I Corinthians 12:12-19: "One Body in Christ"
Just as Paul had previously spoke of the variety of spiritual gifts coming from one spiritual source, he here, shows the Corinthians that as a diverse group of believers they make up one spiritual body. MacArthur writes, "The Corinthians' misuse of spiritual gifts was one of many reflections of their fleshly worldliness, and was closely related to their divisiveness, which Paul now continues to reprove. While illustrating the diversity of spiritual gifts (12:4-11) the apostle repeatedly stresses their one source in God (vv. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11). He also stresses their one purpose, to reveal the Holy Spirit's work and power for the common good of the church (v.7)". As was mentioned at the beginning of this letter, one of the main problems in the Corinthian church was the disunity they had. Each was striving for his or her own good, they each wanted the most popular spiritual gift regardless if it hurt the body as a whole. Paul's goal was to bring them together to understand that God has placed each unique individual to have a specific role in the church, and when we recognize and submit to that role we benefit the body. Paul speaks of the unity of believers as one body, "For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ". Paul will use the human body to illustrate each members role in the function of the body of the church under Christ's headship. Paul speaks of this in Col. 1:17-18, "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy". There are a variety of races, personalities, denominations, and organizations that make up the body, but they are all brought together and identified by one common thing, that is, Christ. We are all under the headship of Christ. Our common denominator is a new life and spirit because of the work of Jesus Christ. So just as their are various spiritual gifts, they are given for one reason, to give proof of the spirit within each believer. Likewise, as there are various members of the church, they are one body together in Christ.
Paul continues, "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". The body of Christ is formed as believers are transformed by the truth and baptized in Christ's name. We are baptized with the Holy Spirit by the name of Christ. It does not matter our race, heritage, or social standing, we now have on vital thing in common, that is Jesus Christ. MacArthur writes, "One Spirit baptism establishes one church. There are no partial Christians, no partial members of Christ's Body. The Lord has no halfway houses for His children, no limbo or purgatory. All of His children are born into His household and will forever remain in His household". Paul's main point is that each believer makes up a portion of the body of Christ. Each believer is brought into the body of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit, which is evidenced by spiritual gifts. Therefore, there should be no reason for division in the body, as they are all one body brought together by Christ as the head. MacArthur writes, "When we were born again the Lord not only placed us into His Body, but placed the Holy Spirit in us. At salvation we are all made to drink of one Spirit. We are in the Spirit, who is in us. Just as there are no partially saved Christians there are no partially indwelt Christians". When we drink of the Spirit, or are filled with the Holy Spirit, it is synonymous to being saved, as only believers receive the Holy Spirit. As believers we all get our power, strength, and salvation from the same source.
Paul will now show that the only way the body of Christ can be unified is through diversity. Paul writes, "For the body is not one member, but many". The church is one body under Christ, however, within the body is many members, and each of them serves a different purpose. For example, Paul writes, "If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body". Here Paul is showing us that just as ridiculous as it would be to say that the hand is a part of the body, but the foot isn't, so it would be if we were to say that because one believer has a certain role in the church, and another has a less visible role, that they are not part of the body. It was evident that there was disunity, envy and disruption in the church because some believers were more gifted, or outspoken, or well known than others. Instead of being satisfied with the spiritual gift and role that Christ had given to them, they would argue and fight over who would perform what role. MacArthur writes, "Envy is also frequently petulant and pouting. If it cannot have its own way it takes its marbles and goes home, and will not play with the others. That is what some of the immature believers at Corinth were doing. In seeming humility, they said, 'I don't have a spiritual gift, so I am not really part of the church' . . . but that attitude does not reflect humility. It is self-centered, selfish, and an affront to God's wisdom and love". Therefore, just because someone would not feel as though they were part of the body because they did not have a specific gift or role in the body of Christ, does not make them any less a part of the body. We cannot rid ourselves of responsibility just because we didn't get our way, or we weren't gifted with the things we wanted to be gifted with. If everyone is fighting for the same position and gift the body would never function properly. Because of that, Paul writes, "If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?". The body only works properly when each part performs its role. If every part of my body wanted to be an eye, I would be able to see, but would not be able to smell, hear, taste, or touch. Likewise, when the Corinthian believers were fighting over their role in the body of Christ, they were each trying to perform whatever they deemed most important. With everyone trying to do what they wanted to do, rather than what they were called to do, the body was not properly functioning.
Lastly, Paul concludes this section with the responsibility each believer has to submit to God. "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired". MacArthur points out, "By wanting gifts they did not have, the Corinthian believers questioned God's wisdom and goodness by implying He had made a mistake". It was this arrogance that lead to the confusion and ineffectiveness to the spiritual growth of the body in Corinth. This verse shows that each believer is given certain gifts and responsibilities in the church divinely ordained by God. It is not our job to question God or ask why we were placed there. It is our responsibility to honor God and encourage the body by accepting our role and doing it excellently for the glory of God. Romans 9:20-21 says, "Who are you, O man who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this,' will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay?". May we be content and satisfied and work for the good of the body, not just our own desires. May we do the will of God using the gifts and influence He has given us. Summing it all up Paul reiterates what he had said earlier with the rhetorical question, "If they were all one member, where would the body be?". If the body were all one part, rather than intricately formed parts, it would not be a body by definition. MacArthur concludes, "A body that had only one part would not be a body. A church whose members all had the same gift and the same ministry would not really be a church. It is foolish and immature not to be content with or use what the Lord has given us".
Paul continues, "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". The body of Christ is formed as believers are transformed by the truth and baptized in Christ's name. We are baptized with the Holy Spirit by the name of Christ. It does not matter our race, heritage, or social standing, we now have on vital thing in common, that is Jesus Christ. MacArthur writes, "One Spirit baptism establishes one church. There are no partial Christians, no partial members of Christ's Body. The Lord has no halfway houses for His children, no limbo or purgatory. All of His children are born into His household and will forever remain in His household". Paul's main point is that each believer makes up a portion of the body of Christ. Each believer is brought into the body of Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit, which is evidenced by spiritual gifts. Therefore, there should be no reason for division in the body, as they are all one body brought together by Christ as the head. MacArthur writes, "When we were born again the Lord not only placed us into His Body, but placed the Holy Spirit in us. At salvation we are all made to drink of one Spirit. We are in the Spirit, who is in us. Just as there are no partially saved Christians there are no partially indwelt Christians". When we drink of the Spirit, or are filled with the Holy Spirit, it is synonymous to being saved, as only believers receive the Holy Spirit. As believers we all get our power, strength, and salvation from the same source.
Paul will now show that the only way the body of Christ can be unified is through diversity. Paul writes, "For the body is not one member, but many". The church is one body under Christ, however, within the body is many members, and each of them serves a different purpose. For example, Paul writes, "If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body". Here Paul is showing us that just as ridiculous as it would be to say that the hand is a part of the body, but the foot isn't, so it would be if we were to say that because one believer has a certain role in the church, and another has a less visible role, that they are not part of the body. It was evident that there was disunity, envy and disruption in the church because some believers were more gifted, or outspoken, or well known than others. Instead of being satisfied with the spiritual gift and role that Christ had given to them, they would argue and fight over who would perform what role. MacArthur writes, "Envy is also frequently petulant and pouting. If it cannot have its own way it takes its marbles and goes home, and will not play with the others. That is what some of the immature believers at Corinth were doing. In seeming humility, they said, 'I don't have a spiritual gift, so I am not really part of the church' . . . but that attitude does not reflect humility. It is self-centered, selfish, and an affront to God's wisdom and love". Therefore, just because someone would not feel as though they were part of the body because they did not have a specific gift or role in the body of Christ, does not make them any less a part of the body. We cannot rid ourselves of responsibility just because we didn't get our way, or we weren't gifted with the things we wanted to be gifted with. If everyone is fighting for the same position and gift the body would never function properly. Because of that, Paul writes, "If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?". The body only works properly when each part performs its role. If every part of my body wanted to be an eye, I would be able to see, but would not be able to smell, hear, taste, or touch. Likewise, when the Corinthian believers were fighting over their role in the body of Christ, they were each trying to perform whatever they deemed most important. With everyone trying to do what they wanted to do, rather than what they were called to do, the body was not properly functioning.
Lastly, Paul concludes this section with the responsibility each believer has to submit to God. "But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired". MacArthur points out, "By wanting gifts they did not have, the Corinthian believers questioned God's wisdom and goodness by implying He had made a mistake". It was this arrogance that lead to the confusion and ineffectiveness to the spiritual growth of the body in Corinth. This verse shows that each believer is given certain gifts and responsibilities in the church divinely ordained by God. It is not our job to question God or ask why we were placed there. It is our responsibility to honor God and encourage the body by accepting our role and doing it excellently for the glory of God. Romans 9:20-21 says, "Who are you, O man who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, 'Why did you make me like this,' will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay?". May we be content and satisfied and work for the good of the body, not just our own desires. May we do the will of God using the gifts and influence He has given us. Summing it all up Paul reiterates what he had said earlier with the rhetorical question, "If they were all one member, where would the body be?". If the body were all one part, rather than intricately formed parts, it would not be a body by definition. MacArthur concludes, "A body that had only one part would not be a body. A church whose members all had the same gift and the same ministry would not really be a church. It is foolish and immature not to be content with or use what the Lord has given us".
posted by amesfam | 5:55 PM
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