Romans 12:4-5 Sermon: Understanding the Church as One Body in Christ
When we examine Romans 12:4-5, we encounter one of Scripture's most profound teachings about the nature of the church. The apostle Paul writes: "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Romans 12:4-5 illuminates these verses with remarkable clarity , helping believers understand the essential unity and diversity that characterizes the body of Christ. His exposition of this Romans 12:4-5 sermon material provides both theological depth and practical wisdom for those seeking to understand their place within God's people.
The Essential Unity of the Church
Dr. Lloyd-Jones begins his exposition by establishing the fundamental nature of the church's unity. As he explains in his sermon on this passage, the apostle Paul "is dealing now with life in the realm of the church and some of the difficulties that arise, and especially in connection with the use and employment of the varying gifts which God in his grace has given to us as his people."
The analogy of the body is not merely illustrative—it reveals the essential nature of the church. Just as a human body consists of many diverse parts functioning together under one head, so the church comprises many believers united in Christ. This unity is not organizational or institutional; it is organic and spiritual.
The crisis of division within the church stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of this truth. Dr. Lloyd-Jones notes that "the whole trouble, as the apostle is showing us here, is due to the fact that we have failed in some respect or another to realize the true nature of the church." When believers grasp that they are members of one living organism, animated by one Spirit and serving one Lord, the grounds for jealousy, competition, and division dissolve.
Diversity Within Unity
Perhaps one of the most important aspects of Paul's teaching—and Dr. Lloyd-Jones' exposition—concerns the relationship between unity and diversity. The church is one body, yet it consists of many members with different functions. This is not a contradiction but a divine design.
"All members have not the same office," Paul declares. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that uniformity is not the goal: "What you have in the church is unity, not uniformity." The eye differs dramatically from the foot, yet both are essential parts of one body. Similarly, believers possess different gifts, temperaments, and callings, yet all belong to the same spiritual organism.
This diversity serves the unity rather than threatening it. Each member's unique contribution enriches the whole. Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against the danger of either overestimating certain gifts or underestimating others. Both errors stem from viewing gifts in isolation rather than in relationship to the body as a whole.
The Necessity of Every Member
A profound implication of Paul's body analogy concerns the value and necessity of every believer. In a culture that elevates certain roles and dismisses others, this teaching proves revolutionary. Dr. Lloyd-Jones states clearly: "Every single member of the church is a most important person."
No believer can claim to be unimportant or unnecessary. The person who sits quietly in the pew, faithful in prayer and presence, contributes something essential to the body's health. The absence of any member impoverishes the whole. Conversely, no one can claim superiority based on the prominence or visibility of their gifts.
This understanding guards against both false humility and sinful pride. The believer who dismisses their own significance implicitly criticizes God's wisdom in giving them their particular place and function. Meanwhile, the one who boasts in their gifts forgets that everything they have is received by grace.
Interdependence and Mutual Relationship
The phrase "members one of another" captures something vital about the church's nature. Believers are not merely connected to Christ individually; they are bound to one another in an intricate network of mutual dependence. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "each one needs the other, and each one benefits by the functions of the other."
This interdependence has practical implications for church life. It means believers cannot function in isolation. The hand needs the eye, the foot needs the ear, and every member needs every other member to fulfill their God-given purpose. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones observes: "You can't be a member of the body of Christ without his life and energy and all that is his fullness. Coming down to you. It's in you of necessity."
This mutual relationship extends beyond merely benefiting from others' gifts. It involves active care, concern, and responsibility for one another. When one member suffers, all suffer. When one rejoices, all should rejoice together. The body's health depends on each part functioning properly and relating rightly to all the others.
The Role of Spiritual Gifts
Paul's discussion of the body naturally leads to consideration of spiritual gifts, which Dr. Lloyd-Jones addresses in his exposition of Romans 12:6-8. Understanding that "all that we have as christians is the result of grace" prevents believers from boasting in their gifts or disparaging others' contributions.
The distribution of gifts reflects God's sovereign wisdom. The Holy Spirit "divides to every man severally as he will," determining who receives what gift for the benefit of the whole body. No believer chooses their gifts, and therefore no one can claim credit for possessing them.
This understanding should produce humility and gratitude rather than competition or envy. Each gift, whether prominent or obscure, comes from God and serves His purposes. The goal is not to accumulate impressive gifts but to faithfully exercise whatever gifts one has received for the building up of the body.
Implications for Modern Church Life
Dr. Lloyd-Jones' Romans 12:4-5 sermon speaks directly to the fractured state of contemporary Christianity. The multiplication of denominations, the competition between congregations, and the cult of personality surrounding certain leaders all betray a fundamental misunderstanding of the church as the body of Christ.
True unity cannot be manufactured through organizational mergers or institutional arrangements. It flows from spiritual reality—from believers being joined to Christ and therefore to one another. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds us, "The church is a new creation. That's the principle... When God, through Christ by the Sspirit, set out to form the church, this is his great plan, that all things may be reunited in Christ."
This vision calls believers to examine their attitudes and actions. Do we honor every member of the body, or do we elevate some while ignoring others? Do we recognize our dependence on fellow believers, or do we imagine we can thrive in isolation? Do we compete with other Christians, or do we rejoice in the diversity of gifts that enriches the whole?
Conclusion
Romans 12:4-5 presents a vision of the church that challenges both individualism and institutional religion. The church is neither a collection of autonomous individuals nor a human organization. It is the body of Christ—a living, spiritual organism in which many diverse members function together under one Head for the glory of God.
Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on these verses helps believers understand both the theological foundation and practical implications of this truth. When Christians grasp that they are members of one body in Christ, members of one of another, it transforms their relationships, attitudes, and priorities. Competition gives way to cooperation, envy to appreciation, and isolation to interdependence.
The call to believers today is the same as in Paul's time: to recognize the essential unity of the body, to value the diversity of its members, and to function faithfully in whatever role God has assigned. Only as the church embraces this vision can it fulfill its calling to display the wisdom and glory of God to the world.
Listen to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' Sermons on Romans 12:4-5
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preached extensively on Romans 12, providing deep theological insight into the nature of the church as the body of Christ. To gain the full benefit of his exposition on these vital verses, we encourage you to listen to the following sermons from his systematic series through Romans:
"Gifts in the Church" (Romans 12:3-5) - In this foundational sermon, Dr. Lloyd-Jones introduces the crucial principles of unity and diversity within the body of Christ, explaining how God has dealt to every believer the measure of faith and specific spiritual gifts for the edification of the whole church.
Listen here: https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/romans-12-3-5/gifts-in-the-church/
"One Body" (Romans 12:4-5) - Dr. Lloyd-Jones explores the profound analogy of the church as the body of Christ, emphasizing that "we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another," and addresses the critical importance of understanding this spiritual unity for church life today.
Listen here: https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/romans-12-4-5/one-body/
"The Body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:4-6) - Though from his Ephesians series, this sermon provides complementary teaching on the same body metaphor, as Dr. Lloyd-Jones declares: "The church is the body of Christ. He is the head, she is the body, and we as individual members are parts of this body."
Listen here: https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/ephesians-4-4-6/the-body-of-christ/
These sermons, totaling several hours of carefully exposited Scripture, will deepen your understanding of your place within God's people and the privileges and responsibilities that come with being a member of Christ's body.
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