August 7 Click on verses for Full Scripture

previous - - - - - - - - - - next

Today's Pathway: I Corinthians 12:17-21 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. 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.

In today's passage Paul is continuing his discussion of spiritual gifts within the local church. Yesterday we saw his teaching that all the members of the body were important, regardless of what their individual ministries might be. In verse 17 he adds that not everyone in the church has the same gift. Not only are all the gifts important, but they are all necessary. For example, in the first century Corinthian church, if everyone had the gift of tongues, but no one had the gift of interpretation, what good would the tongues be? Today, if everyone had the gift of ruling, but no one had the gift of teaching, who would instruct the rulers how to lead the congregation in a Biblical direction? The church would surely be rendered ineffective.

In verse 18 Paul reminds the Corinthians that it is God who has placed them in the church there, and it is God Who determines what gifts every Christian receives. Because He is God, He is allowed to do that in a way that pleases Him, and no church member has the right to be jealous or complain. It is also good to remember that what God does is always right, and therefore is always what is best for His children. So, rather than complain, we should rejoice that He has gifted us in the first place, and be thankful that He has bestowed upon us exactly what we need to be the best Christians and church members that we can possibly be.

In verse 19 Paul points out the absurdity of a body that only had one part. A number of years ago I was in a county morgue and saw clear plastic bags with human organs in them that were labeled with the name of the person from whom they were removed. It would have been foolish for me to assume that the small baggie contained an entire human body. A "body" that has only one part is not a body. In the same way, a church whose members all had the same gift and the same ministry would not really be a church. In verse 20 he gives the corollary to that by reminding them that even though they have different gifts they are still to be functioning as a body with all the parts working together for the good of the body. Paul establishes this principle in Ephesians 4:16,

"From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

In verses 15-16 Paul spoke to those who might have felt that their gifts or ministries were inferior to those of others. Now in verse 21 he speaks to those who thought that their gifts were better than those of others, and thus looked down on them. Unfortunately, in a church setting there can be some who feel they are more important than others. They think that their gifts and contributions are more significant than those of others who do have the public ministries that they do. Paul's point here is that such feelings and thoughts are totally inaccurate. The church member who may seem to have a "less important" gift, but who is using that gift, is as vital to the function of the church as the pastor, the deacon, the pianist, or the "most gifted" person in the congregation. Anyone who would say that he "has no need of thee" about another church member has no understanding of the Word of God nor of the Lord's church.

Do you feel that your gifts or ministries are either inferior or superior to those of others? If so, you are incorrect. Just take what God has given you and use it for His glory and the benefit of your church.