Once a person is born again of God’s spirit by confessing Jesus as lord and believing that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9,10), he or she is capable of walking spiritually with power and love. Any and all born-again believers can walk this way because God has spiritually enabled them with the gift of “Christ in” them. They are God’s children and can learn and believe His Word to claim His promises.
But God didn’t set each believer in his own orbit revolving around God. He set us in a much bigger framework for success as His children. He set us in the Body of Christ. God knows that for each member of the Body of Christ to maximize their spiritual potential, they need the other members of the Body. They function best when working together as a household. We’re better together.
Ephesians 2:19:
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints [the other born-again believers], and of the household of God.
The power of God and our willingness to function together produce godly benefits in our lives individually and collectively. Functioning together is teamwork. Someone might be the greatest basketball player there ever was and very skilled in all aspects of that sport; but without a team to work with, he won’t win games. Nor will he have the other benefits of working with a championship-caliber team, such as covering more ground in less time, learning from other team members, and giving and receiving support. That’s why God made His children individual members, yet in one Body—the Body of Christ. We’re better together.
I Corinthians 12:20,27:
But now are they many members, yet but one body.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Whatever unit of believers you are functioning with, it’s a microcosm of the Body as a whole and can operate according to the same principles and truths. That’s where we can move together as a tight household—a mighty team for God, where we can see God’s amazing power and build a championship team to gain the most fulfilling rewards. God has made each of His children to be an individual believer with Christ within. Yet, as His children, we are also part of a whole body of believers. Regardless of our personal background, we are fellow heirs, joint heirs, and share fully in God’s promise in Christ. As we function together in this wonderful Body, we are living what God’s Word calls “the mystery,” which is God’s plan for this time in which we live.
Ephesians 1:9:
Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.
God did something very special in setting us as members in the Body of Christ. He specifically placed each one in that Body to function in a way that contributes toward the best result for all the members. It’s like a coach organizing his players to function and to use their long suits to the best advantage so that the whole team can win. We’re better together.
I Corinthians 12:18:
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
Romans 12:4,5:
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office [function]:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
No one believer’s function—how they serve the Lord—is any more important than any other’s. We all have our unique long suits to contribute in the Body to strengthen it for the greatest impact. All are valuable and all are needed. We all need each other’s contributions as we serve. In a functioning body, each member can appreciate the strengths and abilities of the other members to build great love and mutual respect.
Ephesians 4:16:
From whom [Christ] the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Throughout the Book of Acts we see the first-century believers functioning together, living the Mystery in their everyday lives. The result was God’s power at work in amazing ways: making God’s Word available so that others were born again, establishing them in the truth of God’s Word and His household, bringing about miracles, healings, and deliverance of all kinds that set people free. We can see that same power today! God energizes us according to our believing, love, and commitment to serve. Truths like “I can do all things through Christ…” (Philippians 4:13) and “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13) are in the context of the Body of Christ. We can claim these promises individually, but the results are magnified as we function effectually in the Body of Christ. We’re better together.
Among the many benefits of wholeheartedly functioning together in the Body are:
- opportunities to serve and develop our long suits,
- access to energized gift ministries that are designed to bless our lives (Ephesians 4:11,12),
- mutual believing with other members of the Body to bring victory and deliverance,
- having the greatest available environment for spiritual growth and prosperous living (including plenty of the fitly spoken Word of God),
- and the joy of seeing God at work in you and in those you love.
The framework God gave us for living life to the fullest is the one Body—God’s team. When we trust in God, we will take advantage of His plan for the Body of Christ by involving ourselves in a household of like-minded believers where we can grow and move His Word together. That’s living the greatness of the Mystery. That’s how we can maximize our spiritual potential, have joy unspeakable in this life as we claim the victories, and receive maximum eternal rewards in the future. Yes! We’re better together!