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I Cor 12

I Cor 12 is one of the key chapters about spiritual gifts, however for the purpose

of this study, we will not concentrate on the nature of spiritual gifts as we had a

series of sermons about that topic. Instead we will talk about Being the body of

Christ

In this chapter, Paul uses the analogy of the body to talk about our relationship

with each other. The body perfectly illustrates certain points;Unity in Diversity

v.12 Just as the body is one and has many membersso it is with the church.

We are all members of one body. The reference in verse 13 to Jews and Greeks,

slaves and free, reminds us of the many coloured diversity of the body of Christ.

Corinth was a cosmopolitan seaport full of people from many different cultures.

That presented difficulties, but it offered immense potential for a full-blooded

testimony to Christ.

1. We are Christs and one anothers (v. 14-27)

We need one another. There are two sides to this particular coin. The

stress in verse 15-16 is on a wrong kind of independence which could be

based either on feeling not needed and unimportant, or on resenting not

having made or gifted differently. The other aspect (v.21) is an attitude of

superiority on the part of some members towards others. Both an

independent spirit and a superior attitude bring atrophy and paralysis to

the body as a whole, because it is deprived of certain contributions

without which it must degenerate. If we are together the body of Christ,

we need one another, not only for the health of the body as a whole, but

also to enable each individual to operate at full potential. Any Christian

who operate independently is reducing his own effectiveness and that of

the body as a whole.

We differ from one another (17-20). A body that is all eyes and ears is not

a body. Each member is unique, distinctive, irreplaceable and

unrepeatable. Instead of allowing ourselves to be cast in any one mould,

we ought to relish the differences and learn to capitalise on them.

We are to care for one another (22-26). This mutual care is also intrinsic to

the body. The word compose in verse 24 where it says this is the way

God so composed the body has the basic meaning of mixing different

parts together with a specific purpose in mind. The word may be used of

mixing colours. Paul gives two suggestions: to give special care to those

who are weak and to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those

who weep.

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