Evening Class - Who Are We?

In sociology, I learned that people often define themselves by their status, which is the place in society they hold, and by their roles, the actions they have to perform within the status. Simple enough right? Well people start to infuse these things into their very being which makes them "who they are."

But the body of Christ, the church, is much like this principal as we read from 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

New International Version (NIV)

Unity and Diversity in the Body

 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 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 stop being part of the body. 17 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? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

 21 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!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.


Now this becomes a personal question, what is your role in the church? Some of the younger ones who haven't become a part of the Lord's church, but are members with their family of the church stated that their role is to learn and prepare to become young Christian men or women. For the older, highschool group, some taught and others let worship and that is their role. But for all of us young Christians, our goal is the same. 

1 Timothy 4:11-16

New International Version (NIV)

 11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

 15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.