Members of the Body of Christ

Throughout his talk, Elder D. Todd Christofferson sometimes referred to the church as "the body of Christ." This is not terribly unusual. Groups of people are often called bodies of people. Nor is it unheard of to hear parts of the body referred to as "members." The Apostle James called the tongue a "little member" in James 3:5. The analogy of us being "members" of a group or "body" can help us better understand our roles as members of the body of Christ.

Quoting First Corinthians 12:22, Elder Christofferson said:

This religion is not concerned only with self; rather, we are all called to serve. We are the eyes, hands, head, feet, and other members of the body of Christ, and even “those members … which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.” We need these callings, and we need to serve.

Each person is unique and has unique talents and capabilities. Each member of the church is called to serve the Lord, to effectively take His place in serving others, but we each serve in different ways. Some teach. Some testify. Some encourage. Some uplift. Some lead. Some organise. Etcetera. Just as the different parts of the body have their own functions and purposes, each member of the church has their own role to play as well. And just as no part of the body can function well without the others, we all need each other to keep the church running as well as it does. Most groups only work when each member does what they do best, and the church is no exception. We should each do what we can to build up God's church as unique and essential members of the body of Christ.