Treating the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 26 (NIV) -

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many... If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.

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Deuteronomy 17:2, 5-6 (NIV) -

"If there is found among you, within any of your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, in transgressing his covenant... then you shall bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing, and you shall stone that man or woman to death with stones. On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness."

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Many people today view the Old Testament depiction of God as uncaring and harsh, yet the Bible teaches us that God is unchanging - "...the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb 13:8 NIV) So how do we reconcile these images?

As you can see, I've included two Scriptures today. The second is one of the biggest examples people point to when saying that God is harsh or cruel, justifying their belief by reasoning that God demands death of those who don't agree with Him or do what He says. How can such a God be all-loving? Well, it becomes easier to understand when we remember that we as God's people are the "body of Christ." Today, I'll look at treatment. Tomorrow, removal, because sometimes that is necessary.

If someone were to accidentally cut themselves, what would be the process? Firstly, apply pressure to the wound to stop it from bleeding further. Secondly, clean the wound so it doesn't get infected. Thirdly, find something to cover/wrap the wound with to give the body time to heal. Then, the body will do the rest of the work of repairing itself. It will never be exactly the same as it was before, but it will be whole once again.

What about sickness or mental health? We would take someone to a professional who knows what they're talking about so the issue can be identified. Then, some kind of treatment is prescribed, whether natural, social, medicinal, or surgical. Every now and again, the person will need to revisit the professional to ensure that their treatment is still working effectively. If it is, keep going! If not, let's find something different that might work instead.

In either case, if the issue isn't addressed then it will continue to escalate and become increasingly problematic. In some cases, it can even lead to death, like when someone bleeds without stopping or an infection runs rampant and reaches vital organs.

The body of Christ works in a similar way. If someone in the church falls into sin, a wise and healthy body will gather around that person, challenge them to come back to God, and support them in doing so - applying pressure to the wound. In some cases, the issue runs deeper than the general community can help with, which is where those with the gift of pastorship, teaching, discernment, and prophecy come in - 'professionals' who can identify the issue and help prescribe a cure. Next, that person needs to repent of their sin (cleaning the wound) and return under God's covering (wrapping the wound). Where the issue is more extreme, this may require extra work - different prescriptions, each tailored to the individual based on what works and what doesn't. Keep coming back and talking with those 'professionals', trying different ways of attacking this illness, until you find something that God's grace is on and works to flush those bad things out of your system for good.

However, just like in a human body, if nothing is done to prevent, close, or fight back against the issue, then it will only continue to grow and get worse. At that point, the sin will not only affect that individual believer, but the entire body of Christ, slowly killing it off as it bleeds out and spreads into every area.

This is why God was so insistent that the Israelites be ruthless in their dealings with the sinful people in their community. For the sake of a healthy body, you must treat those which are suffering, for, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it." You'll notice above that God says, "On the evidence of two or three witnesses..." When doctors see someone with a physical illness, they will try as many treatments as is safely possible before turning to more severe solutions as a last resort. In the same way, we as the body ought to focus first and foremost on treatment. If someone falls into sin, let's work together as a community to get them back on their feet and back to God. It is only when someone is deliberately disobeying God over an extended period of time, refusing to receive any counsel or correction from the body, that more drastic measures are sometimes necessary... our discussion for tomorrow.