The Body of Christ

I Corinthians 12:12-28

The human body is a wonderful thing, so complex and yet so well designed that all its diverse components work together and are interdependent on one another. The whole is indeed more than the sum of its parts.
So this picture of the Church is emphasising that there is diversity as well as unity. Each member has an important and individual contribution to make; every part is vital, and none can be dispensed with if the body is to function properly. A healthy church doesn’t exist solely to worship, to evangelise or to undertake social projects: it will have different people performing different tasks, according to their gifts: leaders, preachers, teachers, evangelists, welcomers, musicians, coffee servers, administrators, and so on ad infinitum. Like the parts of the body, we are interdependent and should be working in harmony together – not in competition - to advance the Kingdom of God. Everyone should have at least one role (do you really want to be the appendix – only noticed when you grumble?); no-one should be called upon to do too many, or to take on a task for which they are not suited.
Individuality is recognised and affirmed, but individualism is ludicrous (v 17). A solitary Christian is a useless monstrosity – like a disembodied eye or an amputated foot – and the church that they should be part of is deprived of their contribution. We do actually need each other, and we are responsible for looking after each other. If one part of the body is damaged or diseased, all other parts of the body will be in some way affected.
“Blinkered thinking or limited commitment so often brings disease to the church and stunts its growth. Limbs may suffer from atrophy as they fail to receive nourishment, from paralysis because they never exercise themselves, or from cancer as they enlarge at the expense of every other limb. Some bodies are afflicted with palsy as every limb jerks into independent action. Some bodies suffer arthritis: the connections between the members don’t function. And some are afflicted by asthma: inspiration is almost non-existent.” (Donald Bridge: Spare the rod and spoil the church)

Note that Paul doesn’t say that the Church is a body, but that it is Christ’s body. We are the present-day manifestation of Jesus on earth, and He does His work through us.