One Body
A Sermon on Romans 12:4-5
Originally preached Jan. 28, 1966
Scripture
4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Sermon Description
The modern ecumenical movement has made a profound impact on the contemporary Christian understanding of unity. But what overlap, if any, does this movement have with biblical unity? In this sermon on Romans 12:4–5 titled “One Body,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones reminds that an essential point for evangelical Christians to remember is the inevitability of the unity of the church. Because the church is a spiritual society called the body of Christ, there will necessarily be true unity. Striving to maintain visible unity is a necessity because evangelical Christians believe what the Bible says. Still, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the character of the church’s unity is spiritual – it cannot be manufactured by people as it is the supernatural result of the creative work of the Holy Spirit. Only when a person is born again and baptized into the body of Christ can genuine Christian unity occur. This along with the error of separating unity from the whole person – in a particular a person’s mind through doctrine – is the biggest error of the ecumenical movement. While some Christians rally around the claim “doctrine divides,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones offers a pointed biblical challenge saying there cannot be true unity by suppressing thought and denying a person’s ability to think about truth. Evangelical Christians need to hear afresh this important message on Christian unity, doctrine, and the ecumenical moment.
Sermon Breakdown
- The church is the body of Christ. All true believers are members of this one body.
- The church is one. There is only one head (Christ) and one body (the church).
- The character of the unity is that it is a spiritual unity. It is supernatural and divine.
- The unity of the church is the result of the creative work of the Holy Spirit. He gives us new birth and baptizes us into the body of Christ.
- The unity is a unity of the whole man, including the mind. Doctrine is essential to unity.
- The early church continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayer. Doctrine comes first.
- There are many verses that show the importance of doctrine and truth to the Christian faith and unity.
- It is only understanding and the inclusion of the mind that keeps us together in unity. Doctrine preserves unity.
- Error and heresy divide. Doctrine and unity are not opposites. Unity is unity in faith and doctrine.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding the Church as the Body of Christ According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What does it mean when Paul says "we are one body in Christ" in Romans 12:5?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, this verse reveals that the church is the body of Christ - a spiritual, supernatural society, not merely a human institution. When Paul says "we are one body in Christ," he's teaching that the church is a living organism where Christ is the head and believers are the members of His body. This is not just a metaphor but describes a vital, living relationship. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "The church is the body of Christ. He is the head, she is the body, and we as individual members are parts of this body... He dwells in the church. It is his life and fullness that is in the church, and he functions in and through the church."
How does the unity of the church differ from organizational unity?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that church unity is spiritual in nature, not organizational. He states: "The church is, as has often been put, an organism, not an organization." The unity Paul speaks of cannot be produced by human efforts like coalitions, accommodations, or suppressing differences. Lloyd-Jones warns: "The whole tendency today in what is called the ecumenical movement, in approaching the question of church unity, is to take these different sections as they are and then say, well, now, what modification has this one got to make?" Instead, true church unity is supernatural: "The unity that the apostle speaks of is a unity that can never be produced by men, never."
What role does doctrine play in church unity according to Lloyd-Jones?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones strongly rejects the notion that "doctrine divides." He argues that true Christian unity must include unity of mind and thinking: "You cannot have unity unless it includes the unity of mind and of thinking." Since Christ is the head of the body, all members should share "the mind of Christ." Lloyd-Jones points out that the Holy Spirit is "the Spirit of truth" who leads believers into truth. He cites numerous scripture passages, including Acts 2:42, where the early church "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine" before fellowship. He concludes: "There is nothing which is more dangerous, more unscriptural than to put unity and understanding and comprehension of the Gospel as opposites... The unity is a unity in the faith, in the doctrine, in the understanding."
Should evangelicals be concerned about visible church unity?
Yes, Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that evangelicals should be deeply concerned about visible unity. He warns against being content with the idea of an "invisible unity" while allowing the visible church to remain divided: "It is the duty, therefore, I say, of christian people not only to believe in unity, but to make unity visible. And we are sinning if we don't believe in the unity of the church and the visible unity of the true church." He challenges evangelicals: "Are you as an evangelical, content to be divided from other evangelical people? Are you a true believer? Are you content not to be in a living, visible fellowship with all other true believers?"
What is the relationship between the Holy Spirit and church membership?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, only the Holy Spirit can make someone a true member of Christ's body. He explains: "The unity of the church is the result only of the creative work of the Holy Spirit." This happens through two actions: first, the Spirit gives new birth (regeneration), and second, He baptizes believers into the body of Christ (referencing 1 Corinthians 12:13). Lloyd-Jones is clear that "no one can belong to the church which is the body of Christ, who is not born of the spirit and made a partaker of the divine nature." This has implications for church membership, particularly regarding children, as Lloyd-Jones questions whether unbaptized infants can truly be considered members of Christ's body.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.