Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
INNER CIRCLE: Members of One Another

INNER CIRCLE: Members of One Another

Last updated on: April 3, 2026 at 1:07 am by Keith Giles

0 Comments

INNER CIRCLE: Members of One Another 2026-03-27T19:42:00+00:00 Keith Giles

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

IMAGE: Keith Giles

Romans 12:4-5

“For, just as we have many members in one body, yet the members do not all have the same function, so we who are many constitute one body in the Anointed (Christ), and are members each one of one another…” (DBH)

The Apostle Paul strongly believed in this notion that we are all part of a single living organism (body) that is the Christ. Our connection to one another and to Christ is the same thing.

We are members of one body, and we are members of one another. Each member is connected to every other member, and every member is connected to the body, or to the Christ.

Combine this with what we know about other things the Apostle Paul has said about being in Christ, “the One in whom we all live and move and have our being.” This connection isn’t conditional. It’s not a metaphor that applies only to those who have prayed the prayer or invited Jesus into their hearts. When Paul first makes this statement about Christ being the source of life and being, he’s talking to idol-worshipping pagans in Athens, not to those who identify as Christians. So, to be “in Christ” is to be alive in the world as a human being. Therefore, our connection to the Christ is universal. Every human being has many members in their body, and every human is a member of a body that is Christ, and “we who are may constitute one body in the Anointed, and are members of one another.”

Paul’s own conversion story on the road to Damascus contains the seed of this idea that what we do to one member of Christ’s body, we do to Christ: “Why do you persecute me?…I am Jesus whom you persecute.” (Acts 9: 4-5) Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that Paul continued to meditate on this mystical connection between the people of God and God Himself; the idea that what we do to others we do to Christ, and that God’s Presence permeates all of reality.

As our study continues, we will begin to notice just how pervasive these ideas become for Paul and just how much they begin to inform his personal theology. It’s why he develops his themes of “one another” in his epistles to the churches from Rome and Thessalonica, to Corinth and Galatia, and it’s also why he focuses so often on the importance of oneness in the church and the need to love one another above everything else.

Let’s take a look at an example of this in our next passage.

Quantum Theology: Volume One brings together an extraordinary and diverse group of scientists, mathematicians, theologians, mystics, authors, and cultural commentators to explore one of the most provocative conversations of our time: What happens when Quantum Physics and Theology begin to overlap?

Edited and curated by author Keith Giles, this book explores the intersection between science and faith.

My book, “The Quantum Gospel of Mary and the Lost Gospel of Truth” is now available on Amazon.

The book from Keith Giles, “The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas” is available now on Amazon. Order HERE>

Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has been interviewed on CNN with Anderson Cooper, Coast to Coast Radio with George Noory, USA Today, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.” He co-hosts The Heretic Happy Hour Podcast and his solo podcast, Second Cup With Keith which are both available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Podbean or wherever you find great podcasts.

Previous Post

March 29, 2026

The Next Messiah Is All Of Us

Next Post

April 10, 2026 INNER CIRCLE: Overcoming Evil with Good

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Googled: “In psychology and everyday language, intelligence is the capacity to learn, understand, reason, think ..."

Herm

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"It's so weird to me how anyone thinks that getting basic income is in any ..."

Scott Santens

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"Sounds very much like what Pope Leo wrote in Magnifica Humanitas - a lot of ..."

ffeineandsugar

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"As it is written in the canonical Gospels:But as many as received Him, to them ..."

Herm

INNER CIRCLE: God’s Transcending Love

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Biblicism Christian Politics Cosmic Christ Deconstruction Discipleship Dispensationalism Divine Unity Ekklesia End Time Stuff Eschatology Evergreen Following Jesus Gender General Christian Topics Gnostics God's Love Gospel of Judas Gospel of Mary Gospel of Philip Gospel of the Kingdom Gospel of Thomas Gospel of Truth Hell Historical Jesus Inner Circle Investigative Reporting Islam LGBTQ Issues Marriage Mental/Emotional Health Mystery Non-Duality Philosophy Podcast Poetry Politics Poverty Preemptive Love Prophecy Psychology Quantum Theology Racism Reconstruction Satire Sex Technology Theology Uncategorized Universalism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How old was Abraham when Sarah died?

Select your answer to see how you score.

147 years 137 years 117 years 127 years

Books by This Author Books by Keith Giles

See All Titles »