Lesson #18

1CORINTHIANS 12:12-31
Lesson #18
THE BODY IN UNITY THROUGH DIVERSITY

• Memory Verse: 1Cor 12:18
  
• In the first part of 1Corinthians chapter 12, we discussed the gifts given to the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. We defined each of the gifts and observed how the Holy Spirit moves on a believer to suddenly operate one of the gifts to meet a specific need in the body of Christ.
• Remember that these gifts in 1Cor 12:1-11 are not permanent but function temporarily and periodically through a believer.
• In the last part of 1Corinthians chapter 12, Paul will give us examples from all three categories of gifts given to the body of Christ. (1Cor 12:27-28)
• =1= The supernatural spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit.(1Cor 12:8-11)
• =2= The gift of people to fill positions in the body of Christ and given by Jesus Christ. (Eph 4:11)
• =3= The motivational gifts given by God, the Father. (Rom 12:1-8)
• In the context of the subject of gifts, Paul explains to us how the body of Christ works in unity through diversity.

• Read 1Cor 12:12-26
• We see the unity of the body of Christ with its diversity in verse 12.

• “…and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is

(the) Christ.” (12)

• This verse tells us that we are part of the one body that is Christ. In the original Greek, the word Christ is preceded by the word, “the”. The words, The Christ, tell us that Christians together constitute Christ. This is the unity between Christ and His Church.
• The church compared to the human body:

The Human Body	The Church of Jesus Christ
The body has many different parts	The church has many different members
The parts of the body are unique and different	The members of the church are unique and different (in size, age, personality, experience, etc.)
The parts of the body each have a different function, a different position, a different ability, and created to take advantage of different opportunities.	The members of the church each have different functions, different positions, and different gifts, different abilities, and different opportunities
Some parts of the human body are more attractive than other parts	Some members of the church are more attractive and more lovable than other members
Some parts of the human body are more susceptible to injury than others	Some members of the church are more susceptible to injury (physically, emotionally, spiritually)
Some parts of the human body are strong and some are weak	Some members of the church are spiritually strong and some are spiritually weak
Some parts of the human body contribute more to the overall function of the body than other parts	Some members of the church contribute more to the overall function of the church than others
All parts of the human body were created by God to work together for the maximum benefit	All members of the church were placed there by God to work together for the maximum benefit
All parts of the human body are born to be members of that body	All members of the universal body of Christ are born into the body of Christ by the new birth

• How does a person become part of the body of Christ, the church? (13)
• A person becomes a part of the universal body of Christ by the experience of new birth.
• When a person receives Jesus Christ into his heart and life, the Holy Spirit baptizes him into the body of Christ.
• This is not water baptism. This is the baptism of repentance. The Holy Spirit takes the soul of the new believer, whose sin is now forgiven, and moves that soul out of the kingdom of Satan and into the kingdom of God.
• The word, baptism, refers to identification. The new believer is now identified with Jesus Christ and the family of God.
• Read Gal 4:6-7
• All members of the body of Jesus Christ drink of one Spirit. (13)
• What does Paul mean?
• Read Joh 4:14
• Jesus said that the drink of living water is everlasting life.
• Read Joh 6:54
• Jesus said that the drink of His blood is everlasting life.
• Read Joh 7:37-39
• Jesus said that the drink is the Holy Spirit who gives eternal life.
• Therefore, when a person receives Jesus Christ into his heart, he receives the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit inside of that believer which causes the new birth experience and enables the believer to be used by the Holy Spirit.
• Remember that the list of gifts in 1Cor 12 are gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit inside of the believer prompts the believer to use one of the gifts that are resident inside of the believer.
• If we carry the logic further, that means that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are already there inside of the believer waiting for the Spirit to prompt the believer as to when to use that gift. The use of the gifts of the Spirit is the overflowing of the living water that pours out of the believer. (“…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Joh 7:38)
• The members of the body of Christ and the gifts given to those members are to please God. (18)
• Notice that verse 18 tells us that it is God that puts people into the body of Christ according to His good pleasure.
• There are some people in the body of Christ that neither you nor I would have chosen to be part of the family of God. For example, murderers that come to Christ in prison. They are not lovable to us, but God has put them in the body of Christ.
• This was an important lesson for the Corinthian Christians that were so judgmental and divided. They needed to understand that God puts believers together.
• I am sure there were many Christians at that time that would not have chosen Paul to be part of the family of God. He persecuted and caused the death of many believers. Who would want him as a brother in Christ?
• However, without Paul, we would not have much of the New Testament in its present form.
• “

And if they were all one member, where were the body?” (19)

• Unity is not conformity. If unity meant conformity, there would not be a body of individual believers. (19)
• The human body would not be able to function if every part conformed itself exactly one with the other. So, also, the body of Christ.
• As humans we often think that unity is conformity.
• Just think how unified we would be if that brother would think the way I think! If that sister would just shut up and not express her different opinion!
• In the body of Christ we must make allowance for the diversity in the body of Christ. (Rom 12:3)
• Read Joh 17:20-22
• Conformity is not what Jesus Christ had in mind when he prayed that we would be one.
• The Holy Trinity is a unity but there is diversity. Each member of the Holy Trinity has a different function and an individual personality.
• The Holy Trinity is the model for unity in diversity.
• It is OK to be different, to think differently, and to act differently.
• However, in the differences, there must be:
• Unity of purpose.
• Unity of vision.
• Unity of Spirit.
• Humility in action.
• Respect of authority.
• “…those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary.”

(22)

• It is interesting that Paul tells us how necessary the weak believers among us are.
• Why? Of what value are the weak believers in the body of Christ?
• We have already learned that God puts people in the body of Christ. Therefore, we could say that those who are weak in the body of Christ were placed there by God for the benefit of the whole body.
• The polishing process:
• The process of maturity occurs as the personalities, strengths, and weaknesses of believers come in contact one with the other. When Jesus Christ first catches up with us, we are all jewels not yet polished. After we receive Jesus Christ in our hearts, the Lord begins to polish us by crossing our lives with the people that will do a good job of polishing us. Sometimes that polishing process is painful and frustrating. It becomes easier when we understand that it is God’s design for maturity with every member of the body of Christ doing his part to make me a better person.
• “And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour.”

(23)

• More abundant honor should be given to those that are always on the side and not in the front. Usually those believers that have a public ministry get the most honor, when often, those with a private ministry, do a better service.
• We are to recognize the importance of those in the background, those who faithfully support the ministry but are not seen publicly. When we recognize their contribution, it gives them honor, and in turn it unifies the body of Christ.
• The members in the body of Christ show love to other believers when they acknowledge the contributions of others to the body of Christ.
• Love covers the weaknesses of others and honors their strengths.
• It is this kind of love that makes the body of Christ a unified body with power.
• Summary:
• God’s purpose for putting people into the body of Christ:
• To develop the use of individual gifts.
• To function together to make a more perfect body of believers.
• To benefit the body of Christ through the diversity of its members.
• To mature each other by means of the polishing process.
• To encourage the weak to greater strength.
• To cause ministry to occur within the body of Christ.
• This section of scripture about the body of Christ impresses us with the importance of one person’s effect on the rest of the body of Christ. Paul tells us that if one member of the church suffers, we all suffer. If one member does not live a holy life, it affects the whole church. If one member is blessed, all are blessed.

• Read Eph 4:2-16 The Second Category of Gifts: The gifts of administrations:
• Diverse “administrations” (diakonia) (1Cor 12:5)
• The Greek word, diakonia, is where we get the word, deacon. A deacon is a leader in the church. (Eph 4:11)
• Therefore, these “gifts” are people placed in positions in the body of Christ.
• Notice in Ephesians it talks about the unity of the Holy Trinity.
• The gifts listed in Eph 4 are:
• Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
• The definitions and use of these gifts:

• -1- Apostles

• The definition of the word, apostle, means = a sent one. This is a person sent by God for a specific purpose and to fulfill a specific task.
• The task in the early church was to plant churches. This specific task has attached itself to the meaning of the word, apostle.
• The apostle Paul is the example of this gift given to the body of Christ.
• -2- Prophets

• Following the form of the Old Testament prophets, many of whom wrote books in the Old Testament, the New Testament prophet is someone given to the universal body of Christ to call people to account for their relationship with God.
• The prophet calls people to repentance.
• The prophet warns people of coming events including judgment.
• The prophet speaks of future prophetic events.
• The prophet speaks forth the specific words of God intended for that congregation.
• Agabus is the New Testament example. (Act 11:28 Act 21:10)
• -3- Evangelists

• The evangelist is a person gifted with the message of salvation and given to the universal body of Christ to bring people to the point of salvation in Jesus Christ.
• It is true that all believers are to share the Word of salvation through Christ with others. However, this person is Christ’s gift to the universal church so as to reach more people for Christ and to extend the Kingdom of God.
• The nature of this gift requires that the person be willing to travel.
• Philip is the Biblical Example. (Act 8). Billy Graham is a present day example.
• -4- Pastors

• The majority of churches have pastors. A pastor is a person that shepherds the people of God caring for their well being physically, emotionally, and spiritually. God calls pastors and places them in local churches within the body of Christ.
• Obviously this is the most abundant of these gifts of administration because this is the greatest need.
• Timothy, a young pastor, is one of the Biblical examples. (1 and 2Timothy)
• -5- Teachers

• The teacher is a person gifted with teaching and placed into the universal body of Christ to teach and explain the Bible, the Word of God.
• Apollos is the Biblical example of this gift to the body of Christ. (Act 18:24-25)
• The purposes for all these gifts of administrations:
• Read Eph 4:11-14
• …to make the believers perfect.
• ….to carry out ministry.
• As believers grow in their faith and understanding, they are to go out and carry ministry to others. These gifts in the form of people are sent to train believers to minister.
• …to edify (build up) the body of Christ.
• …to mature the immature Christians.

• Read 1Cor 12:27-31
• In this passage Paul repeats a few of the gifts from each of the three categories of gifts.
• Category #1 The supernatural spiritual gifts from 1Cor 12:8-11.
• Category #2 The gifts of administrational positions from Eph 4:11
• Category #3 The gifts of operations or motivations from Rom 12:6-8
• “…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?”

(28-30)

• Now that we have studied the categories of gifts, we can separate the gifts mentioned in these last verses of 1Cor 12 according to the list of gifts in their major scriptures for each category.

Category #1	Category #2	Category #3
Supernatural Spiritual Gifts	Administration Positions	Motivational Gifts
1Cor 12:8-11	Eph 4:11	Rom 12:6-8
Workers of Miracles Gifts of Healing Diversity of Tongues Interpretation of Tongues	Apostles Prophets Teachers	Helps (Serving) Governments (Facilitation)

• Application:
• There are many Christians that believe all of these gifts are not present in the body of Christ today. They believe the majority of these gifts died out with the death of the first disciples. Those gifts that they believe do not exist today are: Apostles, Prophets, Miracles, and Gifts of Healings, Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues. However, there is no scripture to give us this restriction. The Body of Christ has the same need of these gifts as the early church did. To pick some and eliminate others is a violation of scriptural interpretation.
• After discussing the gifts in 1Cor 12, Paul concludes with this thought, “…covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.” (31)
• Which are the best gifts?
• The tendency is to think that the gift given to me is the best gift. However, all are needed in the Body of Christ.
• In reality we cannot answer this question until we arrive at 1Cor 14 where Paul explains the use of the Spiritual Gifts in the church.

HOMEWORK
1CORINTHIANS 13
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of 1Cor 12:12-31
• What new ideas have opened to you in regards to the function of the body of the Christ and your part in it?
• Do you see any potential in your life to fulfill one of the Gifts of Administrations?
• Pray and ask God to reveal His desire for your life.

• Preparation for 1Cor 13
• Read 1Cor 13:1-13
• What is the “more excellent way” that Paul spoke about in 1Cor 12:31?
• What is the “perfect” that will come? (10)
• Why is charity the greatest of the three? (31)
• Memory Verse: 1John 3:11