The body looks out.
Have you ever had unbearable back pain or an earache that tormented you day and night? The brain is a member of the body that sends those unwanted pains as messages to the other members. It performs its function of looking out for its members and telling the human spirit to tend to them. Normally we take Tylenol or other medications for those pains and aches, hoping the underlying cause will subside. Many times the body will heal itself when it is sick. But other times we need to be treated by a physician. The body is an organ with many members. The Bible teaches us that each member has to look out for the other members (Ga6:2). We cannot become schismatic. Schism is the idea that one member only looks out for his interests and not everyone else’s. Cain was very schismatic, and he was not interested in the well-being of his brother Able (Ge4:9). Each member of the body has its function. Paul compares each member’s function to the gifts God’s Spirit gives us. He says that the church is the body of Christ, and we were added to it when we came to him (Ro11:17). John said that whoever believes in Christ he gave them power to become sons of God (Jh1:12).
1 Corinthians 12:24-27
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
We are the body of Christ. God has put the body together so that no member is more recognized than another. We must have the interests of our family in Christ within us. Jesus spoke of the parable of the ten virgins (Mt25:6-9). The ten were together waiting for the bridegroom to come. They got tired of waiting and they all went to sleep. The parable represents the church today with many waiting for the Lord’s return and others not. The ten virgins group were divided into two; five wise and five foolish. The five wise took care of having extra oil for their vessels, whereas the foolish ones did not. One could infer that the wise ones were somewhat schismatic when the foolish ones asked them to share. The two groups both understood the penalty for not being ready when their bridegroom came to be left behind. The callousness of the five foolish is a state of being lukewarm Jesus talked about to the church of Laodiceans (Re3:15-17).
We need to work more rigorously with those foolish virgins who are not living as if Christ is coming today. The fact that we are one body and need to care for one another needs is lacking. The body is supposed to care for all of its members.
Galatians 6:2
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Genesis 4:9
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
Romans 11:17
17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;
John 1:12
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Matthew 25:6-9
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Revelation 315-17
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.