 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
More I Corinthians commentaries
I Corinthians 9:1-10
The Pattern of Self-Denial
I Corinthians 9:11-18
Paul Surrenders His Rights
I Corinthians 9:19-23
Being a Servant To All Men
I Corinthians 9:24-27
Dealing with Christian liberty
I Corinthians 10:1-5
The Dangers of Overconfidence
I Corinthians 10:6-13
God Will Help You Resist Temptation
I Corinthians 10:14-22
Eating Meat Offered to Idols
I Corinthians 10:23-33
Principles that Govern Christian Liberty
I Corinthians 11:1-16
Head Covering in the Church
I Corinthians 11:17-22
Conduct surrounding the Love Feasts
I Corinthians 11:23-34
Conduct surrounding the Lord’s Supper
I Corinthians 12:1-11
Speaking Various Languages
I Corinthians 12:12-26
Spiritual Gifts that Unite
I Corinthians 12:27-31
God Assigns Spiritual Gifts
I Corinthians 13:1-13
Qualities of the Greatest Gift
I Corinthians 14:1-9
Preoccupation with Tongues
I Corinthians 14:10-17
Tongues Must Be Interpreted
I Corinthians 14:18-25
Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
I Corinthians 14:26-40
Instructions for Tongues Speakers
I Corinthians 15:1-11
Three Proofs of the Resurrection
I Corinthians 15:12-19
Consequences of Denying the Resurrection
I Corinthians 15:20-28
The Resurrection of Christians
I Corinthians 15:29-34
Effects of Denying the Resurrection
I Corinthians 15:35-44
What Our Resurrection Body Will Be Like
I Corinthians 15:45-50
Comparison of the Natural and Spiritual Body
© Family Times | About Us | Donate | Contact Us
Search for sermons by: Commentaries | Scripture search | Topics
Spiritual Gifts that Unite
I Corinthians 12:12–26
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
You may remember a few years ago when Snoopy, the lovable beagle in the Peanuts cartoon, had his left leg broken. Hundreds wrote letters to Snoopy or sent sympathy cards. Snoopy himself philosophized about his plight one day while perched on top of his doghouse and looking at … More
Paul reminds us that the gifts are given to unite us in our ministry in the one body and for the good of the whole church. The Holy Spirit bestows these gifts “as He wills” and not as we will (vv. 12-14). No Christian should ever complain about his or her gifts. We are many members in one body, ministering to each other.
In the body there is a diversity of gifts. There is a tendency among Christians for some people to magnify the “sensational” gifts. Some believers feel very guilty because they possess gifts that do not put them in the limelight. It is this attitude that Paul is opposed to and is addressing in this passage. Paul illustrates his point by comparing the different parts of the human body to the different parts of the church (vv. 15-20). Each member needs the other members, and no member can afford to become independent. No member can say “I have no need of thee” (v. 21). When a part of the human body becomes independent, you have a problem that often leads to sickness and death.
Some parts of the body seem to receive more attention and exposure than others, while there are other parts of the body that are never noticed at all (vv. 22-23). In a healthy human body, the various members cooperate and even help each other when a crisis occurs. Diversity leads to unity when the members care for each other; but diversity leads to disunity when members compete with one another. If one member suffers, it affects every member. If one member is healthy, it helps the others to be strong. In other words, unless gifts are used in a spirit of love, they are of little value. Divisions and alienation of feelings should never happen in the body of Christ (vv. 24-26).Application
I must never look down on those who seem unimportant, and I should not be jealous of others who have impressive gifts. I should use the gifts I have been given and encourage others to use theirs.
I Corinthians 12:12-26 (English Standard Version)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free- -and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
Post your comment or question below.