In Romans, Paul talks an awful lot about what he refers to as "the body."  He says how our bodies are to be a "living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God"; he describes the church as "a body in Christ" with the body's  "members" each having unique and useful functions to do for the benefit of the entire body-which is of benefit to Jesus and his kingdom.  And in terms of bodily functions, he exhorts the "mind" to not conform to evil and harmful habits of "the world" but to be transformed and renewed towards thinking and living like Jesus himself.  And he is insistent that all the body parts have a special role to play and are necessary to the functioning of the body as a whole.  Thus, no member can afford to say, "I think I'll leave because I no longer care for what the index finger points to," "I'm moving on because I don't approve of what the kidneys are choosing to filter, "I'm outta here because of what the ear lets in and the mouth lets out."  No, the "renewing of the mind" Paul talks about means the members use their gifts in a positive and not a destructive manner for the good of the body as a whole.  Like it or not, we are all members of a body with gifts
given to us by God to be used in transforming, growing, and healing activities for the body.  As Christians, we are all members of a body and our God-given job is to increase it and provide it a future, each in our own way, and not abuse it but take care of it.  So, in terms of being a "member" of the body with a God-given unique role, are you using your gift to take care of your body?  Are you growing and protecting your body by your activities or opening it up to disease?  We can never forget that Jesus is counting on us.

 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

 

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.