In Romans 12:5 I read, “Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.” (GW)
The church not only helps me center my life on God, but it also helps me connect with other believers.
God did not put me here to live an isolated life. While I’m on Earth, God wants me to learn to love others, and he wants me to practice loving others in his family. The Bible says, “Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other” (Romans 12:5 GW).
When I became a child of God, I was connected to other believers as their brother or sister. The Bible says I’m part of a body. What is this body?
Romans 12:5 says, “The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and functions as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much” (The Message).
My spiritual life does not amount to anything if it’s disconnected from the family of God. If I cut off my finger, it’s not just going to stop growing, it’s also going to die. For my finger to live, it has to be connected to my body. In the same way, I need to be connected to other people in the body of Christ if I want to grow spiritually and fulfill God’s purpose for my life.
A study on mental health revealed that if I isolate myself from others and don’t develop close friendships, like those in a small group, I am three times more likely to die an early death. I’m four times more likely to suffer emotional burnout. I’m five times more likely to be clinically depressed. And I’m ten times more likely to be hospitalized for an emotional or mental disorder.
During the last couple of years, when it’s sometimes been necessary to isolate physically, people have learned to connect in all sorts of creative ways.
Whatever situation I’m in today, find ways to connect to other believers. Become part of the family of God. Join a small group. Get connected. As Ephesians 2:19 says, “You are members of God’s very own family . . . and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian” (TLB).
In summary, Christ makes us all one body and individuals who are connected to each other. The church not only helps me center my life on God, but it also helps me connect with other believers. God did not put me here to live an isolated life. God wants me to learn to love others, and practice loving others in his family. When I became a child of God, I was connected to other believers as their brother or sister. My spiritual life does not amount to anything if it’s disconnected from the family of God. I need to be connected to other people in the body of Christ if I want to grow spiritually and fulfill God’s purpose for my life. So I need to find ways to connect to other believers and become part of the family of God.
The key to an honest and accurate self-evaluation is knowing the basis of my self-worth, my identity in Christ. Apart from him, I am not capable of very much by eternal standards; I am valuable and capable of worthy service. Evaluating myself by worldly standards of success and achievement can cause me to think too much about my worth in the eyes of others and thus miss my true value in God's eyes. Paul uses the concept of the human body to teach how Christians should live and work together. Just as the parts of the body function under the direction of the brain, so Christians are to work together under the command and authority of Jesus Christ.
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