1 Corinthians 12:12-31
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 the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15 If the foot would 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 would 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 the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
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 members, 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 members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect;
24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member,
25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
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 deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, 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 in tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But strive for the greater gifts.
This is one of those many segments of Scripture that go SO much deeper than what you would get on a first read. So read it again!...
done?
I've heard this passage a million times. I know it precedes the infamous "love" chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. I know the context of the letter is to churches and early believers who are not getting along and arguing on who has a greater hold on the truth. I've heard this passage in Bible studies before talking about "spiritual gifts." We ask each other all the time "what are your spiritual gifts?". We talk about how Christians disagree and need to "get along" better.
Like it has many times this year, BSM Bible study turned this scripture on it's head. I led the Bible study and encountered the usual variety of homeless guests (around 10-15). We talked about the nature of the body of Christ and the need to get along and work together. We talked about the notion of all being equal in the Spirit. This led into verse 23: "those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect;" I asked everyone what they thought of this and a few of them spoke up to say "the golden rule!" "treat others as you would want to be treated!" If this happened anywhere else, I may have just moved on, noting that they understand.
However, something caught me. These people are struggling with homelessness and addiction. They get by with what little change they can find and oftentimes don't get even a smile from people walking by. This is the world they've become accustomed to. By saying this passage meant following the golden rule, they were acknowledging their place in this world and not expecting much more than what they've received and are able to do to others. I thought of my standards of "the golden rule" and realized they are probably much higher based on what I have been blessed with in my life.
This 1 Corinthians passage is MUCH deeper than the golden rule. This is not telling us to "get along". This is telling us to RADICALLY SHIFT how we relate to people.
22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
We can talk about getting along "in" our church and "with" other churches all we want. We can talk about how the singers and the accountants are valuable elements to our congregation...but if we fail to acknowledge the WEAKER members of our society - those who go by NOT expecting to receive more than the lot they've been given in life....
we suffer. we are not the body.
What does this mean for how we treat the poor in our nation and other nations? Do they deserve fair living situations? Do they deserve good school systems? Do they deserve effective and cheap public transportation? Do they deserve healthcare?
They deserve SO much more than these things. We should clothe them with honor and respect! Imagine the world we would face if we took this seriously!
The gifts of the spirit here are mentioned because we FAIL to acknowledge the gifts in ALL people. This is a great disservice to the body of Christ. This is not who we are called to be.
After all, we were ALL made to drink of the same Spirit.
