Olympia, in western Greece, was an ancient religious shrine and the scene of the original Olympic Games. Not far away is Mount Olympus, the highest peak in Greece and traditionally the home of the Greek gods.

The religious festival, of which the sporting competitions were a part, was held every four years from the 8th century BC (approximately the time of Isaiah) to the 4th century AD (when they were abolished by the Roman rulers).

The Olympic stadium was excavated and restored in the 1960s.

The sacred precinct, called “the grove of Zeus” (who was the greatest of all Greek “gods”), was a great sanctuary over 200 yards on a side, encircled by a stone wall. In it were the temples of Zeus and the goddess Hera, altars and offering sites, treasuries, and administration buildings. Outside the sanctuary were athletic installations, accommodations for visitors and competitors, and public baths.

The Temple of Zeus was the largest and most important building at Olympia, and one of the largest temples in all of Greece.

In the temple was the great gold and ivory statue of Zeus, the most famous of all ancient statues, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The god was seated on an elaborate throne, and held in his right hand a figure of the goddess of victory (Nike — a name familiar to athletes even today!) and in his left hand a royal scepter.

In front of the statue of Zeus, the competitors dedicated their skills and abilities to the great god, and took a solemn oath not to cheat or indulge in foul play during the contests.

In addition to the stadium, there was a great gymnasium with a covered running track, and a “hippodrome” (horse racing track).

The ancient Olympic competitions (for men only) included running, the discus and javelin throw, the long jump, boxing, wrestling, the pentathlon (composed of five separate events), and chariot racing (remember “Ben Hur”?).

Winners received the stephanos (a wreath of laurel or olive leaves). Returning home, they be- came national heroes: musicians composed songs about them; sculptors preserved their strength and beauty in marble; and their feats of skill and courage were recorded by the poets and writers of the times.

For many years winning athletes received only the simple “crown” of greenery, and the respect of their fellows. But later on, if an athlete dominated his event over a long period of time, he earned the right to be “immortalized” in the eyes of Zeus — by having a victory coin struck honoring his achievement before the gods.

The modern Olympic games were begun exactly 100 years ago, with the intent of bringing together athletes from all nations in competitions that would stress peace, goodwill, and inter- national brotherhood. From a modest beginning in the late 19th century, they have now grown to be one of the greatest spectacles in the world.

New Testament references

The ancient Olympics were well-known to New Testament writers:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:1,2).

The “great cloud of witnesses” describes the audience at Olympic contests. (In the “Christian Olympics” the phrase may refer to the exemplary lives of the faithful mentioned in Heb 11, or possibly to the angels, who watch over the struggles of the saints.)

The original contestants competed naked (the Greek word is “gymnos”, from which is derived the modern “gymnasium” and “gymnastics”); this explains the exhortation to “throw off everything that hinders” — that is, get rid of all unnecessary encumbrances in your “race” for eternal life! (This command to prepare for faster movement is also very similar to the Passover command: “Gird up your loins.”)

Every runner was to run with perseverance the race as it was marked out; in other words, he was required to stay within the lines of his running lane, which had been marked out on the track.

As he began the race, the runner looked to the “author”, or “starter”. (For those running the Christian “race”, this is Jesus, at whose signal the race is to begin.) As he struggled to reach the finish line, the runner kept his gaze on the “perfecter”, or “finisher”, the one who stands at the finish line to judge the race — for the Christian, Jesus again!

Jesus himself was the first winner of the “race” for eternal life. There was a “joy” set before him at the finish line — the “crown” he received was the favor of his Father, and eternal life. Knowing what a wonderful prize was to be his, he never gave up in his “race”. And now, having won, he has “sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”. Greek winners were supposedly exalted or lifted up to the “pantheon” (the host of Greek gods), but Jesus was truly lifted up, to heaven, to sit at the right hand of the one true God.

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“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize” (1Co 9:24-27).

It is not strictly true that only one gets the prize in the “race” for life; however, if anyone is to receive a prize, it can be only because of and through the one true “winner”, Jesus Christ. But this phrase also stresses the exclusive nature of our “calling”: not everyone will “win”! Many are called, but few are chosen (Mat 20:16; 22:14).

Run in such a way, Paul exhorts, so as to get the prize. That is, obey all the rules:

“If anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (2Ti 2:5).

Also prepare yourselves to go into strict training. Paul says elsewhere:

“Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1Ti 4:7,8).

Then, if you train properly, and if you compete according to the rules, you will receive — not just the stephanos, which will dry up and turn to dust in no time at all — but rather an eternal crown!

In a similar way, Jesus received a “crown of thorns” (perhaps modeled after the crown of olive branches) (Mat 27:29; John 19:2,5). This was in a sense a crown of “victory” over the power of sin and the flesh, but a temporary crown soon to be replaced by the truly lovely “golden crown” of glory and immortality.

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“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away” (1Pe 5:4).

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2Ti 4:8).

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev 3:11).

I do not run about aimlessly, Paul says (1Co 9:26). (The Olympic athlete followed a well-planned and rigid training regime, to prepare himself to perform to the best of his ability.) Paul continues: Nor do I fight like a man beating the air, or “shadow boxing”! No! I fight real “opponents”, and I strive to win. But, most of all, says Paul, I keep my body under control: The most important discipline, for an Olympic athlete as well as a “Christian athlete”, is self-discipline. Jesus did it best: “Not my will, but thine be done!”

The modern Olympic spirit

Today, the “Olympic spirit”, as it is called, is memorialized in many ways:

1. The motto, “Citius, Altius, Fortius” (signifying “Fastest, Highest, Strongest”).

2. Medals (of gold, silver, and bronze) are presented, in elaborate ceremonies, to the winners.

3. The “sacred flame”, lit on ancient Mount Olympus, and carried by relays of runners to the site of each modern Olympics.

4. The adulation of a worldwide audience, which now watches the games by television. The Olympics are described by the media in such ways as “a place where heroes can still be born”… “going up to the mountain”… “where a new world gathers”… “an international fellowship”.

5. Commercial endorsements and contracts worth many millions of dollars await the winners (especially if they are photogenic).

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What other lessons emerge from the example of the Olympic Games?

The Olympic motto

Consider the applicability of the Olympic motto to a believer:

1. Citius: “Fastest”: To the Olympic marathon runner, but also to the disciple who runs his “race” with perseverance.

2. Altius: “Highest”: To the Olympic pole-vaulter, and also to the one who seeks to live in the “high places” with Christ.

3. Fortius: “Strongest”: To the Olympic weight-lifter, as well as to the believer who finds real strength in the Lord.

The prophet Isaiah provides a wonderful summary of this motto:

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength (fortius!). They will soar on wings like eagles (altius!); they will run and not grow weary (citius!), they will walk and not be faint” (Isa 40:30,31).

The gold medal

Like the Olympian, the believer in Christ seeks for a prize of gold. But his or her “gold medal” is earned through faith:

“These [trials] have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1Pe 1:7).

And this prize, when “won”, is infinitely more precious than any gold medal ever struck!

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (vv 18,19).

The “sacred flame”

To which “sacred flame” should we look, the one on Mount Olympus, or the one revealed on Sinai?

“Now Moses… led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb [Mount Sinai], the mountain of God. There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush…. ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’ Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob… I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain’ ” (Exo 3:1-12).

“Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently” (Exo 19:17,18).

Again, to which “sacred flame” should we look, the one recently lit, and then extinguished, in Atlanta, or the continuously burning “sacred fire” of the altar of God, typified in the temple at Jerusalem?

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings… At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke” (Isa 6:1-4; cf Rev 8:1-4).

Adulation, and endorsement

What should we seek for, the adulation and worship of the world, and the material rewards that come with it… or the praise of God?

“This is what the LORD says: ‘Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD (Jer 9:23,24).

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things — and the things that are not — to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God — that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts boast in the Lord’ ” (1Co 1:26-31).

Conclusion

Many of us will have watched the Olympics this past month. We will have enjoyed the breathtaking spectacles, though we might have felt qualms at some of the blatant paganism. We will have admired the courageous performances. We will have considered seriously the sacrifices that went into such marvelous achievements.

But, especially, we will have remembered the courage and sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, who ran “the race” and won, because he placed all his trust in God:

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phi 2:9-11).

And we will have remembered that, following him, we have a “race” to run also — and a “crown” to win that will last forever.

“The body is one” (1Co 12:12). It is the Father’s wisdom generally to place believers together in “families”. The ecclesia is more often the object of concern than is the individual standing alone. We are all, whether we like it or not, members of a body. No man should live to himself; that would be selfishness, stagnation, sterility, and a direct contradiction of Paul’s elaborate allegory. The most important lesson of our spiritual education is to learn to think and to act unselfishly as part of the One Body, and not selfishly as a separate individual, even as regards our own salvation.

The body is one, yet it has many members (1Co 12:14). Some are less beautiful or more feeble than others (1Co 12:22,23), but these too are necessary. “God hath tempered the body together” (1Co 12:24); these individuals have been welded together with the ecclesia. In faith and obedience they have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those for whom Christ died must not be treated haughtily or indifferently.

“The beauty and usefulness and purpose of the human body is in its diversity. A severed foot or hand is a repulsive monstrosity. It is obviously dead and useless — detached, broken off, lost, cast aside, rejected; yea, worse: decaying, corrupting, putrefying. But a complete, living, healthy body, with all its parts functioning smoothly together, all perfectly coordinated in grace and symmetry and harmony of movement and purpose, all instantly subject to the one Head — is of great attractiveness, and obvious power and usefulness. No single member can be a body in itself: however accomplished, however skilled, however wise. No one of us can stand alone. We may, by unavoidable force of circumstances, be confined to lonely isolation, like Paul shut up in prison, but we are still part of the Body; and we must, like Paul, think and live and move and breathe as part of the Body. Those who live for themselves alone, however holily they may strive to live, are monstrosities and abortions” (GVG, Ber 57:308,309).

“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” (1Co 12:21). So Paul presses home the point: There should be no schism (division) in the Body (1Co 12:25). “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it” (1Co 12:26). Life itself teaches everyone that pain in one member affects the whole body; and the loss of one member, even a small toe, can seriously affect the balance of the whole. It is by no accident or meaningless rhetoric that we find Moses interposing himself as a would-be sacrifice on behalf of his blind and erring countrymen (Exo 32:30-33). Neither is it to be thought unusual that Nehemiah and David and Daniel and the other prophets showed no sign of dissociating themselves from Israel, no matter how wayward their countrymen became. (And even when Jeremiah ceased praying for his brethren, it was God’s decision and not his! — Jer 14:11.) These men had learned the Bible doctrine of the One Body long before Paul. They lived fully Paul’s exhortation in 1Co 13:

“LOVE suffers long” (1Co 13:4). “LOVE thinks no evil” (1Co 13:5). “LOVE bears all things, hopes all things” (1Co 13:7). “LOVE keeps no score of wrong, does not gloat over other men’s sins, but delights in truth” (1Co 13:6, NEB).

If we might by any means see how often our spiritual perceptions are out of line! In our small and often self-centered “fellowships”, are not our prayers frequent and fervent for the fortunes of Israel “after the flesh”? (And well they should be!) And we feel almost at one in spirit with these long-suffering sons of our father Abraham. But how often do we make mention of other Christadelphians, from whom we may be divided by only a single point, except to find fault? These, who — even by the strictest standards — are much more nearly our true brethren than any of the unbelieving Jews! Dare we ask again? Is this the attitude of Paul? of Moses? of Jeremiah or Ezekiel or David? “It may perhaps be argued that when gangrene sets in, amputation becomes an urgent necessity if life is to be saved. Precisely! Gangrene (like cancer) is a condition in which the damaged or faulty member is not willing to receive and use the healing influences which all the rest of the body, via the blood stream, tries to bring to bear. Instead it is an aggressive evil which, left to itself, will certainly bring death. Here is the false teacher who refuses the help which the ecclesia can make available to him, but who instead employs every effort to spread the corruption which has affected him. For such, excision or amputation is the only course. On the other hand, to take off a toe because the nail is ingrowing, or to gouge out an eye because a squint has developed, is plain folly. In such cases, the body puts up with the defects and takes what action is advisable to restore normality to the defective member” (HAW, “Block Disfellowship”, Tes 43:342).

There is a simple, common-sense lesson we must all learn. It is a lesson in humility and patience and faith among other things. The ecclesia does not exist in order to keep the Truth pure as a theory (ie, ‘The purer our ecclesia, the better!’). The Truth (as an abstract principle, or set of principles communicated from God) cannot be anything but pure! The ecclesia does exist to help impure men and women (with imperfect beliefs and impure ways) to move toward purity, even if their progress is slow.

There is no point in an ecclesia existing if it does not understand and confidently accept this duty. If perfect “purity” (ie non-contamination) is all the members of the “Body” desire, then the best course would be to disband the ecclesia and allow each individual to break bread at home. Chop the “Body” into a hundred separate pieces, and isolate each piece in an air-tight container! And then you can spent your time wondering what happened to the love, the joy, the fellowship, and the family feeling which you once enjoyed.

Consider again Paul’s beautiful inspired allegory: The One Body! “Fearfully and wondrously made… how marvelous are thy works, O Lord!” (Psa 139:14). The spiritual body, like the physical body, is not a sterile laboratory “experiment”, existing in a fragile regulated environment, behind locked doors! The spiritual Body of Christ, like the “fearful and wondrous” physical body, is much more akin to a hospital. Like a hospital, with its Great Physician at its head, it is constantly working even in its imperfection to heal its diseased members and to strengthen its weak members. And so it must continue, until its work is finished and the One Body — perfected at last — is glorified with its Head for a joyful eternity.

Other metaphors of unity: Shepherd and flock (Joh 10:1-30); One vine (Joh 15:1-17); One temple, with one foundation and one cornerstone, serving one God (Eph 2:11-22); Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female (Gal 3:25-29); husband and wife, “one flesh” (Eph 2:22-33); one “creation” of Christ the “creator” (Col 1:15-29); one house, one priesthood, one nation (1Pe 1:2-10); one “bread” (1Co 10:16,17).

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See Lesson, One body, implications of the.

When questions of fellowship — ecclesial or interecclesial — are considered, Paul’s parable of the One Body is often referred to. This is as it should be. However, a superficial review, or a first impression, of the One Body may lead one to suppose that the only thing to be desired is “unity”, unity without artificial “barriers” or pesky “requirements”.

True unity is, of course, something to be greatly desired. But it simply cannot be achieved by brushing aside the scruples and concerns of other brethren. It can, perhaps, be achieved by all prospective parties becoming aware of those scruples and concerns, and by a loving and submissive spirit willing to go “the second mile” in addressing them.

“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are not presentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1Co 12:12-27).

“The body is one” (v 12). The Father generally places believers together in “families”. The ecclesia is more often the object of concern than is the individual standing alone. No man should live to himself; that would be a direct contradiction of Paul’s elaborate allegory in 1Co 12:12-27. A very important lesson of one’s spiritual education is to learn to think and to act unselfishly as part of the One Body, and not selfishly as a separate individual, even as regards one’s own salvation.

The body is one, yet it has many members (v 14). Some are weaker or less beautiful than others (vv 22,23), but these too are necessary. “God has combined the members of the body” (v 24); GOD has welded these individuals together to form the ecclesia. That the work of preaching and teaching and baptizing is carried out by mortal men and women in no way mitigates the fact that God (and His Son) are actively at work in the whole process. In faith and obedience these believers have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and have become members of the One Body. Those for whom Christ died — those who are the workmanship of the Son (and his Father) — must not be treated with disdain or indifference.

The beauty and purpose of the human body is in its diversity. A severed foot or hand is repulsive and ludicrous. It is obviously dead and useless. But a living, healthy body, with all its parts functioning smoothly together, all perfectly coordinated in movement and purpose, is attractive and powerful and useful.

Likewise with the spiritual Body of Christ. No single member can be a body in itself — no matter how skilled or wise. No one of us can stand alone. We may, by unavoidable circumstance, find ourselves in lonely isolation, but we are still part of the Body; and we must think and act as part of the Body. Those who live for themselves alone, no matter how holy they may strive to be, are — like the severed hand — a monstrosity.

So it would be very wrong for an individual to leave the One Body, for some real or imagined shortcoming or fault, of his or her own, or of someone else:

“If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body” (vv 15,16).

Indeed, the strength of the human body is in its diversity of abilities and characteristics: “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?” (vv 17-19).

A human body with eyes but no ears would be clearly deficient. A human body with ears but no nose would similarly be deficient.

And the analogy works on many other levels. Imagine a baseball team, with 20 of the best pitchers available, but no catchers, no fielders, and no hitters. Imagine a football team with 30 great offensive and defensive linemen, but no quarterbacks, no running backs, and no receivers. Or a choir composed solely of sopranos. Or an ecclesia with many fine speaking brothers, but no one to teach Sunday School, no one to manage the finances, no one to set up the emblems, no one to visit the sick and the elderly, no one to clean and maintain the meeting hall, no one to plan and organize ecclesial activities, no one to entertain visitors. Etcetera, etcetera.

Just as it would be wrong for any individual to leave the One Body of Christ, thinking he was not needed, so it would be wrong for any individual to push others away from the One Body, as though they were not needed:

“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ ” (v 21).

So Paul presses home the point: there should be no division (schism) in the Body (v 25). “And if one member suffer, all the members suffer with it” (v 26). Life itself teaches everyone that pain in one member affects the whole body; and the loss of one part, even a small toe, can seriously affect the balance of the whole. True believers have always been concerned about the whole Body: Moses interposed himself as a would-be sacrifice on behalf of his blind and erring countrymen (Exo 32:30-33). Nehemiah and David and Daniel and the other prophets showed no sign of dissociating themselves from Israel, no matter how wayward their brethren became. These men had learned the Bible doctrine of the One Body long before Paul articulated it. They lived fully Paul’s exhortation in 1Co 13 (which, not coincidentally, follows immediately after the “One Body” analogy of 1Co 12):

“LOVE suffers long” (v 4). “LOVE thinks no evil” (v 5). “LOVE keeps no score of wrong, does not gloat over other men’s sins, but delights in truth” (v 6, NEB). “LOVE bears all things, hopes all things” (v 7).

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In all the foregoing, it should be realized (although a superficial review might not reveal the force of this point!) that Paul is exhorting individuals who are — or should be — participating members in the same religious organization. And — let it be noted — the same is true of what follows.

In Rom 12:4,5, Paul gives what might be called the “abridged” version of 1Co 12, but the same points are made, more succinctly:

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

That last phrase adds another dimension: “each member BELONGS to all the others!” There is a price to be paid, a toll to be exacted, for the privilege of belonging to the One Body — and it is this: that every member is not just his own any more. Rather, every member, in some sense, belongs to all the other members! There is a mutual responsibility and accountability and obligation attached to membership in the One Body. Being a member of the One Body means being aware of, and concerned about, and committed to that which is of benefit to the whole — even if it must come at the expense of one’s own personal comforts and desires. [See Lesson, Belonging .]

God did not design any part of the human body merely to act as a “parasite” and draw nourishment from the rest! Instead, He has designed every part to give something back, to “pull its own weight”! And the same point should be made about the One Body of Christ. So we might truly take as our motto: ‘Ask not what your ecclesia can do for you; ask what you can do for your ecclesia.’ How important to each of us is the local ecclesia? Do we truly feel a part of all it does? Do we ask how we can help the whole, not just how the whole can help us? Do we look for the areas, and the activities, where a helping hand is needed, and pitch in without being asked or solicited? Are we always considering how we can build up and edify? Or are we only concerned about our own ease and comfort and “edification”?

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There are other metaphors for unity in the New Testament, each one adding facets to this divine picture of the One Body:

• The shepherd and his flock (Joh 10:1-30), with its implicit reminder: ‘Keep close to the rest of the flock. Don’t stray into far fields and lose sight of the shepherd.’

• The one vine (Joh 15:1-17) — calling to mind the exhortation: “Remain, or abide, in the vine!” A severed branch is like an amputated hand — useless and unfruitful.

• The one temple, with one foundation and one cornerstone, serving one God (Eph 2:11-22). Here Paul explains how “two” (in the first century, Jew and Gentile) became one when the “barrier” — the wall of separation between the court of the Gentiles (those “far away”) and the inner court of Jews only (those “near”) — was removed in Christ. And so both Jew and Gentile found their unity in a shared access to the Glory of God in Christ, and the resultant “peace” or reconciliation this brought. The Jew, finding his sins forgiven, discovers now a mutual affinity with his “neighbor” the Gentile, whom previously he probably despised, if he even noticed at all! And the two former enemies became brethren in the fellowship of need, and the fellowship of shared blessings!

• Likewise, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, male and female all become one in Christ, without distinction, and all become heirs of the promises made to their “father” Abraham (Gal 3:25-29). Thus, in Christ, there is a unity of parentage.

• The husband and wife, in marriage, become “one flesh” (Eph 5:22-33) — just as Adam and Eve, once (as Adam alone) one body, then (when Eve was created) two, became one again in the sight of God (Gen 2:21-25). And all this is a “mystery”, which eloquently portrays Christ and the “church”!

• The one “creation” of Christ the “creator” (Col 1:15-29). Every member of the spiritual “new creation” owes his or her very existence to Christ. Thus there is, in Christ, a unity of spiritual origin.

• The one house, one priesthood, and one nation (1Pe 2:2-10) — Jews and Gentiles again, in a unity of “construction” and “constitution”!

• And the one “bread” (1Co 10:16,17), even as weekly it recalls the literal body of Christ, becomes weekly a participatory reminder of the unity of his One spiritual Body.

Do not all these metaphors derive their force from the common theme of a single, unified entity? Is not their force drastically dissipated when set alongside a reality of two, or three, or many distinct and competing entities?

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The “One Body” also finds expression in Eph 4:4-16, where it appears as one (indeed, the first!) of the seven “unities” of the Gospel:

“There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (vv 4-6).

It is worth noting here, and stressing, that unity implies exclusivity. What does this mean? Consider, for example, the implication of “one God and Father of all”: surely, it must be that there cannot be two, or three, or seventeen “gods” — because such a multiplicity would negate the essential unity: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD [Hebrew Yahweh] our God [Hebrew Elohim], the LORD [Yahweh] is one!” (Deu 6:4-6). Likewise, can there be more than “one Lord [Greek kurios]”? Of course not! There is no other name under heaven whereby we may be saved (Act 4:12), and if we were to preach another Savior alongside Christ, it would surely render our witness powerless and pointless.

And on and on we might go through the seven “unities” of Eph 4. Do we appreciate how deep and profound is the Biblical exhortation, then, to preserve and edify and strengthen the One Body of God’s Son? It is no less than a travesty of Bible teaching if we allow ourselves to be satisfied with the prospect of two, or three, or a dozen separate bodies of believers all claiming, implicitly, to be the One Body! Brethren, such things ought not to be!

Paul concludes his thought about the seven “unities” in Eph 4:16, where he writes: “From him [Christ] the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” It is essential, he is saying, that each part of the One Body be joined together with the other parts, bound together and interconnected by whatever means possible, doing its work and upholding its mutual obligation — with all other parts — to strengthen the collective Body, of which it is itself a part! None of this can be done — it should be pointed out — from outside the Body!

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We learn several important lessons from the contemplation of the One Body as presented in Scripture:

The Bible teaching about the One Body demonstrates that all true believers belong together. We are obliged to work for and encourage this unity; ie, to seek reconciliation with one another [consider such passages as 2Co 5:18-21; Mat 5:23,24; Jam 3:13-18], and to integrate all true believers, if possible, into the One Body.

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At this point, an interesting question must be raised: how do we define the “One Body”? The answers we give may lead us, in fact, in very different directions. On the one hand, we may say that, ideally, the “One Body” consists of all individual believers in the true gospel — wherever they are found and whatever they call themselves and however (if in any way!) they organize themselves.

On the other hand, however, we may say that, practically or pragmatically, the “One Body” must be the largest group of true believers that are — like the “body” of 1Co 12 and Rom 12 — actually bound together and organized and arranged so as to strengthen and edify one another and the whole in some meaningful fashion.

In the real world, so to speak, this latter definition must lead us to the Central Fellowship, which comprises by far the greatest number of Christadelphians worldwide (approximately 95% of the whole). Why? Because to see any other entity as the One Body would immediately rule out of the equation the overwhelming majority of all Christadelphians. And because even the idealistic definition of the “One Body” must take into account the overwhelming majority of true believers. Furthermore, in terms of edifying the whole Body; providing welfare and other assistance to those members in need; and proclaiming the gospel in an effective and organized manner… in all this, the worldwide Central Fellowship may be seen to fit the definition of the One Body far better than any other “organization” or “fellowship”. (Does this mean that Central brethren or Central ecclesias are in any sense more righteous than their counterparts which are not “in Central”? No, nothing of the sort! But it does suggest that, if we are looking for the practical reality of the “One Body” in today’s world, we must start there.)

Members of smaller groups may share the same gospel hope, and may see themselves as, ideally, members of the “One Body” that includes Central brothers and sisters. But, organizationally, they do not function as members of that Body. There is the incongruity between New Testament analogy and our modern situation. Seeing this, we begin to appreciate the urgent need for the minorities (IF they believe the same gospel) to join the majority and make the “One Body”, not just a pleasant abstraction, but a practical reality.

The “ideal” view of the One Body — ie, that it defines all true believers regardless of organization — has merit in theory: on the day of judgment Christ, with all authority committed to him by the Father, will undoubtedly determine who will eternally belong to his One Body.

But such a definition is unworkable in practice, as a guide to conduct now, for several reasons:

• The Central Fellowship, by and large, will not accept such a definition in application, because it blurs the line of distinction and demarcation between itself and “others”, and at least has the potential to “open the doors” to various false teachings and wrong practices;

• Such a definition would be subjective in the extreme, continually changing and always changeable, and would vary greatly from one person to another, and one ecclesia to another;

• It would incorporate, in some measure, many individual “believers” into the One Body who had no real intention of being meaningful members of that Body, and no intention of understanding — much less abiding by — generally accepted “rules of order” of that Body [Should not a minimum requirement for membership in an organization be… a personal commitment to become a member?!]; and

• For an ecclesia to follow such a definition in practice (ie, in the breaking of bread) would probably result in its being disfellowshiped by Central. Thus the (idealistic) decision to “fellowship” all true believers would lead to the (practical) result of NOT “fellowshipping” the great majority of them! And a commendable desire for the greater unity would inevitably contribute to a continuing disunity.

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Furthermore, the Bible teaching of the One Body emphasizes that every believer has responsibilities and obligations to other believers — and to his own local ecclesia, which are outlined in such passages as Rom 12:16; 2Co 13:11; Eph 5:21; 1Pe 3:8; and 1Pe 5:5; and may be summarized in the words: “Submit to one another” and “All of you be subject to one another.” In practical terms, this must mean that — where first principles are not at stake — every believer is duty-bound to abide by the will of the majority of his ecclesia, and not to foment unrest and discontent and division, but rather to seek what is positive and upbuilding for the ecclesia as a whole. Is this easy? Not necessarily, human pride being what it is. But it is, nevertheless, the requirement.

To carry this one step further, Bible teaching about the One Body also emphasizes that every ecclesia has responsibilities and obligations to all ecclesias within the One Body. Just as the individual is a single “part” of the local ecclesial “body”, so the individual ecclesia is a single “part” of the whole worldwide “Body”. Historically, we have tended to think first of the “ecclesia” in terms of the local group of believers. But there is also Biblical precedent — quite a number of passages, actually — for seeing the whole of the worldwide community of believers as THE “ecclesia” (1Co 15:9; Gal 1:13; Eph 1:22; 3:10,21; 5:23,24…; Col 1:18,24; Heb 12:23; etc.). It is to THIS “ecclesia” — so long as the fundamentals of the gospel are maintained by it as a whole — that every individual, and every ecclesia, owes some degree of allegiance and submission and subjection.

If we are, individually or ecclesially, to belong to the One Body (nearly all of whom work together in the Central Fellowship of Christadelphians worldwide), then — it is humbly but firmly suggested — we cannot have it both ways: we cannot claim we are part of the One Body, and (a) expect or insist that other believers or ecclesias in the Central Fellowship recognize us as such, in the breaking of bread, and then (b) the next week take ourselves away to a mountaintop, or a private place of retreat from the Central Fellowship, and contend that we are separate from that Body, and free to pursue our objectives (e.g., “fellowship practice”) in a manner that our would-be “brothers” in Central would find objectionable or confusing or inconsistent.

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The Bible teaching of the One Body, examined carefully, yields two points of view which ought to be balanced against one another. For one, the teaching reminds us of the blessings and privileges we should share in common with all members in that Body. But it also reminds us of the shared duties and responsibilities that go along with membership in that One Body.

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Also see Lesson, Belonging .

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1Co 1:10).

Such verses as this have been sadly distorted by those who justify divisions. Their reasoning is circuitous and tortuous: ‘Paul says we should all agree perfectly and have no divisions. Our ecclesial members do not agree perfectly on such-and-such. Consequently we must divide from those who disagree, in order that we have no divisions among us!’

The point overlooked is this: Paul is admonishing the brethren to the pursuit of an ideal — perfect oneness in mind and spirit among the brethren. Just because the ecclesia does not immediately achieve such harmony is no reason to throw up one’s hands and separate. Does Paul say here anything about separation? Even an imperfect unity must be preserved and nurtured, not dismantled because it has a flaw.

“Fellowship is primarily a ‘community of interest’ rather than individual advantage. It is the family sharing which keeps Father, Son and believers in a unity of belief as well as purpose; and as far as Father and Son are concerned, this unity is an unbreakable one. But in the hands of believers in the ecclesia it can be a fragile thing, so unpredictable is the human heart. Paul was very conscious of this and exhorted the Corinthian ecclesia: ‘Now I beseech you, brethren.. that ye be perfectly joined together.’ In practice this vital doctrine of the unity of the Household cannot be manifested without the dedicated effort of every member of each ecclesia. It is, by the Father’s will and help, a cooperative and precious creation made possible by the shed blood of Jesus. This whole conception of fellowship is at once magnificent and humbling; but it can be broken: by the disagreement of an individual member with his ecclesia, or vice-versa” (JM, “The Living Ecclesia”, Xd 108:56).

In the same context of his Corinthian letter, the apostle stresses that the brethren were called unto the fellowship of God’s Son (1Co 1:9). It is a striking concept, reminiscent of the Lord’s words: “I will draw all men to me” (Joh 12:32) and “Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out” (Joh 6:37). Here is the strongest affirmation of the principle that our “fellowship” is not ours alone — it is God’s and Christ’s. And any unilateral attempts by men to subvert or destroy this sublime unity, without clear and certain and incontrovertible evidence from the Bible, is a direct affront to Heaven.

Far from commanding an absolute unity as a condition of fellowship, Paul’s words in 1Co 1:10 strongly suggest just the opposite: that differences of opinion and internal schisms already existed in Corinth, and whilst not approved, were at the least preferable to out-and-out division. For Paul to say ‘Brethren, we must agree’ is certainly not the same as saying ‘We must excommunicate all those who do not agree.’ Paul was far from being a Pope!

Such fallacious reasoning reminds us of what we might call the “divorce syndrome”. To wit: ‘Paul says our marriage must conform to the divine ideal. Since it does not, then it is not a proper marriage. Therefore we will divorce and each seek another marriage that will reflect the perfect ideal.’ Such an attitude, we trust, will be seen by all to be hopelessly unrealistic. Who can fail to see that the divine ideal of marriage is something to be sought by all husbands and wives, as they seek to overcome their failures and press on toward the mark? Why cannot we all see, also, that this is the proper attitude toward that “marriage” of brethren in the ecclesia? Why must we demand “perfection of fellowship” as the price of unity when experience sadly shows us that nothing else in this life is ever perfect? Why cannot we learn to conquer petty differences and put up with relatively trivial abrasions on our way to achieving a closer approximation of the divine ideal? This is all that Christ — and Paul — would have us to do.

In the first-century ecclesias some were “unskillful” while others were able to partake of “strong meat” (Heb 5:11-14). Some were “babes” while others were “fathers”. Some were “yet carnal” (1Co 3:3) while others possessed high degrees of spirituality. And it is the same today. In the absolute sense, then, it is impossible that all brethren have “the same mind and the same judgment”. Some will always be more advanced than others, and some will always present problems to the rest. True fellowship, like true freedom, does not consist in a rigid like-mindedness on all things — that is an impossible wish! True fellowship and true freedom does consist in the limited toleration of differences, allowing scope for development in the truth at an individual pace, while the strong patiently help rather than criticize and condemn the weak.

“It must be confessed that divisions oftentimes take place which could be avoided without prejudicing the truth in any way. A little more patience, a little more kindness, a little less sense of personal pride and self-importance, a little more discrimination between essential and non-essential elements of belief — How many a division would thus have been avoided! To create a division would appear to be considered by some as a very meritorious act, and a proof of zeal and stability in the truth, whereas it often arises that it is a proof of pride, bitterness, and a wayward determination to get one’s way at any cost. The truth is that the making of divisions has become far too easy a process, and the time has come when a little resistance should be made to the disintegrating spirit in our midst; and which, if allowed to go unchecked, will work disaster and split the brotherhood into useless shreds… These little ecclesias of ours up and down the land are worth keeping; and any needless disruptive tendency must be strongly resisted” (D Hughes, Xd 40:203,204).

The way to achieve “the same mind” is not to divide from those of a different mind, but as the apostles say, to be condescending, compassionate, and humble. Have we as a brotherhood sincerely and in a wholehearted manner sought this peace and unity? Or have we too often, for the most personal and self-serving of motives, undermined the ecclesial good in the perpetuation of controversies of quite secondary importance? The article quoted above, written in 1903, concludes with some words of almost prophetic import: “If we go on everlastingly agitating on unimportant points, everlastingly dividing and subdividing, the superstructure of the truth, which it has cost so much to re-erect in these latter years, will crumble away and leave behind an irreparable loss. ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to destruction, and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand’ (Mat 12:25; Luk 11:17).”

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Other Bible passages re “one mind”:

1. Uses of “homothumadon”: Act 1:14; 2:1; 2:46; 4:24; 5:12; 8:6; 15:25; Rom 15:6.

2. United in one mind: 1Co 1:10.
3. Like-minded: Phi 2:2,3.
4. Be subject to one another: Rom 12:16; 2Co 13:11; Eph 5:21; 1Pe 3:8; 5:5.

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He never went to a college or university. He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born.

He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind’s progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the congresses that ever sat, all the monarchs that ever reigned — put together — have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One Solitary Life.