First Corinthians 12 Part 10 All Members Of Each Church Are Vital For Proper Body Function

The body of Christ is a global and multi faceted living organism.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13  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. 13)  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. 

Paul was guided by the Spirit of God to teach us rich truth about the Spirit's ministry in and through us.

He was also used to guide us into truth about the church, the body of Jesus Christ.

The church is a living organism and Peter compares each Christian to a living stone in this temple of God (See 1 Peter 2:1-5). 

Pagans constructed impressive temples for their idols, using lavish building materials, but the church of the living God is composed of born again people.

In contrast to a local pagan temple, the church of Christ is global in scope, reaching into every nation where the gospel is preached and believed. 

Paul adds to this by showing us that each individual Christian (Peter's living stones) is connected to the Head, Jesus Christ (See Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18-20; 2:9-10).

Thus, the church which is the temple of the living God, is made up of born again people from all around the world. The church is governed and guided by it's Head, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, the church is one body with one faith, one Lord, one baptism, one purpose and one calling.

Use our gifts as God intended them to be used

Romans 12:3-8  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4)  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5)  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6)  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7)  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8)  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. 

Yet, the church is composed of many different body parts. 

This corresponds to the truth that each Christian is gifted by Christ as the Holy Spirit deems best (See 1 Corinthians 3:8-10; 1 Peter 4:10).

We are to use our gifts for the work of the ministry (See Ephesians 4:1-16). 

Every single person who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit is part of this living organism.

God's Spirit builds the Church and all members are vital for proper function.

1 Corinthians 12:14-17  For the body is not one member, but many. 15)  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16)  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? 17)  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

We learned in our last post that our body is a marvelous creation of God, made up of many organs, many systems and a central nervous system connecting the brain to all its parts.

The brain controls some bodily functions in the background. 

For example, we do not have to tell our heart to beat or our lungs to breath or our stomach to digest the nutrients from our food.

These things happen automatically. Our body knows what to do to protect itself from the damage of hypothermia.

If we fall into deep water and begin to drown, our body will take steps to preserve brain function so that the person can often be revived if not too much time has passed.

The foot cannot say to the rest of the body that "I am not the hand, so I am not part of the body." 

If a foot was amputated, it will die shortly after it is cut off from the rest of the body.

It is a vivid picture of how each local church has many members who are essential and needed because the Spirit of God put them in that body.  

Some Christians are lax about attending church or serving God. 

Yet, each member is needed and the church suffers when all members are not using their gifts and talents for the glory of God and the work of the ministry.

Paul continues his Spirit guided analogy by comparing the ear and the eye. The ear may say "I am not the eye so I am not of the body!" 

The ear has its own vital function of hearing, because faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

The eye has its own vital function of seeing the scriptures as we read them because the Spirit of God opens our eyes to His truth (See Psalm 119:18).

Again, these comparisons illustrate the foolishness of some Christians who refuse to get involved in their local church. 

Both the ear and eye are needed. The inescapable conclusion is that both the feet and hands, or the ears and eyes are needed for proper body function in the body of Christ, the Church.

Paul turns this another way. What if the whole body was an eye? 

If the church was all one large eye, then it cannot exist by itself. It will die because there are no hands, no feet, no ears, no mouths, nor organs, not legs, feet, arms or hands. 

The picture painted by Paul is that not every member in the body of a local church has the same gifts. 

There are many functions that need to occur in each local church in order to do what God wants to accomplish.

The hand, foot, eye or ear cannot do all those other functions. All body parts internal and external are needed. 

God sets all members in the church as it pleased Him.

1 Corinthians 12:18-21  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19)  And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20)  But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21)  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. 

Jealousy over spiritual gifts was a problem Paul addressed. Many Corinthians wanted prominent gifts like preaching, prophesying or speaking in tongues.

Yet, we learned that spiritual gifts are widely varied. 

Some gifts may seem more important because they are highly visible and others may seem unimportant because they happen behind the scenes.

Paul shows us that all gifts whether prominent or behind the scenes, are needed and necessary for proper body function.

God the Father is the One who set these things in motion and to be thinking that someone has a better gift then what God gave you or me, is sinful.

Thus, if a church has some members not using their gift to be a blessing in their church family, then this is a sin issue that the individual must deal with. 

God's will is that each born again believer use his or her gift for mutual ministry in the body of Christ and for the glory of God.

Behind the scenes ministry is vital just as our internal organs are vital.

1 Corinthians 12:22-25  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23)  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. 24)  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25)  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

Paul continues comparing the church to our physical body.

A man can lose an eye or ear and still live a vigorous and productive life. A man can lose an arm or leg and still have a good and meaningful life.

However, our internal organs are unseen because they are covered with skin, muscles, tendons and skeletal structure.

Yet, these unseen body parts are so vital that losing one of them carries serious consequences.

If our heart stops beating then we will die. If our renal system fails we will die. If our spinal cord is severed we will die. If our digestive system fails we will die. An so on. 

This is the vivid picture that the Spirit of God guided Paul to give us regarding the gifts of the Spirit and their use in each local church.

Those who preach or teach should never view themselves superior to those who faithfully complete behind the scenes ministry. 

The Corinthians bickered and squabbled over the issue of spiritual gifts and this caused discord and disharmony in the church.

This is what must be eliminated because God hates those who sow discord in His church (See Proverbs 6:16-19).

Puritan pastor Matthew Henry offers excellent insight into this whole issue stated below. 

"So it is in the body of Christ; its members must have different uses, and therefore have different powers, and be in different places, some having one gift, and others a different one. 

Variety in the members of the body contributes to the beauty of it. 

What a monster would a body be if it were all ear, or eye, or arm! So it is for the beauty and good appearance of the church,  there should be diversity of gifts and offices in it.  

The disposal of members in a natural body, and their situation, are as God pleases. But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

We may plainly perceive the divine wisdom in the distribution of the members; but it was made according to the counsel of his will for He distinguished and distributed them as he pleased. 

So is it also in the members of Christ's body: they are chosen out to such stations, and endued with such gifts, as God pleases. 

He who is sovereign Lord of all disposes his favors and gifts as he will. And who should gainsay his pleasure? What foundation is here for repining in ourselves, or envying others? 

We should be doing the duties of our own place, and not murmuring in ourselves, nor quarrelling with others, that we are not in theirs.  

All the members of the body are useful and necessary to each other. The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee; nor the head to the feet, I have no need of your: nay, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble.

God has so fitted and tempered them together that they are all necessary to one another, and to the whole body; there is no part redundant and unnecessary."

May we seek to have the mind of the Lord regarding His body, the Church. 

May we seek to faithfully use whatever gifts and talents God has given to us in our church family.

May we rejoice in how God does all of these things perfectly, in building His church and outfitting us, equipping us for the work of ministry.

Bob