Paul does not use sheep-and-shepherd imagery for the church; he teaches that believers are members of Christ's own body.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes the church as one body with many members, each baptized into that body by the Holy Spirit. Les Feldick emphasizes that 'body of Christ' is strictly a Pauline term—Jesus never once used it. Because believers are already connected to Christ the Head, they are not outside Him like sheep under a shepherd; they are part of His body itself.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13 — Paul's foundational body analogy: one body, many members, all baptized into the one body.
1 Corinthians 12:27 — Paul directly identifies believers as the body of Christ and members in particular.
Ephesians 5:23 — Paul shows Christ as Head of the church, the Savior of the body—not the Shepherd of a flock.
In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul uses the human body as his picture of the church: "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." He says all believers are brought into this one body by the Holy Spirit: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." He then concludes, "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." In Ephesians, Paul identifies Christ as the Head of this body: "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." The Bible thus presents church-age believers as one body joined to Christ, rather than as a separate flock being led by a shepherd.
Les emphasizes that the body of Christ is strictly a Pauline doctrine. Jesus never once referred to believers as His body. Paul's analogy of the human body shows that believers are so connected that if one member hurts, the whole body feels it. Every true believer—Jew or Gentile, bond or free—has been placed into the body by the Holy Spirit. Les also notes that the Head, Christ, is in Heaven, so believers' citizenship is there; though believers remain on earth, they are already united to Him. Because believers are part of the Head and body, they are not merely sheep under a shepherd's care; they are in Christ.
Paul compares the church to a human body. In 1 Corinthians 12:12 he says one body has many members, all of them together forming one body—'so also is Christ.' Les uses the illustration that if you hurt your toe, you hurt all over, because all the nerve endings are connected. The members are not separate from each other; they are all part of one body.
Les points out that Jesus never called the group of believers His body; this is strictly Paul's teaching. Even Peter, in Acts, did not present believers as part of Christ or Christ as the Head of a called-out assembly. Les says it is just as important to see what Scripture does not say as what it does say. Paul brings the doctrine to its fullest in his later epistles, but it is introduced in 1 Corinthians 12.
According to Les, when a person becomes a child of God, the Holy Spirit immediately places him or her into the body of Christ—this is what 'baptized' means. It is not just for the most spiritual or those with emotional experiences; every true believer is placed into the body. Whether one's role is like a little pinky or a toe, each member has a function in the body.
Yes. Les reads 1 Corinthians 12:27 as 'you are the Body of Christ in total, but members in particular.' Believers do not lose their identity; each can go to the Lord in prayer personally. The body is not a collection of sheep following from outside; it is a whole organism united to the Head.
One body with many members
Les uses Paul's human body analogy—hurting your toe hurts all over—to show believers are all connected as one body in Christ.
All believers baptized into one body
Les explains that even imperfect believers are still part of the body; all are baptized into one body whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free.
Body of Christ is a Pauline term
Les stresses that Jesus never called believers His body; this is strictly a Pauline doctrine that believers are members of Christ's body.
Jesus never mentioned the body of Christ
Les repeats that Jesus never once mentioned the body of Christ, showing Paul is the source of this doctrine.
What Scripture does not say
Les contrasts Peter's teaching with Paul's: Peter never said Christ is Head and believers are part of Him; Scripture's omissions matter.
Placed into the body by the Spirit
Les teaches that the Holy Spirit places every child of God into the body of Christ at salvation, with roles like a pinky or toe.
Members of the Head in heaven
Les shows that believers are members of the Head, Christ, who is in heaven; therefore the believer's citizenship is there and every true believer is in the body.
Body members yet persons in particular
Les explains that while believers are the body of Christ collectively, each remains an individual member with personal access to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 12:12: For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
This is Paul's foundational statement that the church is a single body made up of many connected members.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
This verse shows how all believers are united into the one body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:27: Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
Paul directly identifies his readers as the body of Christ while preserving each member's individual identity.
Ephesians 5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Paul shows Christ as the Head of the church, making the body metaphor central to his teaching about Christ and believers.
No. Les Feldick repeatedly states that Jesus never once mentioned the body of Christ. It is strictly a Pauline term—Paul's distinctive way of describing believers as members of Christ.
Les teaches that at the moment a person becomes a child of God, the Holy Spirit places or 'baptizes' that person into the body of Christ. This is true of every believer regardless of race, social status, or spiritual experience.
No. Les says there will be no unbelievers in the body of Christ because the Holy Spirit's work is to place only those who have become children of God into that body.
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