Romans 12:4 – Sacrificial Body Parts
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
Truth to Learn
We are to function in the body of Christ as He chooses.
Behind the Words
Paul once again starts off the verse with “For” indicating that this and the following verse are closely linked to the previous verse.
The Greek word translated “as” is kathaper, which is an adverb made up of katha, meaning “as” and per, meaning “very” or “very much.” Though this translates rather awkwardly into English as “very much as,” the notion in Greek is that there is about to be a comparison of two things that are very much like each other. He describes the first of these two things in this verse and the second one in the next verse.
The word translated “members” is the Greek word melos, which means “a limb or other body part.”
Meaning Explained
Paul has just told us not to “over think” ourselves. That is, we are not to think of ourselves as more important or more elevated than we really are. After all, we are only what we are because God has made us thus. He now goes on to show us that our importance, yea our very identity, exists in relation to the body of Christ, the church. Paul uses the metaphor of a physical body to show this.
He tells us, “we have many members in one body.” In other words, there are many different body parts in the body of Christ. In the second part of this verse Paul states that all these body parts don’t have the same function. Each part is important to the health of the entire body in a different way.
Each one of us has a body that is made up of a whole bunch of parts; arms, legs, head, spine, eyes, skin, liver, mouth, heart, sweat glands, nasal mucous, finger nails, etc. Some of these are more attractive than others and some are more obvious than others. Some we don’t even notice until they go into hyperactive mode, and then we tend to dislike them because they produce unpleasant sensations. But – they are ALL very necessary and we would be handicapped without any one of them. The same is true of the body of Christ.
This is the crux of what Paul is going to be talking about in the next 12 verses. We each have a place in the body of Christ and God has individually gifted each one of us for our unique function with spiritual gifts. But before we get wrapped up in the discussions about spiritual gifts, let’s remember how Paul started this out.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
There is no use in continuing the discussion about spiritual gifts if we are not first, totally submitted to our Lord Jesus Christ and totally committed to serving Him in the position and capacity that He has chosen for us! If we have offered ourselves as living sacrifices then we no longer have a say in how God chooses to use us.
Application
Have you offered yourself up to God to be used in whatever manner He determines? Are you a living sacrifice, or are you still in control of your own life?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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