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One Body with Many Parts
12 The body of Christ has many different parts, just as any other body does. 13Some of us are Jews, and others are Gentiles. Some of us are slaves, and others are free. But God's Spirit baptized each of us and made us part of the body of Christ. Now we each drink from that same Spirit.
14Our bodies don't have just one part. They have many parts. 15Suppose a foot says, “I'm not a hand, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the foot still belong to the body? 16Or suppose an ear says, “I'm not an eye, and so I'm not part of the body.” Wouldn't the ear still belong to the body? 17If our bodies were only an eye, we couldn't hear a thing. And if they were only an ear, we couldn't smell a thing. 18But God has put all parts of our body together in the way that he decided is best.
19A body isn't really a body, unless there is more than one part. 20It takes many parts to make a single body.
Reflect
“One body, many parts.” That is Paul’s picture of the church.
“Don’t be idle!” (vv 12-20). Look through these verses again to see how Paul shows that every Christian has a part to play in the life of the “body” which is the people of God. The only person for whom there is no place is the one who makes no contribution at all!
“Don’t scorn others!” (vv 21-24). Let me bring this up to date. A church should have all kinds of people in it: Mrs. A spends much time in prayer meetings; Jim R goes around the community looking for delinquents; Mr S. places great emphasis on worship; Mr. & Mrs. J use their home to reach other young couples; Bob L talks about Christ to strangers on the bus; Mr W serves on committees; Miss N gives hours to Sunday school and girls’ club – and so on. How we love to force everyone into one mold! What does Paul say about it here?
“Don’t divide the body!” (25, 26). All the people I have mentioned (and many more) are needed. They must accept one another, and help one another.
Respond
Help me, O Lord, to find my own particular job, and to do it with all my might. Amen.
Tony Capon
Born in England, Tony served in the British Army in Germany 1945-48, then graduated from Cambridge University and Oak Hill Theological College London. He served as an Anglican priest in London and in 1956, Tony and his wife emigrated to Canada. There he served as Associate and President of Scripture Union. Later, as SU Co-ordinator for the Americas, he travelled widely in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean promoting the work of SU. From 1975 to 1978 he served as Director of Development at Wycliffe College, Toronto, and from 1978 to 1991 as Principal of Montreal Diocesan Theological College. He has just celebrated his 90th birthday!