1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, ” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, ” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”
22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty,
24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,
25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.
26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
Context
- How could they be so divided, despite of having one gift giver and one fellowship? (1 Corinthians 1:10-17, 12:1-11)
Reflection
- What’s significant about being ‘baptized into one body to drink of one Spirit?’ (John 1:33, 7:37-39, 14:13, 14, 17:17, Acts 1:5, Romans 6:3, 4)
- If we were all one member, where would the body be? (Romans 12:5-7, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Ephesians 4:3-6)
- How do we express the ‘same care for one another?’ (John 15:12, 13, Galatians 5:13, 14, Ephesians 5:32, 1 John 5:7, 8)
- What are the key gifts in verses 29 and 30?
Testimony Time
- How can we heal the schisms in the body? (Ephesians 4:25, Galatians 6:1-2, 2 Timothy 2:23-26, James 5:19, 20)
- What are ways you’re showing off His power in unity? (Romans 12:3, 10, 13-18, Psalm 133:1-3, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23)
