Dig Deeper
Thom Rainer in his book I Am A Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the
Difference, observes that 1 Corinthians 12 through 14 offers one of the
most voluminous and clear pictures of God’s desire for the church. Rainer writes,
“In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains the metaphor of the church being a body
with many members. In 1 Corinthians 13, he established love as the central
attitude and action all members should have. And in 1 Corinthians 14, he
returns to the messed-up church at Corinth that has the concept of membership
all wrong.” (Page 11)
The beginning point for understanding God’s pattern
for the church is embracing unity amidst the diversity of the body, “God has
put the body together… so that there would be no division in the body…” (1
Corinthians 12:24b-25a HCSB). 1 Corinthians 12:18 declares, “But now God has
placed each one of the parts in one body just as he wanted.” What further
implications of this truth are gleaned from the following Scriptures?
Psalm 143:10--
Proverbs 16:9--
Acts 17:26--
Ephesians 1:11-13--
Compare 1 Corinthians 12:18 with Romans 12:3-4 and
Ephesians 4:7. How is the church as a whole more healthy when every member is
encouraged to identify and life out his or her function?
Application
Pledge One:
“I am
a church member. I like the metaphor of membership. It’s not a membership as in
a civic organization or a country club. It’s the kind of membership given us in
1 Corinthians 12:27, ‘Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of
it.’ Because I am a member of the body of Christ, I must be a functioning
member, whether I am an ‘eye,’ or ‘ear,’ or a ‘hand.’ As a functioning member I
will give. I will serve. I will minister. I will evangelize. I will study. I
will seek to be a blessing to others. I will remember that ‘if one member
suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, al the
members rejoice with it’ (1 Corinthians 12:26).” I Am
a Church Member, page 18.
Memorize This
1
Corinthians 12:18-- But now God has placed each one of the parts in
one body just as He wanted. HCSB
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