we are all one family (brothers and sisters); paul has used this language repeatedly
in this book.
now, paul escalates to one body (as if it were possible to make family more intimate)
a. we are made one through the spirit
1. we have received a new identity as children of christ and as members
of one body and of one spirit
a. consider the frequency of the phrases "one spirit" and "the same spirit"
v4,8,9,11,12,13
b. paul explicitly says that we have been 'baptized one body'...
v13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were
all made to drink of one Spirit.
b. we share identity
v26 'rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep'
there is no room for jealousy or schadenfreude when you are 'one'
with the other.
does anyone rejoice when their child suffers?
does anyone feel jealous when their spouse receives praise?
cross references
gal 6:2 "bear one another's burdens"
col 4:12,13 "Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave
of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring
earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect
and fully assured in all the will of God.
For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and
for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.
>>> the idea is that we are one unit, one family, one body (christ's)
1. god is responsible for the gifting of the different gifts (v18)
v18 - But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the
body, just as He desired.
2. we have different gifts and are useful in different ways. (v19)
v19,20 - If they were all one member, where would the body be?
But now there are many members, but one body.
3. no one is unnecessary (v21) [ aka nobody is a rock and an island ]
(this is sort of like the 'gotta pass to a girl before you can score' rule)
a. we require the gifts that the others have...
1 cor 12:21 -
And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you";
or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
b. we should view the value of gifts by their ability to help others
the corinthians valued the showy, independent gifts; tongues esp (notice
that paul keeps putting tongues at the end of the lists...)
we should value the gifts for their ability to fulfill the purpose of
the gifts.
illustration : marriage
my wife leaves town, my life falls apart...
>>> our differences increase our unity.
NEGATIVES
a. not for self glorification
1 cor 4:7
What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it,
why do you boast as though you did not?
there is no credit in 'being gifted'; no grounds for boasting, no
grounds
corralary to the point 2...gifts increase our dependence.
v21 - the eye cannot say to the hand "i have no need of you"
POSITIVES
a. to build up the body
v7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit
for the common good.
b. to glorify christ
1 pet 4:10,11
4:10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another
as good stewards of the varied grace of God.
4:11 Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever serves, do so
with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God
will be glorified through Jesus Christ.
(jon hurley brought up this cross reference...)
>>> we should labor to serve one another, to be useful to one another, and
to build up the church
>>> the idea is that we are one unit, one family, one body (christ's)
>>> our differences increase our unity.
>>> we should labor to serve one another, to be useful to one another, and
to build up the church
which gifts should we use?
- whatever meets these purposes best -
recall that these lists are probably not exhaustive...
recall that the point of the gifts is to build the body through mutual service
do whatever you can to fulfill v25
1 cor 12:24,25
god has composed the body...
so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members
may have the same care for one another.