Every born-again believer has the privilege of becoming a member of the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is giving out the invitation to God’s children: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’” (Revelation 22:17 NIV)

Every member of the body of Christ enjoys these privileges in the Christian life: salvation, baptism in water, baptism in the Holy Spirit, exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit, baptism by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, and ministry to the other members of the body. The members build each other up until all “come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13)

To be a functioning member of the church of Jesus Christ, a person must, of course, be born again, washed by His blood – made a new creature by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit. He must also be baptized in the Holy Spirit for the edification of his fellow believers. Most importantly, he must be baptized by the Holy Spirit into his place in the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

A physical body whose members are not joined together by ligaments and muscles is no body at all. And a body whose members are fitted together properly but which are not connected to the head individually through nerves, is unable to move. A healthy, living body must have parts which are exactly fitted in their places, individually and rightly joined to the head, and which actually move, according to the direction of the head, in coordination with the other members. There is perfect natural coordination, with no uncommanded movements.

Translate that into spiritual terms and you have the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:15,16) Each member is spiritually joined to the head, Jesus Christ – joined as integrally as hand to head. This is primary. The Lord, through the leading of the Holy Spirit, places that member in the local church with other believers who have this same relationship with the risen Christ. In this setting, everyone fits, coordinates, and takes his place, working together as a living whole.

But just as God does not force anyone to be saved, He does not force anyone to yield his life wholly to Christ, or to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, or to become a member of the body of Christ. One does not automatically proceed from step to step. As a believer walks in the light, he moves on into all that God has for him.

One of the great central truths about the church is that it is made up of both Jewish and Gentile believers. When the church began, it was entirely Jewish. Was there a place for Gentiles? God answered that question supernaturally during Peter’s visit to Cornelius, the Roman centurion. (Acts chapters 10 and 11) Gentiles were by no means to be left outside of the church, since God had included them by baptizing them in the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote extensively about this great truth in his letters to the Romans (chapter 11) and to the Ephesians (chapter 2). Today, the question is often reversed: Where do Jews fit into the church? The answer is that their place is indispensable. They, with the Gentiles, are to be “one new man” in Christ. (Ephesians 2:15)

To be a member of the body of Christ, then, a believer – be he Jewish or Gentile – must be functioning in his place.

This church is the bride pictured in the Song of Solomon: “fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners” (Song of Solomon 6:10) – beautiful to God and a terror to the enemy because she assaults the kingdom of darkness with the whole armor of God.

When the Scriptures speak of the body of Christ, they refer to those who are joined to Him – “members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” (Ephesians 5:30) They are joined to Him for all eternity, and while on earth they do the will of God. They “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” (Revelation 14:4)