August 12
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UNITY IN THE BODY BY ONE SPIRIT
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. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.14 For the body is not one part, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired – 1 Corinthians 12:12-18
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In this letter, Paul likens the body of believers to the human body where all the parts of the body contribute something to make the entire body work together and be unified. In verse 12, he illustrates the similarities of the body which have a head who leads the other different parts of the body to work together for the health of the entire body. Paul compares it to Christ who is the head of the church (which is the body of Christ) and brings all the members of the church together for the purpose of God’s kingdom to come here on earth. In verse 13, he emphasizes the importance of unity in the body since we were all baptized into this church and though there may be differences in culture and background or origin, they are all gathered as one by the Spirit of God when they accepted the invitation to believe and commit to the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verses 14-17, Paul describes each body part in accordance to their function in the entire wellness of the body. He creatively brings this conversation between the body parts talking to each other, assessing what would happen if they decide to isolate themselves from the entire body or if one part would think that they are the only important part of the body and minimize the other parts. Without each part that has its own unique function, the body won’t be healthy. Just like in the church, each member of the body of Christ has their own roles to play to ensure that the church is equipped to bring the gospel to the ends of the earth and fulfill the coming of the kingdom here on earth. There is no room for division in Christ’s body for each member is motivated by the Holy Spirit whose role is to bring everyone to give God all the glory.
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REFLECTION
• What may cause division in the body of Christ? Why is it important to be unified?