The Body of Christ is...

John Calvin is celebrating his 500th birthday this year. At least some are celebrating John Calvin’s birthday this year.

A quote from John Calvin came up in my reading this morning. I was reading the Layman, a publication of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, where they quoted that Calvin stated that the true church is a church where “we see the Word of God sincerely preached and heard, and where we see the sacraments administered according to the institution of Christ.”

The church, the “true church”, is the Body of Christ, and the two indicators of whether a church body is truly part of the Body of Christ is the Word of God preached and heard, and the Sacraments of Christ followed.

But we can make this more personal as well. Calvin said the Word of God was preached and heard. Are we hearing the Word of God? Are we paying attention to the preaching and applying what we hear? Are we studying the Word of God on our own, expanding our knowledge of the Word of God, so when it is preached, it will be better understood? Are we open to opportunities to hear the Word of God?

And how about the Sacraments? Are we present when the Lord’s Supper is administered? Do we celebrate with those who are baptized? Are we baptized? Do we ever remember our baptism and God’s grace that led to our baptism?

We are part of the Body of Christ when we commit to the preaching and hearing of God’s Word, and when we commit to the Sacraments as given by Jesus himself.