explain to believers how they ought to conduct themselves toward one another and to Christ (Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Ephesians 5:22-33, Colossians 1:18, etc.). Let us consider how the church is to be like a body and how we function within it.

As a body has a head that controls it, so the church is headed by Christ and is subject to Him (Ephesians 5:22-33, Colossians 1:18). Everything that the body does is controlled by the brain in some way, shape, or form. The body of Christ ought to function in the same way, always looking to Christ to understand what it is to do and how it is to do it. Christians and the church should always do everything by the authority of their Head, Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:17).

As a body consists of different individual parts that work independently and together, so the church consists a collective of individuals who work independently and together. Our bodies are full of different parts that each have independent functions but which must work together with the rest of the body. Legs may walk, but the rest of the body must go also. The stomach may digest, but only that which is consumed and then passed through. Likewise, the church consists of individuals who work to serve the Lord in many ways in their own lives (cf. Galatians 6:10, Romans 6:16-23), and also work together for the benefit of all involved (Hebrews 10:25, 1 Corinthians 14:23, Galatians 6:1-2).