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About-Him.Com Devotional 10-10-2009
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That There Be No Schism in the Body

I Corinthians 12:12 ¶  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14  For the body is not one member, but many.  


In I Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians whom we remember were prone to excess and divisions. Some  claimed to be of Paul,  Peter or Apollos and others of Christ (I. Cor. 1:12).  Rather like our modern denominations, wouldn’t you say?  

Paul lists the gifts of the Spirit that are given to the church by the Holy Ghost (I Cor. 1:1-12).  The Holy Ghost we remember, is our teacher, who testifies of Jesus and brings to our remembrance all that he has commanded (John 14:26). The gifts are not given to elevate one individual over another, but only to magnify the person of Christ and to edify His church, which is His body here on earth. Of course the word church can have many connotations  The world is full of stone mausoleums that are commonly called churches, but are totally void of any spiritual life.  Other groups  deny the deity of Christ and even His resurrection. I don’t believe that the apostle Paul had these types in mind.  The true meaning of “church” is an "assembly.” In this case it is an assembly of sanctified believers who are actively manifesting the life of Christ in their mortal bodies.    

The gifts vary in nature and have differences of operation and administrations, but all come from the same source, the Spirit of God. They are given to every man for each to profit by their operation (I Cor. 12:4-7). The individual gifts are given to each as the Spirit determines, similar to the distribution of the pounds  (Luke 19:13) and talents (Mt. 25:13) in the gospels.  

Evidently the distribution of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church was causing divisions and jealousies. Some felt elevated because of the gifts that they had received and others felt excluded.  Because of this Paul used the analogy of the human body to illustrate that every organ had it’s unique function, but none could claim to be the whole body itself. If one organ is affected, the whole body suffers.  

If the foot were to say, “Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body,” does that make it a fact?  No more so than  if I feel alienated and feel that I am not a part of Christ’s body, it doesn’t change the fact that  Jesus purchased me with His blood, just as He did for all believers. My perceptions don’t alter the facts of God’s word.  

Our natural body would look rather strange if we were one big eye, that didn’t have the capacity of the other senses i.e. it couldn’t taste, hear or feel. Just as our natural hand cannot say that it doesn’t need our eyes, neither can one member of the church say that he has no need of another. James condemned those who showed preference to the man in rich apparel over the one who was obviously poor.  One was ushered to a good place and the other had to sit under a footstool (Ja. 2:3).  The last time I checked, this is still just as prevalent in the church today and it was then and it still grieves the very heart of God.  

Some members of our natural bodies are more pleasant to look at than others.  Our faces usually are more attractive than our feet, but both are necessary to the successful functioning of the body.  

Likewise just because some members of the church exercise more prominent and visible gifts , it doesn’t negate the need for the gifts that are less noticeable.  I am reminded of C.H. Spurgeon who was a renowned preacher in late 19th century London . A visitor was touring his church. Mr. Spurgeon  offered to show him the powerhouse. He led him to a private room where a hundred people would be in intercessory prayer as he spoke from the pulpit. Mr. Spurgeon received the public acclaim because of his visible success, but these unknown prayer warriors shared in his success and will not go unrewarded at the throne of God.  

Paul’s desire was that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. If one member suffers, we all suffer along with him/her. Likewise if  one is honored, we all rejoice  (I Cor. 12:25-26).   

God has an established order of church government, such as apostles, prophets, teachers. After that miracles, healings, helps, governments and tongues. We aren’t all apostles. We don’t all perform miracles, but we all have a gift that God has entrusted us with.  The gift  of helps for example is vastly overlooked but just as important to the proper functioning of the body of Christ as the more visible apostles, prophets and teachers.  A word in season to the one who is weary will not go unnoticed or unrewarded by our Lord (Isa. 50:4).  

Whatever our gift or talent is, be it large or small, let us perform it heartily as to the Lord and not to man.  

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.  

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do [it] heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

 
Somebody Has Said
Since the days of Pentecost, has the whole church ever put aside every other work and waited upon Him for ten days, that the Spirit's power might be manifested? We give too much attention to method and machinery and resources, and too little to the source of power. - Jeremy Taylor

Free Ebooks That You Can Download.

An Expository Study on the Book of Colossians  

The I AMs of Jesus   


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