December 2025

9

The Body of Christ Metaphor

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to describe diversity in the church: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” Just as the body consists of many members each with its unique function but sharing the same life-giving blood, so too are Christians unified in Christ, yet expressing their salvation in diverse ways[6].

Theological Reasons for Diversity

The Image of God and Free Will

Christianity teaches that every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This imago Dei confers intrinsic worth while affirming profound difference. Human beings are granted free will a capacity to respond, resist, wrestle, embrace, or walk away from the path of salvation in ways that no two journeys ever perfectly mirror[6].