THE BODY UNIT
(1 Corinthians 12:12-30)
The Body of Christ is a unit. A unit in the sense of not one or single in number but “the sum total of all its parts” Just like you and I have only one body; so too is the “body of Christ”. The church functions as one body – but there are many different members and each member has different kinds of gifts. Each member has a mutual participation.
We need each part! This is God’s sovereign purpose for The Church!
It is God who has arranged different parts in the Body in order to exercise the Spiritual Gifts. God’s method employs diversity to create unity
21-26: No gift is more important than the next. There is no superior and more important gift in the body of Christ. The principle here is the interdependence of the parts of the body in the one whole. Paul seems to suggest in verse 22 that “weaker parts of the body” are indispensable – those that have positions and functions in the church that people think are less important are actually indispensable. Therefore, they should be given special respect! But we wrongfully give special attention to those parts of the body of Christ that have “spectacular gifts”.
WHY? Verse 25 – to get rid of division in the body and to prompt equal concern
No complaint of one member against another, as useless and unnecessary; no murmuring on that account; no tumults and rioting; no rebellion and insurrection of one against another; no dissension, no division
Verse 26 - but that the members should have the same care one for another;that is, they are so tempered and mixed together, are in such close union with, and have such a dependence on each other, that they are necessarily obliged to take care of each other's good and welfare, because they cannot do one without another; and so God has ordered it in the church, that persons should be so placed in it, and gifts disposed of among them in such a manner, that every man is obliged, not only to look on, and be concerned for his own things, that he takes care of himself, and performs his office, but that he looks every man on the things of others, his good and safety being involved in theirs.
And whether one member suffer…Pain; even the meanest, lowest, and most distant, as the foot or hand, toe or finger: all the members suffer with it;are more or less affected therewith, and bear part of the distress; as is easily discerned, by their different forms and motions on such an occasion: so when anyone member of the mystical body is in affliction, whether inward or outward, of body or mind, the rest are, or should be, affected with it, condole, sympathize, help, and assist; and remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, as if they themselves were in bonds, and them that suffer adversity, whether spiritual or temporal, as being in the body, not only in the flesh, but as being part of the body, the church; and therefore should weep with them that weep, and bear a part with them in their sorrows.
(1 Corinthians 12:12-30)
The Body of Christ is a unit. A unit in the sense of not one or single in number but “the sum total of all its parts” Just like you and I have only one body; so too is the “body of Christ”. The church functions as one body – but there are many different members and each member has different kinds of gifts. Each member has a mutual participation.
We need each part! This is God’s sovereign purpose for The Church!
It is God who has arranged different parts in the Body in order to exercise the Spiritual Gifts. God’s method employs diversity to create unity
21-26: No gift is more important than the next. There is no superior and more important gift in the body of Christ. The principle here is the interdependence of the parts of the body in the one whole. Paul seems to suggest in verse 22 that “weaker parts of the body” are indispensable – those that have positions and functions in the church that people think are less important are actually indispensable. Therefore, they should be given special respect! But we wrongfully give special attention to those parts of the body of Christ that have “spectacular gifts”.
WHY? Verse 25 – to get rid of division in the body and to prompt equal concern
No complaint of one member against another, as useless and unnecessary; no murmuring on that account; no tumults and rioting; no rebellion and insurrection of one against another; no dissension, no division
Verse 26 - but that the members should have the same care one for another;that is, they are so tempered and mixed together, are in such close union with, and have such a dependence on each other, that they are necessarily obliged to take care of each other's good and welfare, because they cannot do one without another; and so God has ordered it in the church, that persons should be so placed in it, and gifts disposed of among them in such a manner, that every man is obliged, not only to look on, and be concerned for his own things, that he takes care of himself, and performs his office, but that he looks every man on the things of others, his good and safety being involved in theirs.
And whether one member suffer…Pain; even the meanest, lowest, and most distant, as the foot or hand, toe or finger: all the members suffer with it;are more or less affected therewith, and bear part of the distress; as is easily discerned, by their different forms and motions on such an occasion: so when anyone member of the mystical body is in affliction, whether inward or outward, of body or mind, the rest are, or should be, affected with it, condole, sympathize, help, and assist; and remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, as if they themselves were in bonds, and them that suffer adversity, whether spiritual or temporal, as being in the body, not only in the flesh, but as being part of the body, the church; and therefore should weep with them that weep, and bear a part with them in their sorrows.
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