My Faith Journey
Read 1 Corinthians 12:1 – 30
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
Our Corporate Identity
The Apostle Paul used the human body as an illustration to emphasize the many parts that enable it to function. When all parts work together in harmony, the body functions well. However, if there is jealousy among the parts, it disrupts the body's ability to function properly. Paul likens believers to one body in Christ, with each individual placed for a specific purpose: to build up the body of Christ as one and to serve as a vehicle on earth for making Christ known.
The Function of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ
The Holy Spirit as Helper, firstly, solidify our identity in Christ. It is the enabling of the Holy Spirit that we can declare Jesus as our Lord (v.2-3). The same Holy Spirit also bestow upon every believer variety of spiritual gift, variety of ministries, with variety of effect.
The variety of Spiritual gifts are representation of diversities of gifts from the same Spirit. The unity of the body of Christ is not found on one gift, but in the Holy Spirit who is the source of all spiritual gifts. The list in this chapter is not comprehensive. Spiritual gifts are when we surrender our talents and ability to allow the Holy Spirit to use it for His purpose.
The variety of ministries are representation that we don’t all have the same work. But what is common is that whatever we do, we are doing it for the same Lord. 1 Corinthians 13 speaks about love in exercising our spiritual gift as we minister to others.
The variety of effect pointed to the same God who empowers each believer. If one gift seems more successful or spectacular on the surface, it is not because of the superiority of the person possessing it, it demonstrate God at work in us, therefore the need not to cause division, but to honor the work of every member in the body (v. 23 – 26).
Application
Surrender our gifts to serve others. You may be bestowed with talents, instead of using it for yourself, will you allow the Holy Spirit to use it for the various ministries that He may lead you into. You will be surprised by the effect of such talents when it is empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, I proclaim you are Lord in my life. Thank you for the Holy Spirit. Thank you that He is able to mold me to be an impactful member in the Body of Christ. Teach me to serve, to love and to honor people that we walk alongside with. Let the work that are manifested in this Body, be edifying to bring others to You. Amen.
1 Corinthians 12:1 – 30
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
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?