June 14

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” —1 CORINTHIANS 12:27

There is very real confusion today both inside and outside the Church of Jesus Christ, concerning the true message of Christianity and the true nature of the Christian church.

Outside the church, there is the belief that God is actually a creation of human beings to meet their social needs. Others see Christianity as a type of worldview that embraces politics, economics, and a value system, giving some kind of sense to this world. There are also those who view Christianity as a type of psychological phenomena, filling a need for forgiveness, acceptance and hope. From within the church, there are many who see the Christian life as doing their best to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, but, of course, in our honest moments, none of us can do that.

If we want to know the true nature of the Gospel, we need to understand what it was that revolutionized 120 men and women, gathered together on the Day of Pentecost. Two things happened. The disciples received the Holy Spirit and Christ received a new body in which to work through. The church of Jesus Christ is not an organization, but an organism. It’s a living body where Christ is the head, His Spirit is its life and, as Christians, we are all members of this one body.

From its inception, the church is actually those ‘who were added to the Lord’, and had nothing to do with where they met. Today, there is a sense in which corporately, as we meet in church, there is a special awareness of God’s presence. But we don’t walk out of God’s presence as we leave the church. Church should not be a separate part of our lives and the rest of the week we’re on our own.

We cannot live the Christian life until we understand that Christ is alive and active. He didn’t just leave His teachings behind, but He left us Himself, so that through Him, we are not only saved, and brought into reconciliation with God, but indwelt by His Spirit, empowering us to live the life God intended. This is the true message of the Gospel, and the greatest need in the church is not to learn how to apply the principles of Jesus, but to allow the release of the life of Jesus, by His Spirit, to work in us and through us. Just as it was in the birth of the Christian church at Pentecost, our lives will then become inexplicable apart from the fact God is doing something.

PRAYER: I realize, Lord, that being a member of your church is being a member of your body, and that I’m always in your presence. Thank You for your indwelling Spirit, and may He be active and fruitful in me.

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I allowing the Spirit of Jesus freedom to live His life in me?