1 Corinthians 12:12-31

(1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body.  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

 

The Corinthian Church was established during the second evangelistic tour of the apostle Paul. As time passed after the establishment, a number of problems arose within the church. In 1 Corinthians, from the apostle Paul's reproof of fornication in chapter 5, lawsuits (6 chapters), marriage (7 chapters), idolatry (8 chapters), idolatry (10 chapters), and the worship and Holy Communion chapter 11 There were counsels and teachings from the apostle Paul regarding the corruption that occurred in the church and the problems of the church. Even after chapter 12, many teachings of the apostle Paul appear.

 

The apostle Paul spoke of greetings to the members of the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 1 to 4, the cause and effect of the dispute in the church, and counsel before addressing the problems of the Corinthian church in Chapter 5. There were various problems with the church, and the problems themselves did not make the church virtuous, but there were other more serious things. It was an argument without consensus among members. In order to solve the problems that have arisen in the church, there can be enough discussions or debates among the members. However, the Corinthian Church went beyond just debate or debate and became a dispute. Eventually, factions were formed in the church.

 

The heart of the apostle Paul, who served in the Corinthian church for one year and six months, must have been torn. In the apostle Paul's opinion, the most urgent thing to be resolved in the church was to make the disputes that occurred within the church disappear rather than to eliminate or improve the general problems. Various opinions can be presented in the church. However, it is not the shape of the church to insist on one's own opinions, to disregard the personality of others, and to make the church become a dispute and to create a faction. Organizations or communities in the world may have factions, but the church must be one. No matter how many people come together to form a community, the church deserves to be one. Although the apostle Paul pioneered the Corinthian Church, the Corinthian Church is the Lord's Church, founded in the name of the Lord. If it is the Lord's church, the church should be one, not divided.

 

Chapter 12 is called the chapter on gifts. The gifts within the church are diverse. In addition to the gifts, there are various positions and ministry within the church, but it is God who insists on all these things. Therefore, even if there is diversity, the church must achieve unity. The Bible speaks of the necessity of unity, which must be in diversity, as a metaphor. Although the human body is composed of various parts, it is one body. “The body is one, but there are many members, and there are many members of the body, but just as it is one body, so is Christ.” All of the human body is made up of members, each part of the human body. Each member is united to form one body. The various members in the parable of the apostle Paul were to explain the diversity of the church, and one body was to tell the unity of the church.

 

In addition to the number and values of members of the church, the diversity of churches also includes the diversity of members of the church, such as race, ancestry, status, educational background, gender, and age. In this diversity, unity must be achieved because all members of the church have received one Spirit. Each of the saints is different because of one Holy Spirit, but they are walking the same path that the Lord leads. There should be no consciousness of superiority or inferiority of believers in the church or disputes caused by this. This is because each member of the church has its own role, just as different members have their own role.

 

『But now God has put each member on his body as he wishes.』Just as God puts members in the body as he wanted, so God puts the members of the church in the church as he wanted. 『For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: 』 Means well. It is a saying that God made one body by combining the members that seemed to be insufficient with those who were functionally important, and thus valued the members who were insufficient. Therefore, everyone is valuable in the church. No one can say that anyone is lacking or not. If it is not enough, it is what is lacking, and if it is not, everyone is precious. If each other regards each other as precious beings, the conflict will disappear in the church.

 

『That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 』 If each other regards each other as precious, they will take care of each other together. When someone is happy, they rejoice together and when someone suffers, they suffer together. This is because all believers become members of the body of Jesus Christ, not just human bodies. 『Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 』,『But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. 』
Longing for a greater gift will be a gift that will allow you to value other members more than yourself and to end conflicts and factions. It is the daily belief that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the saints.