The above verse is one of those Bible passages (and there are several!) that we kind of block out mentally because of a sense of reverence or propriety, or whatever. However, God means what He says and it is not reverence or practicality on our part to view one of God's statements as a nice religious saying without any real meaning. Of course any interpretation we make must not conflict with any other part of the Scriptures.

The verse in question is saying that, like the human body, Christ is made up of many parts. The human being has a head and a body. Christ has a Head and a body.

What does the word Christ mean? It means "anointed with oil," signifying the Presence of the Holy Spirit on Jesus so He can serve as God's Deliverer, Prophet, Priest, and King. Christ is not Jesus' last name. His name is Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Bar Joseph. But Jesus Christ means Jesus the Anointed One of God.

Now, what do we mean when we say Christ is made up of many members like the human body? We are saying that the Anointed Deliverer from God is made up of many persons. This is what the Lord meant when He stated there are many rooms in His Father's house.

A note of warning here. The Lord Jesus is always eternal, always supreme, always Lord of all. Some have made the mistake of picturing Jesus as one part of a many-membered Christ. This is an error. God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, meaning He is exalted above the other sons of God.

Having received this warning and avoided this error, let us proceed with the truth of the Scripture. Let us fully accept what the Spirit said through Paul.

The Christian Church is the Body of the Christ. It is nothing less and nothing more than this.

Which church are we talking about, for there are a thousand competing denominations? We are speaking of each true Christian, each saint whom God has called from the foundation of the world to be a holy person unto Himself.

All true Christians are part of one Body. All true Christians are part of the great Lampstand of God, the light of the world.

Christ will not return alone. If He were to be the only room in the Father's house, the only dwelling place of the Father, He would have told us so. But Christ is going to return with His saints. The Lord and His saints will appear to the world as one great Divine Light. Because the members of the Body in that day will be one in the Son and the Father, the world will believe in Christ and everyone who believes in Him, calling on the name of the Lord, will be saved from destruction.

The meek of the earth are waiting for salvation to come at the hands of the sons of God—actually the Son in the sons. It is for this reason you are being tested and refined all the day long.

Do not grow impatient with the Divine training program. There are millions of people who are waiting for the blessing and the Presence of God to come to them. It is destined to come through you!