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1 Corinthians 12:12-31

September 1, 2013 Series: 1 Corinthians

Topic: New Testament

September 1, 2013

Port Gardner Church

Chuck Hickman

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

One Body, Many Members

 

 

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 [12] 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. [13] 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.

                [14] For the body does not consist of one member but of many. [15] 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. [16] 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. [17] 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? [18] But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. [19] If all were a single member, where would the body be? [20] As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

                [21] 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.” [22] On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, [23] 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, [24] which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, [25] that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. [26] If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

                [27] Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. [28] And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. [29] Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? [30] Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? [31] But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

                And I will show you a still more excellent way.

               

 

The diversity and unity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

The fact of unity: believers all belong to a greater unit, the body of Jesus Christ.

The “body-like” unity of Christians is not a goal to achieve; it is a fact to be recognized.

  

Paul here is writing of the common “immersion” all believers have in the Holy Spirit and in Jesus, a common “immersion” which brings them into one body.

 

Every cell in a human body is linked by a common root (a common DNA code), yet the parts of our body (members) look different, are treated differently, work differently, and accomplish different purposes. 

 

There is great diversity in the body of Jesus Christ, both in appearance and function, yet each member has a common root and a common goal.  To bring glory and honor to God.  How?  By loving Him and doing what He commands.

 

 Because of the fact of the “body” dynamic, the dividing lines created by the Corinthian Christians were strictly artificial.  Jew, Greek, slave, free, did not matter anymore, because they were all in one body.

 

(15-20) Elaboration on the illustration of a body.

 

If the foot felt, or declared, itself not part of the body because it was not a hand, the foot would be both foolish and mistaken.  Diversity does not disqualify one from the body.  (we’re not talking about sin here)

 

Paul puts the question in the mouth of the one who feels excluded from the body.  It is as if some of the Corinthian Christians were saying, “I don’t have this certain spiritual gift.  I guess I’m not part of the body of Jesus Christ.” 

 

Hands and eyes seem more important and more “glamorous” than feet and ears.  So Paul wants these Christians who feel excluded that they are indeed members of the body, and their sense that they are not, is just as foolish as the foot or the ear who feel excluded.

 

The same principle can be stated towards those who desire to exclude others from the body.  One part of the body cannot exclude another.  The hand does not have the ability or the power to exclude the ear from functioning.  Remember it is the body of Christ.  It is the body that belongs to Christ… and Christ is not going to injure Himself.

 

Paul wants Christians who might exclude others because they don’t appreciate their place in the body to recognize the fact of unity.

 

Not only is this diversity in the body of Jesus Christ acceptable, it is essential.  The body cannot work properly if all are hands, or if all are eyes. 

 

Why is the foot a foot and the hand a hand?  Because it pleased the Designer to make it so. 

So, the hand can take no “pride” in being a hand, and the foot can take no “shame” in being a foot.  Each is serving the pleasure of the Designer.

 

In the design, we see the wisdom of the Designer: everybody has something; but nobody has everything.

 

 (21-26) The less “glamorous” parts of the body are just as important.

 

 Now, Paul writes to those tempted to pride and a sense of superiority because of their gifts or place in the body.  They cannot say to such parts, “I have no need of you.”

 

If you are secure in your role in the body, it can be easy to be susceptible to pride.  “I know my purpose, I’ve got it together… 

 

We can consider a part of our body unnecessary or of low importance – until it is hurt.  Then we realize how important it is!  The hand or the eye may seem to be more important, and may have more “glamour” in its position – but it is not more necessary or important than other parts of the body.

 

The parts of our bodies normally covered by clothes are often considered less honorable – but we give them greater honor by clothing them so carefully!

 

i. Clarke on the less honorable parts:  “seem to mean the principle viscera, such as heart, lungs, stomach, and intestinal canal.  These, when compared with the arms and limbs, are comparatively weak; and some of them, considered in themselves, uncomely and less honourable; yet these are more essential to life than any of the others.”

 

If someone feels they are a “hidden” or “unglamorous” member of the body of Jesus Christ, God knows how to bestow honor upon them.

 

Don’t know your place in the body?  What are you doing now?  What are you good at?  What do you like to do?

Don’t compare yourself to the person who is great at sharing their faith or volunteering at the soup kitchen, or sings really well or …

 

 

 

 

 

The Corinthian Christians should care for one another because they are all part of the same body.

 

The parts of the body work together.  The eyes and ears do not only serve themselves, but the whole body.  The hands do not only feed and defend themselves, but the whole body.  The heart does not only supply blood to itself, but serves the whole body. 

 

Sometimes there is a part of our body which only lives to serve itself.  It doesn’t contribute anything to the rest of the body, and everything it gets it uses to feed and grow itself.  We call this cancer.

 

 “I want every member of this church to be a worker.  We do not want any drones.  If there are any of you who want to eat and drink, and do nothing, there are plenty of places elsewhere, where you can do it; there are empty pews about in abundance; go and fill them, for we do not want you.  Every Christian who is not a bee is a wasp.  The most quarrelsome persons are the most useless, and they who are the most happy are peaceable, are generally those who are doing most for Christ.”   Charles Spurgeon

 

Quiet Faithfulness is Spurgeon’s desire here.

I’ve been learning to keep my mouth shut… yet my learning does not always benefit me as I would hope.   Patience is needed…

 

Paul could have, and some today think he should have, just come out and said “care for one another” and ignore the spiritually true foundation for such caring.  “Come on, Paul.  Don’t bother us with theology.  Just tell us what to do.”  But Paul wants more than a result from the Corinthian Christians; he wants them to have understanding also.  He also knows that ultimately, the best results are based on understanding!

 

Remember being told to do something by your parents…  “Because I said so…” ?

 

And if one member suffers: The care for one another mentioned in the previous verse is now explained.  It means to have a heart towards, and sympathy with, our fellow members, though they be different.

 

 (27-31) God distributes gifts and callings according to His pleasure.

 

Even as a human body is a unified whole with many different parts, so also is the body of Jesus Christ.

Everything in creation, every design, everyone of God’s statutes, every scientific miracle has the fingerprint of God on it.

  

Apostles are “special ambassadors” of the church.  Paul and others in his day had a unique apostolic authority, which will never be repeated because the foundation of the church has already been set (Ephesians 2:20).  However, God still has His “special ambassadors” in the church today, though not with the same authority as the original apostles.

 

Prophets are those particularly called to speak forth for God with the gift of prophecy.  There was a unique, foundational authority to this gift as well (Ephesians 2:19-20).  However, God raises up those to speak to the church and the world with a special blessing and power.

 

However, if one will either claim or receive the title of “prophet” today, let them be held to the standard of a prophet: 100% accuracy, in every word .

 

Deuteronomy 18:20-22[20] But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ [21] And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’—[22] when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

               

 

Workers of miracles: Those used of God to do miracles.  Done on the Holy Spirit’s initiative, not their own.

 

Helps: This has in mind those who help, or assist, others in doing the work of the Lord.  The term was used in Jewish context in this way: “The Levites were termed by the Talmudists helps of the priests.” (Clarke)

 

Spurgeon on those with the gift of helps: “It strikes me that they were not persons who had any official standing, but that they were only moved by the natural impulse and the divine life within them to do anything and everything which would assist either teacher, pastor, or deacon, in the work of the Lord.  They are the sort of brethren who are useful anywhere, who can always stop a gap, and who are only too glad when they find that they can make themselves serviceable to the church of God in any capacity whatever.”

 

In John Bunyan’s book Pilgrim’s Progress, “Help” came to Christian when he was mired in the “Slough of Despond.”  That is often when the gift of helps is most useful.  “Dear, very dear to us, must ever be the hand that helped us out of the depth of the mire where there was no standing; and while we ascribe all the glory to the God of grace, we cannot but love most affectionately the instrument he sent to be the means of our deliverance.” (Spurgeon)

 

Duplex

 

Spurgeon also describes the qualities of someone who is effective in the gift of helps:

 

1. A tender heart to really care.

2. A quick eye to see the need.

3. A quick foot to get to the needy.

4. A loving face to cheer them and bless them.

5. A firm foot so you will not fall yourself.

6. A strong hand to grip the needy with.

7. A bent back to reach the man.

 

An old Puritan preacher once did a great sermon on this text: And Bartholomew (Matthew 10:3).  His point was that Bartholomew is never mentioned by himself, but always with the phrase and Bartholomew.  He is always spoken of doing something good with someone else.  He was never the leader, but always a helper.

 

Do all speak with tongues?  Paul’s plain meaning is that the gift of tongues is not for every believer, just as the gifting of apostles, prophets, teachers, working of miracles or healings and so forth are not for every believer. 

 

Great damage has been done in the church by promoting tongues as necessary to really live as a Christian, or as the evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence.  This has caused many to seek the gift of tongues, or to “fake” the gift of tongues, often only to assure one’s self or others that they are indeed filled with the Holy Spirit.

  

Earnestly desire the best gifts: Though the Holy Spirit gives the gifts, it is good and proper for us to desire them, and to ask for them, all in submission to the plan of God.

 

Paul will explain the more excellent way in chapter 13, with a focus on love, not the gifts themselves.  The gifts are merely ways we can express and receive love from God and love to one another.  They are the “containers” and what is in the container – love – is far more important. 

 

“A shopful of barrels enrich not, unless full of commodities.” (Trapp)

 

 

More in 1 Corinthians

November 17, 2013

1 Corinthians 16:1-24

October 20, 2013

1 Corinthians 15 The Resurrection

October 6, 2013

1 Corinthians 15:12-20