If We Are The Body

Casting Crowns' song 'If We Are The Body' is a poignant critique of the Christian community's failure to embody the teachings of Jesus Christ. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a church service where individuals feel alienated and judged rather than welcomed and loved. The opening lines describe a woman trying to blend into the crowd, only to be met with teasing laughter that underscores her isolation. This sets the stage for the song's central question: if the church is supposed to be the body of Christ, why isn't it acting like it?

The chorus serves as a powerful indictment of the church's shortcomings. It questions why the church's 'arms' aren't reaching out to those in need, why its 'hands' aren't healing the broken, and why its 'words' aren't teaching the lost. The metaphor of the body of Christ is used to highlight the disconnect between the church's mission and its actions. The repetition of these questions emphasizes the urgency and importance of living out the faith in a tangible, compassionate way.

The second verse introduces a traveler who feels the weight of judgmental glances, suggesting that the church is more focused on appearances and social norms than on genuine acceptance and love. The song concludes with a reminder that Jesus paid a high price for humanity's salvation, and it is not up to the church to decide who is worthy of that grace. The final line, 'Jesus is the way,' serves as a call to action for believers to follow Christ's example of unconditional love and acceptance.