Introduction
The New Testament is sacred scripture since the twenty-seven writings describe the life of Jesus Christ and his lessons. It is challenging to state that any of them is more significant than the others because all of them comment on different significant phenomena and processes. That is why it is possible to rely on 1 Corinthians 12-13 and Romans 12 to identify what Paul says about the Church. One should also comment on what Paul mentions about how believers should see themselves to establish and maintain unity with the Church. In particular, the analysis of 1 Corinthians 12-13 and Romans 12 reveals that Paul emphasizes the role of love and self-sacrifice and compares the Church to a body, while believers are its essential components.
Describing the Church
To begin with, one should explain that Paul establishes an evident parallel between the Church and the human body in 1 Corinthians 12. He states that “just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Cor 12:12). This citation reveals that a human body is a single object, and the Church is a single phenomenon, but the two consist of many smaller constituents that have different functions. While the body is comprised of body parts, believers are individual elements of the Church. According to Paul, the Holy Spirit serves as the leading driving force since it connects people with one another and the Church.
Since it is impossible to mention that some body parts are more important than others, one cannot also state that some believers are more significant to the Church. Paul admits that every parishioner is as essential as apostles, prophets, and teachers are. The rationale behind this statement is that every person performs a specific function in the body. In human organisms, the eyes are responsible for seeing, while hears enable hearing, but these parts are considered useless if they are separated from the entire body. In the same fashion, people become a meaningful element of a larger system when they enter the Church. In addition to that, Paul describes that the Church typically draws more attention to people who only start their spiritual journey because “the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty” (1 Cor 12:23). Consequently, Paul shows that the Church and the human body have many similar features.
Paul describes the Church in Romans 12, and this passage also compares the given institution to a human body. However, Romans 12 offers a slightly different interpretation because it relies on a more specialized image. Paul stipulates that the Church should be considered the body of Christ. This statement establishes an obvious connection between the Church and the decrees of Heaven. Paul mentions that “in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Rom 12:5). It is worth mentioning that it is possible to identify evident analogies between Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 in how they interpret the role of the Church.
In addition to that, Romans 12 keeps discussing that every believer is of importance for the entire Church system because individuals perform specific functions in it. As Paul admits, “we have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Rom 12:6). This quotation denotes that every person has a specific ability that can make a difference. It is mentioned in the passage that “if your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach” (Rom 12:6-7). It is easy to identify an analogy between these words and the description from 1 Corinthians 12 comparing the role of believers in the Church to that of body parts. This information demonstrates that every individual parishioner performs their specific functions, but they all create a solid body of Christ, the Church.
This section has demonstrated that Paul utilized similar analogies to describe the Church in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. He compared this institution to a human body because individual parishioners perform specific functions in the entire system in the same way as various body parts act within the organism. Paul also highlights that it is impossible to mention that some believers are more important than others because all of them are equally significant and serve the same goal.
Believers’ Self-Perception
In addition to that, the identified passages provide believers with an obvious explanation of how they should see themselves to maintain and secure the unity of the Church. Thus, 1 Corinthians 13 comments on the fact that love should play a leading role in the given process. Paul admits that faith, hope, and love are essential phenomena, “but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor 13:13). Paul comments on what love can do and what it cannot do in his passage. For example, “love is patient, love is kind” and “it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” simultaneously (1 Cor 13:4). It is possible to interpret these words in a way that Paul emphasizes the properties of love to demonstrate what believers should do and what they should avoid. According to this point of view, parishioners should be kind and patient, trust, protect, and avoid being proud, angered, and self-seeking to maintain the unity of the Church.
Simultaneously, Romans 12 also emphasizes the role of love for believers. As Paul mentions in this passage, “love must be sincere” (Rom 12:9). This statement demonstrates that people should not imitate their love for God and others since this activity is not a performance. Believers should be sincere, and their love should be genuine. In other words, Paul uses this passage to emphasize the role of the given feeling in relationships among humans and with the Church.
In addition to that, Paul uses the given passage to highlight the importance of self-sacrificing life. Believers are urged to offer their “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Rom 12:1). This quotation does not mean that people should harm themselves in the literal sense. Through these words, Paul insists that people should behave and think in a manner that does not value their personal needs and desires higher than those of others. In particular, Paul mentions the following: “honor one another above yourselves,” “by joyful in hope,” “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn,” “do not repay anyone evil for evil,” and others (Rom 12:10, 12, 15, 17). It is possible to conclude that Paul highly assesses the importance of these qualities and behavioral models.
The quotes from the passages demonstrate that Paul draws much attention to describing what people should think and do and how they should behave. This apostle invests much effort to make believers understand their role and significance in the Church. Such an approach is justified by the fact that Paul wants to establish the duties in the Church (Tong, n.d.). There is an obvious rationale behind this statement because the apostle’s words can be considered evident regulations for all believers. Expressing love and practicing self-sacrifice are the main rules for parishioners to be actively engaged in the life of the Church and be integral elements of this system.
The given section has demonstrated that Paul emphasizes the role of love and self-sacrifice to maintain and secure the unity of the Church. Love should be sincere, patient, and kind, while it should not boast and be proud to ensure that believers can accept everything in the world. In addition to that, Paul reveals that self-sacrifice denotes that people should not value their needs and interests higher than those of others. This statement also denotes that believers are expected to respect others’ feelings and emotions and avoid revenge. Considering the fact that these words represent the leading concepts of Christianity, it is not surprising that Paul is sometimes described as the father of this religion (Hatina, n.d.). Consequently, it is impossible to overestimate the role that this apostle played in shaping the image of a Christian person and how believers should perceive themselves to have a solid connection with the Church.
Personal Thoughts
As far as my personal opinion is considered, I can state that Paul’s words are convincing and relevant. The comparison of the Church to a human body is effective in making people understand that the former is a complex system consisting of many smaller parts. Similar to body parts that have specific responsibilities in the entire organism, believers are also expected to perform specific actions to ensure that the whole system is working. In particular, people should follow sincere lives, which can motivate others to do the same. Furthermore, I completely agree with Paul regarding the fact that believers should not doubt the importance of their role in the Church system. Building an analogy to body parts seems an effective means to display how believers affect the system. Finally, I believe that all people should incorporate love into their everyday life because this fact would make the world better and safer for everyone. Self-sacrifice is another significant aspect that demonstrates that people follow religious lives.
Summary
In conclusion, the paper has analyzed Paul’s passages, including 1 Corinthians 12-13 and Romans 12. On the one hand, these writings are significant because they provide much useful information to identify how this apostle describes the Church. According to him, there is an obvious analogy between the Church and the human body because the two are holistic phenomena consisting of smaller but equally significant parts. On the other hand, the selected passages demonstrate that Paul offers recommendations for believers on what they should do and think to maintain the unity of the Church. In particular, the apostle emphasizes the role of love and self-sacrifice because these phenomena determine whether believers follow religious lives. If all parishioners adhere to Paul’s advice, the Church will become strong and undivided. I find Paul’s words convincing and try to follow the apostle’s guidance.
References
Hatina, T. (n.d.). “Module seven: The New Testament canon.” Introduction to the New Testament. Web.
The Holy Bible: New International Version. (1983). Hodder and Stoughton. (Original work published 1978).
Tong, C. (n.d). RELS 102 Class PPT Slides, Week 7 [PowerPoint Presentation].