Everyone of us possesses some sort of talent or gift. If you stop and think for a moment, I am sure you can think of someone who seems gifted with the ability to organize anything. There are some who have the ability to repair anything. There are others who are gifted with compassion while yet others have the talents to sing, play the piano, or maybe even write songs. Some even possess talents and traits that makes them well-suited for certain tasks, like entertaining children, decorating the church, or even visiting sick or elderly church members. The apostle Paul compared the local assembly of believers to a body as he wrote, For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many (II Corinthians 12:12-14).
As a Christian and the member of a local assembly of believers, each of us brings something to the body and just as each part of the body has a function and purpose, each believer has a role that only they are able to fulfill. Continuing with the example of the body, the apostle Paul wrote, If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (II Corinthians 12:15-27).
This passage by the apostle Paul is profound in its description on how the local New Testament church is to work. As a local body of believers, each member has a specific function they are supposed to do; unfortunately too many people are not aware that they should use their talents and gifts to support the local ministry. Now some will undoubtedly say that there is no direct commandment to use our talents within the local church and will also say that anyone that tells a Christian that they must do so is a legalist – someone who believes that it is other than free will that compels us to serve in the local body. No man who is married would tell you that they do not have to do anything to stay married; however, if he is wise and wants to keep his wife happy, he will willingly choose to do things that he knows makes her happy. The same should be said about Christians – we should do the things that we know that makes God happy not because we have to, but because we want to as a way to keep our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in its proper perspective.
Continued on next page.
