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Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 the
truth of the unity in diversity of the body of
Christ by using the imagery of the human body.
He argues very strongly that all the members of
the body must understand that they are not to
view themselves as inferior or conversely as
superior to any other member of the body. But,
all members of the body are 'set' in their
particular place for a ministry to the body, and
all is designed by God.
This passage
is given as a truth to 'all' the body and can be
applied to a local body as well. It is
imperative that the 'global church' understand
the imperatives found in this passage and seek
to live out the relationship described on a
global scale.
- Unity
/ Diversity
- The body of Christ is
composed of the many, yet it is one. The
plurality in the unity, as seen in the
trinity, is also portrayed by Paul in
his description of the body.
- 1 Cor. 12:12 (NKJV)
For as the body is one and has many
members, but all the members of that one
body, being many, are one body, so also
[is] Christ.
Creation of the Body
- God forms the body as
He sees fit through the ministry of the
Spirit. It is God who builds the body
and it is for God’s glory that the body
is built.
13 For by one Spirit
we were all baptized into one
body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether
slaves or free--and have all been made
to drink into one Spirit.
Unity
/ Diversity of the Body
- The body of Christ is
composed of the many, yet it is one.
14 For in fact the
body is not one member but many.
Erroneous
View #1 – Depreciation of a Member
- The error of when
members of the body feel that for some
reason they are not as important or
significant as other members of the body
and do not feel that they are needed or
can contribute to the working of the
body.
15 If the foot should
say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not
of the body," is it therefore not of the
body?
16 And if the ear should
say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not
of the body," is it therefore not of the
body?
Necessity
of all the parts of the body
- The varied parts of
the body are required for a healthy
body. No complete body can be composed
of a single part of the body.
17 If the whole body
[were] an eye, where [would] [be] the
hearing? If the whole [were] hearing,
where [would] [be] the smelling?
God’s
Design for the Body
- God has designed all
the various parts of the body and has
put them in the particular geographical
location, socio-economic strata, and
religious setting.
18 But now God has
set the members, each one of them, in
the body just as He pleased.
Unity /
Diversity of the Body
- The varied parts of
the body are required for a healthy
body. No complete body can be composed
of a single part of the body.
19 And if they [were]
all one member, where [would] the body
[be]? 20 But now indeed [there] [are]
many members, yet one body.
Erroneous
View #2 – Exaltation of a Member
- The error of when
members of the body feels that for some
reason they are more important or
significant than other members of the
body feel that other members of the body
are not needed or cannot contribute to
the working of the body.
21 And 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."
God’s
Evaluation of the Work of the Members of the
Body
- The church has
allowed material / financial resources
to become a dominant means of evaluating
the value or ability of a member of the
body to contribute to the rest of the
body. God views the true contribution of
the member, the spiritual donation.
22 No, much rather,
those members of the body which seem to
be weaker are necessary.
23 And those [members] of
the body which we think to be less
honorable, on these we bestow greater
honor; and our unpresentable [parts]
have greater modesty, 24 but our
presentable [parts] have no need.
God’s
Design for the Body
- It is God’s plan that
the body, the global church, should be
united in their care for and ministry to
one-another. All the church is a part of
the ‘suffering’ church and must share in
that suffering. All the church is a part
of the ‘honored’ church and must share
in that honor.
But God composed the
body, having given greater honor to that
[part] which lacks it, 25 that there
should be no schism in the body, but
[that] the members should have the same
care for one another. 26 And if one
member suffers, all the members suffer
with [it]; or if one member is honored,
all the members rejoice with [it].
Unity /
Diversity
- The body of Christ is
composed of the many, yet it is one.
27 Now you are the
body of Christ, and members
individually.
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The Church |
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Col 1:18 And he is the head
of the body, the body. He is the beginning, the firstborn from
the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. |
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The Path to
Godliness Leads through the Valley of Suffering |
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1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
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The Church |
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Eph 5:23 For the husband is
the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church,
his body, and is himself its Savior.
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Rejoice in
the midst of Sufferings |
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1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
1 Peter 1:6-7 In
this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary,
you have been grieved by various trials,
7 so that
the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold
that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to
result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of
Jesus Christ. |
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The Body |
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Romans 12:4-5 For as in one body we have many
members, and the members do not all have the same function, so
we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually
members one of another. |
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Dr. James King [jking@gpte.org]
Revised:
01/11/09 16:17:55 -0500.
Copyright © 2001 by [Global Partners in Theological Education]. All rights
reserved. |
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