We are members of one another (Rom 12:5)

Why are we members of one another? The answer is in the phrase “in Christ.” If you are a Christian, you have been joined to Jesus Christ as the head of the body — and that means you are also joined to every other Christian. You cannot have one without the other. Becoming a Christian is not just about coming into a relationship with Jesus; it is also, like it or not, coming into a relationship with every other believer. We are not made members of one another by belonging to the same church, coming from the same country, or sharing the same interests. The church is not a club. This bond happens by being united to Christ.

That means we must accept one another as fellow members. God has chosen the people in our congregation, just as he chose us. We might wish others had different personalities, interests, or gifts, but these are the people Christ has given us. And whenever we are tempted to find others unattractive or hard to get on with, we should remember: there was nothing remotely lovable about us when Christ chose us. When members of the same body harm one another — through slander, gossip, envy, competition, or refusing to forgive — it is like a hand taking a knife and slashing an arm. It is self-harm within the body of Christ.

How are members of one another to behave? The passage gives three answers.

First, consider. Paul says to think about yourself with sober judgment (v. 3–4). Assess what your place and purpose is in the body. Don’t think too highly of yourself: “I’m the only one with gifts here; the whole church would fall to pieces without me.” But equally, don’t think too little of yourself: “I don’t have any gifts; nobody would notice if I wasn’t here.” God says you do matter, and every single person in the church has been given a gift. Someone in our congregation recently went round asking, “Could you tell me what gifts you think I might have?” That is a really good question to ask.

Second, contribute. Once you know your gifts, use them for the good of the church (vv. 6–8). Every part of the body exists to serve the whole. The eye doesn’t see only for its own enjoyment — it guides the feet, shows the stomach where food is, and helps the whole body find rest. Your gifts work the same way: they are primarily for the common good, not for your personal benefit. Imagine receiving an expensive golf club and only ever using it to scratch your back. It would do the job, but what a terrible waste. Some Christians have a great gift for speaking — they can give presentations at work, teach a class — but the one place you never hear them speak is in a Bible study or prayer meeting. Whatever your gift is — hospitality, DIY, administration, IT, cooking, art, simply being friendly to people — use it for the church first and foremost.

Third, care. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love” (v. 10). If one member suffers, the whole body suffers — just as when you stub your little toe, you don’t say, “Well, it’s just a tiny toe way down at the end.” The whole body hurts, and you can’t focus on anything else. And when one member is honoured, we all rejoice — you don’t feel jealous of your legs when someone praises you for winning a race. This care extends outward: we belong to the wider Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland, whose congregations pray for us in Galway and give sacrificially so that our bills can be paid. And the body of Christ is bigger still — with members suffering today in Ukraine, in Gaza, in Israel, and in many other parts of the world. We have a responsibility to pray for them and support them, because we are members of one another.

The challenge is this: am I pulling my weight in the body? Am I using my gifts to serve the church, or keeping them to myself? Christianity is not a private matter between me and God. We are members of one another.

Related sermons: Spur one another on to love and good deeds (Heb 10:24) · Bear One Another’s Burdens (Galatians 6:2)