1 Corinthians 12:12-31
12 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. 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. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
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? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one 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.” 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. 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.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
This description of the church body under Christ as the head is to help us understand our roles and spiritual gifts given us to live out the works prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10) before we even were born (2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 1:3-4). We are many diverse individuals with varying gifts and callings who are all united in Christ who is in authority over us to direct our actions for His glory and honor in all we do for the gospel’s sake. By God’s Holy Spirit we have been immersed into this one body (Titus 3:5) in this unifying union with Christ by His will and grace as He called us out of all nations, peoples, and languages (Daniel 7:14, Revelation 7:9) to be one in Him. Because of this calling, we are to recognize that each body part has a unique function and all are valued and necessary for the body to function under the head for the glory of God. Comparing ourselves with the intent of boasting our worth over another in the body because of what we can do is shortsightedness and worthless pride. We are all equally necessary and important to the proper functioning of the church, no matter the visibility or assumed importance of the gifts we possess or the roles we have been assigned by God in our calling. A pastor or evangelist is no more important than someone who is gifted in administration or interpreter of divinely spoken languages. This is the obvious meaning of the misguided comparison of the eye, hand, and feet vying for supremacy over each other due to more or less honorable uses as we perceive them. God therefore gives greater honor to the part we hold less honorable as we should do as well to encourage their service which is just as valuable and needed as the most visible preachers or teachers in the body of Christ. Remember that it is God who values each of us and who has put us in the places to serve Him with the appropriate gifts prepared for each to do in service to Him. Who are we to devalue or overvalue one over another? We should therefore have the same care for each and all in the sight of God in Christ and not divide over gifting or calling by ranking each other. We are rather to suffer with those who suffer and rejoice with those who are honored (Romans 12:15-16). Each has a different gift such as the ones listed here for the function of the body for God’s glory in ministering the gospel to the world and each other (Ephesians 4:12-13) to mature in Christ as a whole body of unique individuals as members of His body. We are then to earnestly desire the best gifts, but especially demonstrate love to one another in each one’s calling and gifting by grace for the purposes which we have been created for. This is our unity in diversity in Christ.
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