1 Corinthians 12:15-3

One Body, Many Gifts, Part 2

1 Corinthians 12:15–31

1861

October 10, 1976

We are looking at the thought of one body, many gifts; one body, many gifts, 1 Corinthians 12:12 through 31. I suppose that you have seen the television commercial with the rugged, bearded, strong, he-man type who runs around the woods with a big bear. Have you seen that? It’s a beer. It’s Hamm’s beer, I think, does it. But this guy is, you know, this guy big guy with a beard, and he’s got this big, fuzzy bear that runs everywhere with him, and paddles the canoe and all.

And, you know, there’s a method in a commercial like that, and that is that has a tremendous appeal to people, because people generally really admire rugged individualism. I mean here’s a guy who has tamed a bear, who runs around the boondocks all by himself, doesn’t need anything but a periodic deliveryman who drops off six-packs. Apart from that, apart from that he needs nothing. And when you look at the billboards that show the Marlboro ad, it’s the Marlboro man: one man, all alone on a horse, out in the middle of nowhere – rugged individualism.

We honor people who go across the Atlantic in a dinghy, or who make amazing solo flights, or who climb Mount Everest. We have this mentality that says rugged individualism is the stuff that separates the men from the boys, the scientist who walks out of his laboratory after ten years and says, “Eureka!” and receives a prize for what he’s discovered. And something that appeals to us.

There’s something about the fact of doing something all alone, all by yourself, with nobody else, that says, “I have conquered everything. Everybody else I don’t need. I’m independent; I’m self-sufficient.” And that appeals to us. Do you know why that appeals to us? Because we’re depraved, that’s why. Thank you. I even know who that was, but I’m not going to say. That’s true though. The reason that appeals to us is because we’re depraved.

You say, “What do you mean, John?” God wants us to have a tremendous sense of dependency. God wants us to be a family. Do you remember when Cain had slain his brother, that God said to him, “Where’s your brother?” And what did Cain say? “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Ever since the fall, man has disdained the thought of responsibility for other people. Man has definitely wanted to be independent of any responsibility, and that’s one of the reasons that in the Old Testament, God even made an individual who sinned carry a weight of responsibility that hit a whole family, such as in the case of Achan, because God was getting a message across, and that message was, “Yes, you are your brother’s keeper. Yes, you are dependent on other people. No, I don’t want rugged individualism.”

And so Satan has, in response, I believe, built into the heart of man this concept of independence, this concept of needing nothing, needing nobody, being the epitome of life. When the fact of the matter is that that’s the very opposite of what God wants.

The philosophy of today, “Do your own thing,” the music of today, “I did it my way,” all echoes the same philosophy that the man with the bear and the beer echoes, same philosophy, that you don’t need anybody, that you don’t need anything, that you are sufficient. It’s Invictus: “I’m the captain of my fate. I am the master of my soul.”

And that’s the attitude that I think pervades our society to the degree that it even gets its way into the church, and we kind of translate it a little bit into our theology; and we think that we, because we have Christ, are sufficient; and we, because we have the Holy Spirit, are sufficient; and we really don’t need anybody else; and we’ve missed the point all together. And because we don’t live communally perhaps as they did in old times when in the Old Testament, for example, they lived by tribes; and in the New Testament, even they lived in the father’s house. And since our independence, we have fostered continuously that same attitude, even as Christians. And so in the backlash of all of that, the church today struggles to try to get back to the concept that the church is one body – doesn’t it? – with many members; and that we have a tremendous responsibility of dependency on each other.

As I said this week, I was at Dallas Theological Seminary speaking every day to the student body and the faculty. I was thrilled to be there; I thank God for that institution. They have over a thousand young men training for the ministry, fifty-four on the faculty. And I had to stand there and speak to all of these people training for the ministry, you know, who were scanning me and checking me out, and sitting around me on the platform: fifty-four faculty members with their Greek texts open, you know, finding out whether I got the right jots and tittles and everything. And I figured if I can just get in and out of here with my hide I’ll be all right, you know.

But the first thing I said when I was there was that I wanted to let them know that I had never been to the seminary in my life, and I had never really met the faculty, and I only knew a handful of the students. But I wanted them to know that my life and ministry would be eternally indebted to them. And I said the reason is because of the writing contribution of the faculty, and the fact that I have studied under some who have studied under them. And I pointed up the fact that all of us is so tremendously dependent upon others, that anyone who would think themselves to be independent, to think themselves to be a rugged individual, this is not really looking at the facts. And beyond the input we’ve already received, we have the same responsibility to minister back. And so I told them, “In view of all that has been given to me from here, I hope this week I can give something back, and mutually minister to you.”

And that has to be, I think, the general attitude for the whole Christian life. I suppose there was some people who’d come along and say, “Well, look at Jesus. Jesus was a rugged individualist.” Was He?

Do you realized that Jesus spent the thirty years of His life, the first thirty years of His life living with His family? I don’t think He ever even left and got His own apartment. I think the first thirty years of His life were spent in the family. He lived with the family. And the next three years of His life and His ministry He spent with twelve men, didn’t He.

You say, “But Paul was a rugged individualist.” No, I don’t think Paul ever went anywhere without somebody. I don’t like to go anywhere without somebody. I like to have somebody to lean on, somebody to minister to me and to whom I can minister, somebody to pray with, somebody to share with, somebody to labor with.

And Paul was that way. If you read the end of the book of Romans, he lists all those names of people who helped him, and who accompanied him, and whom he loved, and who ministered to him, and with him, and for him. And then if you go over to the fourth chapter of Colossians you’ll read another list of the same names of these people who ministered, and cared, and served, and did all kinds of things, and traveled with him.

If you go to 2 Timothy chapter 4, from verses 9 to 21, more names, more names, more names. If you read the book of Acts, he starts out with Barnabas, and then it’s Silas, and then it’s John Mark, and then it’s Timothy, and he’s always got somebody; and then it’s Luke, and so forth and so forth. He’s always got somebody that’s going along in ministry with him, somebody to whom he can minister, somebody to whom he can pour out his heart, somebody for whom he can be a source of strength.

There’s no place in God’s plan, there’s no place in biblical theology for rugged individualism. There’s no reason to think that you’re isolated; you are your brother’s keeper. The New Testament is loaded with things that say you’re your brother’s keeper. There’s no question about it.

But sadly there are so many Christians today who just don’t really get into the mainstream of that ministry; and usually that’s two problems. There are some Christians who feel inferior and unnecessary, and so they just sit on the fringe and don’t ever get involved; and many of them I’m sure come to Grace Community Church. And God loves you, and we love you, and lots of people love you. But you just don’t think you matter that much, and so you’re just content to kind of hang on the fringe, and you never do get involved. And so what you do is you short-circuit the ministry of the Spirit of God through your life to somebody desperately in need of it.

And then there are, on the other side, the kinds of people who say, “Well, look. Boy, you know, I’m a spiritual celebrity. I’m sort of a modified spiritual superstar. I don’t need all these people, I can go on my own.”

And, you know, we all fight that attitude. You know, sometimes I’ll preach a message, you know; and, boy, I’ll pour it out, and I’m all done. Somebody came up and say to me, you know, “You really blew it on that one. You said, ‘Buh-buh-buh-buh.’” My first reaction is, “Who needs you, fella, you know. I can handle it.”

Or else, you know, I’ll come in Monday. Boy, I’ll say to somebody, “It was a great yesterday. Boy, I just feel God really blessed.” And I’ll open my mail, “You so and so,” you know. I’ll go, “Who needs it? I know what I’m doing. I don’t need your criticism.”

You know, that’s your first response. And then you sort of come off of that and you say, “Well, Lord, yeah, probably they’re right. Well, yeah, yeah, yeah,” and you begin to realize that God puts all these people around you to minister to you, to keep the thing in perspective.

And that’s the way it has to be, you know. You’ve got to realize that there is no place for this individualism. Either the individualism of isolation or the individualism of a superstar kind of attitude, where you just don’t bother to mingle with the peons, you know. Both of those are wrong.

There’s a tremendous sense of interdependence in the body of Christ that defies the spirit of pride, and it defies the attitude of inferiority. Now that’s Paul’s major message in 1 Corinthians 12. Let’s look at it together. That’s really what he’s trying to say here, and he uses the familiar metaphor of a human body, and then makes an application, and then a final appeal. So those are the three things we want to look at: the analogy, the application, and the appeal. And these three things will draw to a great truth, I think, this idea of interdependence and mutuality within the body of Christ.

Now we began last time by looking at his analogy, and his analogy is a body. An analogy is simply another way of saying something. And he wants to say a spiritual truth, but he says it in another way by using a human figure, or an illustration, and his illustration is a human body. And he develops the analogy along four lines. He says, “A human body illustrates unity, a human body illustrates diversity, a human body illustrates sovereignty, and a human body illustrates harmony. And those four things are all summed up to be what a human body is, and that all illustrates what the church ought to be.

Remember unity in verses 12 and 13. He pointed up the fact that the body is one: “We’ve all received the same Spirit. We’ve all been place in the same body; there’s a beautiful unity. There aren’t any higher or lower. There are any greats and non-greats. There is neither Jew nor Greek, or bond nor free. We all have the same Spirit; we’re all in the same body; we’ve all been placed by the same Spirit.”

So basically then we are one. There aren’t any upper and lower-class Christians. There aren’t any highbrow, lowbrow Christians. There’s no strata involved. There’s a beautiful unity. The body is one. We all have flowing through us the life of God. We all possess aiōnios zōē, eternal life. And so we are one. There’s a beautiful unity in a body; and a human body’s the same way. There is a tremendous unity, a common life principle flowing through every cell in the human body.

Secondly, he says in his analogy, a body must have diversity, in verse 14. He says, “The body is not one member, but many.” And here we see that it is true about a body. It is one body, and yet there are many members: eyes, and ears, and a mouth, and arms, and hands, and feet, and organs. And all the functions of a body are many, and yet the body is one; and so this is his illustration. A body has unity and it has diversity. It must maintain its diversity in order to experience its unity.

Thirdly, we saw last time that a body has sovereignty. You see that, don’t you, when your children are born. You talk with your wife or your husband, and you say, “I wonder what he or she will look like.” Now they’ve got x-rays and all that stuff where they’re supposed to be able to determine a lot of things. But basically I saw one of those x-rays a couple days ago and it was pretty fuzzy. You really couldn’t tell a whole lot. You could see there was a fetus there, but you certainly couldn’t tell anything else.

And there’s a lot of ways to try to test it. But, basically, you don’t know what’s going to happen until all of a sudden, the life is there, and you have to say it’s a sovereign design. I mean God put it together. If it’s a perfectly whole baby, and it’s got ears that stick out a little bit, and red hair, and a certain kind of nose, God made it that way. There are genetic factors, but still it’s a creation of God independent of any effort on your part. A body is designed by God. If it comes out and it has an infirmity, or a malformation, or malfunctioning, again, that has to be a sign to the sovereign allowance of God, something beyond your ability to control.

The same thing is true of the body of the church. The origination of the various members, their design, the way they’re gifted, and the way they’re placed into the body is all dependent on God. And didn’t we see that in verse 18? “God has set the members.” Verse 24: “God has mixed them together.” Verse 28: “God has placed the leaders over them.” So you have then unity, diversity, and sovereignty planned by God to make the body function. And God has given us a sense of real dignity in this study, because we now understand that we are exactly what God made us to be, and that’s exciting. He planned it all; He put it all together.

Now where those three things function, you’re going to have a fourth, and that’s harmony. But you’ll never have that until you have those three functioning. Now in the case of the Corinthians, they did not really experience unity, did they? He says to them verses 12 and 13, “You ought to have unity. And there isn’t either Jew or Greek, or bond or free. And you are all one.” But they weren’t acting that way.

In chapter 1, verse 10, it says, “I beseech you,” – and here he’s begging them right off the bat in his letter – “by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you, that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” In other words, “Get it together.” “It’s been told to me” – he says in verse 11 – “that there are contentions. You’re arguing” – according to verse 12 – “over certain spiritual teachers.”

If you go over to chapter 3, he repeats the same thing in verse 3: “You are carnal, because there is envy, strife. One is saying,” – in verse 4 – ‘I am of Paul,’ another, ‘I am of Apollos.’ Are you not carnal?”

You go over to chapter 4, verse 7: “You are glorying as if you had something that you had earned. You have spiritual pride.” Chapter 6, they were suing each other in acts of antagonism, and bitterness, and resentment, and revenge. Chapter 8, they were using their liberty to defraud each other. They were stepping on the neck of the weaker brother in their pride and independence. Chapter 11, verses 18 to 22, they came to the love feast to share their meal, and they ate their own food, so that when the poor came there wasn’t anything for them to eat – selfishness again. So, you see, there was anything but unity.

You come to chapter 12, and the implication here is that instead of ministering their gifts, the proud people are saying, “We’re the only ones that matter.” The humble people are saying, “We don’t matter; we don’t have the right gifts,” so they were trying to seek for the ecstatic gifts, and winding up with a pagan counterfeit. And so they had just destroyed the whole concept of unity.

Secondly, the didn’t function in diversity. Here they are in chapter 12 all trying to do the same thing, all trying to get the same ecstatic gift, all trying to get the same showy gift, instead of recognizing that God had ordered them to be independent, to be individual in the sense of their uniqueness. They were all trying to be the same: get the same ecstasy gift, get the same showy gift – everybody be a spiritual hotshot.

And, thirdly, they were denying sovereignty. Instead of accepting what God had given, they were discontent with what He had given, and were seeking other gifts, and seeking other manifestations, and seeking other experiences. So they had violated all three. Consequently, number 4, harmony, didn’t exist.

And so having straightened them out, and talked about unity in 12 and 13, diversity in 14, sovereignty in the verse I mentioned, look at verse 15 and let’s hear what He says about harmony. And here’s how he dives into the concept of harmony. And he does it really by showing the foolishness of anything other than harmony, and he takes it from two angles. First, the people who thought they were nothing and envied the ones who had the showy gifts. Secondly, the people with the showy gifts who thought they were something, and thought the other people were nothing. Let’s look, first of all, at the people who felt themselves to be nothing: the gripers, the envious, the people who felt that they were cheated.

Verse 15: “If the foot,” – these are the foot people – “if the foot shall say, ‘Because I’m not the hand, I’m not of the body,’ does that make it true? Is it therefore not of the body?’” Here’s a foot, and a foot is nothing beautiful or lovely, particularly. A foot is something, if you’re smart you cover up somehow, generally, especially if you happened to live in that day and age when your feet were what you walked with; and they were mostly exposed. Foot was not – they just considered a foot a rather ugly thing.

So one might say, “Well, I’m just that out-of-the-way thing, usually covered by dirt, and not seen. And when I am seen, it isn’t something to see. And because I’m not a hand, I’m not a part of the body.”

Now what is this saying? What is the principle here? The principle is this: that no member by complaining and depreciating his own importance can accomplish removal from the body. Just because you don’t think you’re important does not eliminate your responsibility to function in the way God called you. You can’t sit in a corner and say, “Well, because I’m a foot and I don’t have what some others have, I’m not going to do anything; I’m just going to not be a part at all.” That does not make you not a part, that only makes you disobedient, you see. The principle is you cannot remove yourself from a God-given responsibility simply because you’re not happy with what you are. The foot feeling clumsy wanted to remove itself. But that isn’t the way it is. God made you a foot, if that’s what you are, because it’s vital, it’s critical.

I got a prayer request this morning to pray for a little boy, the little Johnson boy, four years old. He’s going to have major surgery to try to correct his feet, and they’ve asked us to pray for him, because he needs to have his feet made functional, because the rest of him is so very dependent on those little feet. Well, that’s a vital thing. And to say that you don’t want to be responsible for what you are doesn’t relieve you of any responsibility, it only makes you disobedient.

And don’t be intimidated. You know, that’s one of the things that we’ve seen – haven’t we? – in our study of Colossians, how the Charismatic Movement intimidates a lot of feet, and says, “Because you’re not out there on display and doing the ecstatic thing and the showy thing, you’re not significant.” That’s exactly what was going on at Corinth. There were a lot of feet sitting in the background saying, “Boy, I wish I was an ear, or an eye, or even a hand wouldn’t be half bad, I mean at least a little bit up the ladder.”

Look what it says in verse 16, and you can see how that this same things goes – it’s only relative anyway. “The foot is saying, ‘Oh, if I could only be an ear.’ – verse 16 – “And the ear is saying, ‘Because I’m not the eye, I’m not of the body. Is it therefore not of the body?’”

You get up a little higher and it’s relative too. Some ear is saying, “Boy, I wish I could be an eye. But since I’m only an ear, I’m cutting out.” In the vernacular, “I’m going to lay back. If I can’t be an eye, I’m out of it; they don’t need me.”

Does that remove you from responsibility? I mean when a foot is jealous of a hand, does that remove the responsibility of the foot to be what it is? When the ear is jealous of the eye, does that eliminate its responsibility? Not in God’s eye it doesn’t.

Whatever your gift is, it is essential, it is needed; and God wants it, and it has to be there, and it has to operate. And there’s no sense sitting in a corner on the fringes saying, “Well, I don’t have that much to offer anyway; there’s no sense in me getting involved.” But so many, many Christians do that, don’t they. Some of you do it. Some of you’ve been doing it for years. You’ve never known the joy of ministry, because you’ve just thought nobody wanted feet – that isn’t so – or ears.

But look at verse 17: “If the whole body were eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?” I mean it wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense, would it? If everybody had the same gifts, it would be pretty ridiculous.

Isn’t it amazing that that’s what people today keep telling us we need to have, “We all need to get the same gifts”? It’s not true. There’s no place for envying another gift.

Verse 4 of chapter 13 says, “Love envies not.” There just isn’t any place for that, but for a contentedness. You can’t have one organ. The body can’t be a whole eye, or a whole ear, or a whole nose.

One organ, no matter how prominent it is, can’t survive alone. You can’t just cut off your ear and set it down and say, “I have to leave. Would you hang around and listen and see if you pick up any information while I’m gone.” It doesn’t do that. Can’t pluck your eye out and have it look around for you while you’re sleeping. There’s no such thing as a spiritual loner, see. There’s a tremendous sense of dependence in the body of Christ.

I think about Grace Church. Do you realize, all the people behind the scenes make it possible for me to get up here and speak to you, all the people that type up little things for me, and all the people that give me input, and all the people that turn on things and turn off things, and plug things in and make things possible, and squirt off the patio and clean the parking and do all kinds of other things. You didn’t know we cleaned the parking lot. We do clean the parking lot. A lot of other things that go on behind the scenes that you never even know about that make it all possible.

You know how many people there are that take responsibility that normally would be mine to free me to do preparation so that I can minister to you? Without those people, I wouldn’t be able to say what I say to you; you wouldn’t be able to receive and grow the way you grow; and the whole idea of ministry would be reduced. Vital.

You can’t start putting price tags on gifts. So, he says, “You can’t all be the same.” And verse 18, “That’s why God set the members the way it pleased Him.” He didn’t leave it to us to figure out. He didn’t say, “Get organized.” Be said, “Be an organism, and I’ll run it.”

In verse 19, he says – we’ve already looked at verse 18 last time in detail. But verse 19 says, “If they were all one member, where was the body? If everybody was the same he wouldn’t have a body.” But the Corinthians were saying, “We’ve all” – they’re chasing after tongues – “and we’ve all got to speak in prophecies. We’ve all got to have these ecstasies.” They were just going like mad after the same things, and he says, “All you’re going to come up with is one great big eye.” That isn’t how it is.

So he sums his main point in verse 20: “Now are they many members, but one body.” That’s his point. And from 15 to 20 his point is, “Don’t think yourself inferior. Do not underestimate your importance.”

Now from verses 21 to 25, he says, “Don’t think yourself superior. Don’t overestimate your importance.” Look at verse 21. And now we’ve gone from the foot, to the hand, to the ear, to the eye. Now we’re going from the eye, to the ear, to the hand, to the foot. We’re going to go backwards now from the other side.

“And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of thee,’ nor can the hand say to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’” Now we’re going back down the line from the viewpoint of the superiority. And this was going on, of course, in the Corinthian assembly. There were overestimating their importance. The people who were doing the fancy, showy, public-speaking gifts were assuming they didn’t need those other people, that those people were nothing; they were the superstars, they were the celebrities, they were the superiors, they were the leaders, they were the hotshots; the rest of the people could just disintegrate into nothingness, into oblivion, and it would have no effect. That isn’t right.

“You can’t say, ‘I have no need of you,’ – in verse 21 – “and again you can’t say, ‘I have no need of you.’” There’s a tremendous sense of dependence. And now he’s going to expand this thought, and he says some most fascinating things.

Verse 22: “No,” – he says – “much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary. Eyes and ears and hands and feet are nice. But you want to hear something shocking? You can live without eyes, ears, hands, and feet – do you know that? – even the ones that are kind of the showy ones, the external ones, the strong ones. You can live without them. But there are some more weak ones that you can’t; they’re more vital.” Now notice verse 22. He talks about the members of the body that are more feeble; that means they’re weaker, they’re weaker.

Now I want to show you; we’re moving down into the body in his metaphor a little bit. We’re moving deeper into the body. Since verse 21 has to do with hands and feet and eyes and ears, which are the outward, this moves even deeper – the less showy, the less obvious, the less out front, the less comely, the less prominent ones. They’re more feeble, and they’re necessary.

What are they? These are the internal organs of the body: the lungs, and the stomach, and all of your internal organs, the liver and the kidneys, and whatever – all that. That’s what he has in mind. These internal organs, completely hidden from view, are vital and essential to sustaining life. They’re weaker in this sense: the only protection they have is the protection afforded them by the other parts of the body, right?

You know, I was watching the football game for a few minutes yesterday between Texas and Oklahoma, and I was noticing what you always notice when you see football players: the tremendous padding that they wear. And I remember in the days when we used to put all that stuff on. But it isn’t just a question of padding. You work out with weights and weights, and more weights, and you exercise. Why? So that your physical body on the outside is strong, and the muscle is tense and tight, so that when you’re hit with blow, after blow, after blow, it doesn’t mess you up on the inside. You strengthen the outward members to protect the weaker members, which have no protection other than that which is afforded on the outside.

Now that’s what he’s saying. He’s saying, “Look, there are some members that are so feeble, that they are totally dependent on the protection of some other members. They’re not intended to be out front. You couldn’t live very long if you ran around with your lung just hanging on the outside; they couldn’t handle the environment.

You know, when I think about that, I think about support ministries. You know, I was thinking about some of the secretaries at Grace Church. Do you realize this is a very intense place during the week? We never have more than four or five crises a day though – no, no more than that. But this is a very intense place. Crises things happen here all the time, deadlines all the time. And, you know, I believe that secretaries who work here, for the most part, they would never be able to maintain a sense of mental balance if they didn’t have some of us to help them, to be protected from the onslaughts, because sometimes the frustrations mount. And they’re the gentler members of the body who need the protection of someone else; and they will function smoothly and effectively as long as that protection is there. But if the staff walked away and left all the onslaught to hit all of them, I think it would be a little difficult.

But you want to know something? They’re necessary, and they’re vital. And you may not even know who they are, and you may not ever see them. But believe me, we’re all here, because they’re there.

Let me go a step further with it, verse 23. He’s even getting in deeper in his analogy here. He says – and this is really good: “And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor, and our comely parts have more abundant comeliness.” Now that’s a very interesting verse. Watch what happens here.

The Corinthians had failed to be kind and considerate and protective of those who didn’t have the gift of prophecy, or didn’t have the gift of languages, or didn’t have the gift of healing, the out front. They had failed to be kind. They had failed to be considerate. They had failed to protect those weaker ones, in verse 22. And he says, “Don’t you realize” – in verse 23 – “that even a human body compensates for its less comely members.”

Now what do you mean? You see two terms there: less honorable, in verse 23 – see it? “We think to be less honorable.” Then you see uncomely: less honorable and ugly. Uncomely means, basically, ugly. That’s just about the clearest definition of it: ugly. Now we all have – and it doesn’t mean, you know, horrible, ugly things, it just means the less beautiful part. We have less honorable and less beautiful parts.

Well, what are they referring to? Two different things. Less honorable, most commentators assume to be the middle part of your body: your hips, your trunk, your shoulders, upper part of your legs – the part you put your clothes on. Right? And you basically do that because your face is all right, it’s nice, and people can look at it and enjoy it; it’s okay. And your hands are fine; and even your feet. You can show part of your feet; you can put shoes on and so forth. But, you know, it’s all right. But you cover parts of your body because it’s not so all right; they need a little help. And that’s what it’s saying here.

“Your less honorable members, upon those you bestow more abundant honor.” He says, “It’s just a normal human response to fix up the part that needs it.” You adapt. You do what you need to do.

You know, you read in some of these magazines – every once in awhile on an airplane I’ll get one, and they’ll tell you, “If you’ve got such-and-such a problem, here’s the kind of clothes to wear. If you’re a little wide in this place, don’t wear the squares, wear the stripes going this way,” you know. But that’s the way people – you compensate to cover the less honorable parts, and you wind up bestowing more honor on them.

I mean you go down and you throw down your Master Charge and you buy, you know, $75.00 worth of abundant honor to drape on your less honorable part, you know. And I do too; that’s just how it is, you know. That’s compensation.

And that’s what he’s saying. He’s saying the principle is the less the natural grace, the less the appeal naturally, the greater the effort to adorn it. Right? Sure. But now go a step further.

We’ve talked about the external, which doesn’t need a lot of adornment. Then we go to the more feeble ones, the internal ones; and they are protected by the strength of the others. And then he goes to these parts of your body that you need to put a little honor on. And then he goes a step further, and he says “our uncomely.” The Greek here is “our indecent.” “Our indecent parts have more abundant comeliness.

Now he says it’s a normal human reaction to cover the private parts of a human body, the indecent parts of a human body, not just for adornment, but for modesty sake, with even a greater amount of effort. To show you how far we’ve gotten from what is normally human, just look at our society today. When those parts of the human body which mankind has long known to be private things and to be covered with honor so that they can be held in modesty now are exploited; and that just shows you how far depravity has gone.

But the point is this: the behind-the-scenes part of the body gets the special effort, and the special attention, and the special devotion; that’s what he’s saying. He’s saying, “Look, it isn’t for the highbrow part of the body to say, “I don’t need you.” Listen, that part of the body ought to say, “Hey, I know I’m the only protection you’ve got, and I want to care for you, and I want to put more honor on you; and the more you need that honor, the more I want to give you that honor.”

And instead of running around in sort of a spiritual rugged individualism, we really should be very busy making sure that we stop to honor the people who don’t normally get the honor, huh. That’s what he’s saying. That’s the kind of love he talks about in chapter 13. It isn’t running around in a sense of spiritual independence, but it’s constantly acknowledging our gratitude for those parts of the church of Jesus Christ that maybe don’t get all the glamour, and all the appeal, and all the press. But they’re there, and they’re vital, and they need us to love them, and us to protect them, and us to honor them. So it goes both ways. God doesn’t want you people who are those parts sitting in a corner thinking you’re nothing, and God doesn’t want the other people thinking they’re everything, but rather passing the honor around where it belongs.

Dr. Thomas says, “It is a distorted sense of values when a Christian well-known because of his well-received speaking gift looks disparagingly at other Christians who possess no such gift. This is direct contradiction of the principle of self-concern that characterizes anybody. It is far more consistent with the principle of self-preservation that members possessing greater beauty and functional ability devote themselves tirelessly to the well-being of those not so well-equipped.”

That’s a beautiful statement, and that’s essentially what Paul is saying. Instead of thinking ourselves sufficient and independent, it’s up to us to come down and minister to you, and for you to respond to that ministry and minister to us in return, and for us to say, “I want to help you where you’re weak. I want to strengthen you where you need to be strong.” That’s the kind of thing he’s after.

And believe me, we have to recognize the necessity of this, because God sees a beautiful equality in a body, verse 24. Look, our comely parts have no need. The out-front part we don’t mess with. But God has tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacks. You may be a beautiful eye, and an ear, and a hand, and a foot; but you can cut you off, and we could still make it. But if you happen to be one of those vital organs, we can’t mess with you, you’re too important. And you see how God equalizes things? The people who are out front with the showy gifts, when the long run comes along, when the judgment is all in and the rewards are given aren’t nearly as vital as the people underneath who were the support ministries.

I think one of the most exciting events of the ages, in fact, I’m convinced the most shocking experience we’ll ever have is the bema seat when we go there and see who gets the rewards. I think most of us will be shocked, if there’s such a thing as shocked there. But from this human vantage, you know, “The least among you” – said Jesus – “shall be great. And the one who is the servant of all will be the one who receives the greatest honor.” Now there are some of us who are eyes and ears, and we’re out there, and mouths and noses, and we’re the comely parts, and we’re doing the thing. But God equalizes it, because it is those less conspicuous members who are the more essential to life.

Nobody, nobody ever sees anybody else’s internal organs. And so we always think of people in terms of outward beauty, don’t we. That isn’t what makes them what they are. And that’s the way it is in the church. The purpose of God’s equalization: God wants it all equalized. So verse 25 will be a reality that “there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care, one for another; and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.” God wants us equalizing. God wants this beautiful unity. God has made these truths of compensation in order that there might be a real unity.

You know, when your body suffers, you don’t say, “Well, this half of me is suffering, but this half feels terrific.” No. If any part of you suffers, you are all in it. And if any part of you is happy, all of you is rejoicing. And that’s the way it ought to be in the body of Christ if we’re really sharing.

So he says, “Don’t feel inferior; you’re vital, and God’s going to balance. You’re necessary; you’re important; you’re to be rewarded for faithfulness. And don’t feel superior. You’re maybe the out-front, good-looking part; and that’s good, and that’s your part for now, and that’s your ministry for now, and there are certain blessings attended with that. But you can’t distain the other parts, because they’re the more necessary to life. And so rivalry is impossible in the body of Christ. The only thing possible is love; and that becomes his theme in the next chapter.

All right, that’s the analogy quickly. Let’s look at the application. We’ll just briefly comment on it, because it’s so obvious.

Verse 27. Now having given that analogy, he makes application: “Ye are the body of Christ. I’ve been talking about you the whole time, and you are the members in particular. I’m talking about you: you’re that body, you’re those members, you’re the issue here.”

A footnote of interest: “Ye are the body of Christ.” How interesting that he calls one local congregation the body of Christ. What is he saying? Is he saying, “You are the whole body of Christ, everybody else is outside of it”? Or is he saying, “You are one body of Christ, and there’s another one in this town, and another one in that”? No, because there’s only one body.

What he’s saying is this: “You are a proper miniature representation of the body of Christ.” And you know what’s so exciting about that? He is saying to them, “You, as a local assembly, can manifest the fullness of the body of Christ locally.” Boy, that’s so encouraging to me.

He said in the first chapter, “You come behind and no gift.” But isn’t it thrilling to know that each local assembly of believers is given by the Spirit of God all that is necessary to truly represent the body of Christ so that His image may be seen in the world.

We don’t need to say, “Well, we’re half of it over here and the other half down in San Diego. And there’s another bunch up in – if we could just get together we could get the whole thing rolling.” But God manifests the total picture in individual congregations, and supplies them all with all they need.

So, he says, “And you’re the body, and you’re the members I’m talking to. Yours is the unity that’s the issue here. And God has made you one, and God has poured you together in an act of diversity. You’re what you ought to be, and God has sovereignly done it.” – verse 28 – “God has set in the church apostles, and prophets, and teachers, and miracles, and healing, and helps, and government, and diversities of languages. You’re exactly the ones I’m talking about. It’s your unity I’m speaking of. It’s your diversity I’m speaking of. I want you to recognize God’s sovereignty.”

Look at verse 29. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with languages? Do all interpret?” Now what’s the answer to every question? No.

He says in verse 27, “Remember your unity. You’re the body I’m talking about.” In verse 28: “Remember your diversity. You’re the ones with all these gifts.” In verses 29 and 30: “Remember God’s sovereignty. He doesn’t want you all apostles, all prophets, all teachers, all miracle workers, all healers, and all speaking in language interpreting.” You see, he attacks them at the same three points: unity, diversity, and sovereignty.

“What are you doing all trying to be noses, and ears, and eyes? What are you doing all wanting to be apostles, and prophets, and teachers, and miracle workers, and tongue-speakers, and healers – all the showy stuff? Don’t you know God has called some of you to be teachers, and helpers, and to work in the area of government or administration? And that’s all sovereign. You have nothing to seek for; let there be harmony there. You have nothing to be envious of. You have nothing to be proud about and distain the others.”

The sovereignty of God, where there should be unity, diversity, and sovereignty; and as a result, harmony. And so he applies it lastly. He makes a final appeal, verse 31, a verse misunderstood by many. Let me read you the traditional King James: “But covet earnestly the best gifts. And yet show I unto a more excellent way.”

You know, when you read that now, you say, “Now hold it right there, John. You’ve got to be kidding. You mean he just spent all those verses saying, ‘Be content with the gift you have. Be content with the gift you have. Be content with the gift you have,’ turns right around and says, ‘Covet earnestly the better gifts,’ or literally, ‘Covet the showy gifts.’?”

But that verse is used by people the Pentecostal tradition to prove that we ought to seek the gift of tongues, we ought to seek this gift or seek that gift because it says here, “Covet earnestly the best gifts.” It’s a command they say.

And you know what I say when I look at that? It cannot be. I mean you don’t spend all those verses saying, “Be content with what you have; don’t seek another gift. It’s all sovereign, it’s all been done by God, it’s all His plan. Just take the gift you have and use it. Don’t feel inferior, don’t feel superior.” All that and now say to them, “Go covet the best showy gifts.” Oh, no.

Well, what’s he saying here? Well, let’s look at the verse, and let me read it to you in its two parts as simply as I can. The second part reads this way: “And yet I am showing unto you a more excellent way. And yet I am showing unto you a more excellent way.”

What was the way they were doing it? No unity, no sense of diversity, everybody seeking the same gift. No sense of sovereignty, not willing to accept God’s plan. So Paul is saying, “But I’m showing you a” – what? – “a more excellent way: unity, diversity, sovereignty, harmony. I’m trying to show you a more excellent way, and I’m not done yet, because I’m going to show you in chapter 13 that the capper on this whole thing is that it all functions in love. This is the more excellent way.”

You say, “But what about that first statement, John. What is that first statement?” Listen, in the Greek you have what is called the indicative, which is a statement of fact; and the imperative, which is a command. The form they take in the Greek is the very same, there’s no difference. So in the Greek, this is either a command or a statement; there’s no difference in the form. So it either says, “Covet earnestly the best gifts,” or it says, “But you are coveting the showy gifts.”

Now which do you think fits the context? There’s no question. “But you are coveting the showy gifts, and yet I show you a” – what? – “a more excellent way.” The Greek verb zēloō normally has a bad connotation, and that’s the word “to covet.” It normally has a bad connotation. The indicative sense is the normal sense of the Greek in this passage, and it fits the context. So it should be translated this way: “But you are coveting the showy gifts, and yet I am showing you a more excellent way.”

Do you see the point? He’s not saying, “Go chase after spiritual gifts.” He’s saying, “That’s what you’re doing, and that’s what’s wrong with you. Stop doing that, and do the excellent thing. Accept the unity, diversity, sovereignty, and harmony that God’s already planned, and present it, and built unto the body.” And the way it all operates, the way it all operates, the key to every bit of it is – what? – love. That’s where we’ll be next time, in chapter 13. Let’s pray.

Thank You, Father, for our time this morning. Thank You for ministering to us in Your Word. Pray that these truths might find root in our hearts, and spring up to faithful ministry, and bear fruit. And we’ll give You the praise, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

John MacArthur Sermon Study

One Body, Many Gifts — Part 2

Primary Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12–31 Central Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:15–31 Theme: The mutual dependence of believers within the body of Christ Central Doctrine: God sovereignly places every Christian within the body of Christ, where each believer has an essential responsibility to minister to others.

I. Sermon Overview

The central message

John MacArthur continues his exposition of 1 Corinthians 12 by examining a fundamental principle of Christian life: no believer was designed to live independently of the body of Christ.

In the previous sermon, MacArthur established three characteristics of the church:

Unity: Every Christian belongs to one body through the Holy Spirit.

Diversity: Every Christian possesses a distinct role within that body.

Sovereignty: God determines the gifts, functions, and placement of each member.

In this sermon, he develops the fourth principle:

Harmony: The members of Christ's body must function together in mutual dependence, care, and love.

MacArthur argues that two attitudes destroy this harmony.

The first is inferiority. Some Christians believe they possess little of spiritual importance and consequently withdraw from ministry.

The second is superiority. Other Christians believe their prominent gifts make them more significant than other members.

Both attitudes are sinful because both deny God's sovereign design for the church.

MacArthur uses Paul's analogy of the human body to establish that every member is necessary, including those whose ministries remain largely unseen.

He concludes by addressing the controversial interpretation of 1 Corinthians 12:31, arguing that Paul is rebuking the Corinthians for pursuing prominent spiritual gifts rather than commanding believers to seek them.

The sermon naturally prepares the congregation for 1 Corinthians 13, where Paul identifies love as the indispensable foundation of Christian ministry.

The sermon in one sentence:

God has sovereignly designed the church so that every believer needs other believers, and the church functions properly only when its members serve one another in humility and love.

II. Detailed Sermon Outline

MacArthur organizes the sermon into three major divisions.

A. The Analogy — 1 Corinthians 12:12–26

Paul compares the church to the human body.

The analogy establishes four principles:

Unity — verses 12–13

Diversity — verse 14

Sovereignty — verses 18, 24, 28

Harmony — verses 15–26

The fourth principle receives the greatest attention.

Harmony requires eliminating two destructive attitudes:

Inferiority and envy — verses 15–20

Superiority and pride — verses 21–25

The result is mutual care, suffering, and rejoicing together.

B. The Application — 1 Corinthians 12:27–30

Paul applies the analogy directly to the Corinthian congregation.

The local church is a visible representation of Christ's body.

Its members possess different gifts because God has sovereignly appointed them.

No individual should consider his ministry unnecessary or superior.

C. The Final Appeal — 1 Corinthians 12:31

MacArthur examines Paul's instruction concerning the greater gifts.

He argues that the verse should be understood as a statement describing the Corinthians' inappropriate desires rather than a command to pursue prominent gifts.

Paul then introduces the more excellent way: love.

III. Introduction: The Sin of Rugged Individualism

MacArthur begins with an observation about American culture.

Society admires the self-sufficient individual.

He mentions television advertisements portraying rugged men surviving alone in the wilderness.

Such individuals supposedly need no assistance from anyone.

MacArthur connects this ideal to the broader philosophy of personal independence.

People admire the individual who accomplishes everything alone.

But MacArthur argues that this attitude becomes spiritually destructive when introduced into the church.

A. Independence can reflect human depravity

MacArthur traces the desire for independence to the fall of man.

He recalls Cain's response when God questioned him about Abel.

Genesis 4:9

Cain asked whether he was responsible for his brother.

MacArthur's answer is emphatic: Yes.

Human beings possess responsibilities toward one another.

Christians, in particular, must recognize their obligation to care for fellow believers.

MacArthur also refers to Achan's sin in Joshua 7.

Achan's disobedience affected the entire community of Israel.

His actions demonstrated that personal conduct can have consequences extending far beyond the individual.

Theological principle: Sin is personal, but its consequences are frequently communal.

B. Independence contradicts biblical fellowship

MacArthur observes that some believers reason as follows:

Because they have Christ and the Holy Spirit, they do not need other Christians.

He rejects this conclusion.

The presence of the Holy Spirit does not eliminate the believer's dependence upon the church.

Rather, the Holy Spirit places believers into a body in which mutual dependence is essential.

Important distinction:

A Christian is spiritually dependent upon Christ for salvation and eternal life.

But Christ has also ordained that believers receive spiritual encouragement, instruction, correction, and assistance through other members of His body.

Dependence upon Christ and dependence upon fellow believers are not competing principles.

God has designed them to operate together.

C. Jesus and Paul modeled relational ministry

MacArthur points to Jesus' earthly life.

Jesus spent His early years within a family and conducted His public ministry in close association with His disciples.

MacArthur then turns to Paul.

Although Paul was an apostle, he did not conduct his ministry in isolation.

His letters reveal numerous coworkers.

MacArthur specifically references:

Romans 16: Paul's extensive recognition of fellow workers and believers.

Colossians 4: Paul's references to coworkers who encouraged and assisted him.

2 Timothy 4:9–21: Paul's personal requests, greetings, and concern for his companions.

Throughout Acts, Paul ministered alongside Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, and others.

MacArthur uses these examples to demonstrate that even exceptionally gifted spiritual leaders require companionship and assistance.

D. Two forms of destructive individualism

MacArthur identifies two common manifestations.

1. Individualism through inferiority

Some Christians believe their gifts are unimportant.

They conclude that their involvement makes little difference.

They withdraw from ministry.

2. Individualism through superiority

Other Christians consider themselves spiritually sufficient.

They believe their abilities or positions make them independent of others.

They resist correction and undervalue those around them.

MacArthur candidly acknowledges his own temptation to reject criticism.

His point is that even pastors need the correction and encouragement of other Christians.

Application: Biblical humility requires both acknowledging our own need for others and recognizing that others need us.

IV. Review: Unity, Diversity, and Sovereignty

Before addressing harmony, MacArthur summarizes the previous sermon.

A. Unity — 1 Corinthians 12:12–13

All believers share one spiritual life.

The Holy Spirit places genuine Christians into one body.

MacArthur again emphasizes:

αἰώνιος ζωή (aiōnios zōē) — Eternal life

Because believers possess the same spiritual life, there can be no spiritual caste system within the church.

No Christian belongs to a superior class because of a particular spiritual gift.

B. Diversity — 1 Corinthians 12:14

The human body possesses many different members.

Each serves a necessary function.

Likewise, God does not intend Christians to possess identical gifts.

A body consisting entirely of eyes would not function.

A body consisting entirely of ears would likewise be incomplete.

Spiritual diversity is essential.

C. Sovereignty — 1 Corinthians 12:18, 24, 28

God determines the arrangement of the body.

MacArthur emphasizes three aspects of divine sovereignty.

ScriptureGod's sovereign actionMeaning1 Corinthians 12:18God arranges the membersEach believer has a divinely appointed function.1 Corinthians 12:24God composes the bodyDifferent members are joined together for mutual benefit.1 Corinthians 12:28God appoints ministriesLeadership and spiritual functions originate in God's provision.

The Corinthians had failed to recognize these principles.

They were divided, envious, proud, and dissatisfied.

Their pursuit of prominent gifts had undermined the unity of the congregation.

Consequently, they lacked harmony.

This brings MacArthur to the principal exposition of the sermon.

V. Harmony: The Danger of Spiritual Inferiority

1 Corinthians 12:15–20

Paul begins by addressing believers who underestimate their importance.

MacArthur describes them as Christians who feel inferior because they lack prominent spiritual gifts.

A. The foot cannot deny its membership

Verse 15

Paul imagines a foot claiming that it does not belong to the body because it is not a hand.

The illustration is intentionally absurd.

A foot cannot eliminate its membership simply by expressing dissatisfaction with its function.

Similarly, a Christian cannot escape spiritual responsibility by claiming to be unimportant.

MacArthur makes a distinction between membership and obedience.

The believer belongs to the body because God has placed him there.

Refusing to serve does not cancel that membership.

It constitutes disobedience.

Teaching principle: Feeling insignificant does not eliminate spiritual responsibility.

B. The ear cannot deny its membership

Verse 16

Paul presents a similar illustration.

The ear complains because it is not an eye.

MacArthur observes that comparisons are relative.

The foot envies the hand.

The ear envies the eye.

There is always another member who appears to possess a more desirable function.

Consequently, comparison can produce endless dissatisfaction.

The problem is not the particular gift.

The problem is the believer's attitude toward God's provision.

C. Uniformity would destroy the body

Verse 17

Paul asks what would happen if the entire body were an eye.

Where would hearing occur?

If the entire body were an ear, where would smelling occur?

The answer is obvious.

A functioning body requires different members.

MacArthur applies this directly to the Corinthians' fascination with prominent gifts.

If every believer possessed the same spiritual gift, the church would lack the diversity necessary for its proper functioning.

D. The relationship between envy and love

MacArthur refers to 1 Corinthians 13:4.

Love does not envy.

This is an important connection.

The Corinthians' problem was not merely that they misunderstood spiritual gifts.

Their dissatisfaction exposed a failure of Christian love.

When believers envy another person's ministry, they fail to rejoice in God's work through that individual.

When they despise their own ministry, they fail to appreciate God's provision.

E. No believer is unnecessary

Verses 18–20

Paul returns to God's sovereign arrangement.

God has placed each member within the body according to His will.

The body possesses many members, but remains one body.

MacArthur summarizes the principle:

Do not underestimate your importance.

This is not a call to self-exaltation.

It is a call to recognize divine responsibility.

A believer may have an obscure ministry.

That ministry may nevertheless be essential to the church's spiritual health.

Practical application

Consider a Christian who faithfully encourages discouraged members, visits the sick, or quietly helps families in need.

Such ministry may receive little recognition.

But the absence of that service could profoundly affect the congregation.

MacArthur's point is that spiritual usefulness cannot be measured by visibility.

VI. Harmony: The Danger of Spiritual Superiority

1 Corinthians 12:21–25

Having corrected those who feel inferior, Paul addresses believers who consider themselves superior.

MacArthur emphasizes that pride is equally destructive to the body.

A. The eye cannot dismiss the hand

Verse 21

Paul imagines an eye declaring that it has no need of the hand.

Likewise, the head cannot declare independence from the feet.

The human body's interdependence makes these statements absurd.

Yet MacArthur argues that the Corinthians were behaving in precisely this manner.

Those possessing prominent gifts considered themselves spiritually superior.

They assumed that less visible members were unnecessary.

Paul rejects that attitude.

Teaching principle: Spiritual prominence never establishes independence from other believers.

B. The weaker members may be more necessary

Verse 22

This verse introduces one of the sermon's most significant observations.

Paul explains that apparently weaker members of the body are necessary.

MacArthur interprets these members as the internal organs.

He mentions the lungs, stomach, liver, kidneys, and other organs.

Unlike the eyes, hands, and feet, these members remain hidden.

Yet their functions are essential to life.

A person may survive the loss of certain external body parts.

But the loss of vital internal organs can threaten life itself.

The analogy reveals a striking truth.

The most visible members of the body are not necessarily the most essential.

C. The church depends upon hidden ministries

MacArthur applies this principle to the operation of Grace Community Church.

He mentions secretaries, administrative assistants, maintenance workers, and others who perform essential tasks behind the scenes.

Their contributions enable public ministries to function effectively.

MacArthur acknowledges that his preaching ministry depends upon the assistance of many people.

Without them, he would possess less time to prepare and would be less effective in serving the congregation.

His point extends beyond church administration.

Quiet encouragement, prayer, hospitality, practical assistance, and personal discipleship can sustain the spiritual life of a congregation.

D. The strong must protect the vulnerable

MacArthur also emphasizes protection.

Internal organs are vulnerable.

They depend upon surrounding structures for protection.

Likewise, members of the church may require assistance, encouragement, or protection from others.

MacArthur illustrates this through the support provided to church secretaries during periods of stress.

He believes stronger members should shield and support those facing difficult circumstances.

This creates a responsibility that extends beyond recognizing another person's usefulness.

Believers must actively care for one another.

Spiritual strength should be exercised in service to others, not as a means of asserting superiority.

VII. Giving Greater Honor to Less Honored Members

1 Corinthians 12:23–24

Paul now develops the analogy further.

Certain parts of the human body receive special attention because they lack natural prominence or require covering.

MacArthur identifies two expressions.

A. Less honorable members

These are the body parts that ordinarily receive clothing or adornment.

Human beings devote attention to covering and presenting them appropriately.

Paul uses this ordinary behavior to illustrate a spiritual principle.

Members who receive less natural recognition should receive deliberate care and honor.

B. Less presentable members

MacArthur explains that some body parts are covered for modesty.

Greater care is devoted to protecting their privacy.

His point is not primarily about clothing.

It concerns the instinct to give special attention to members requiring it.

Likewise, the church should deliberately honor believers whose ministries are not publicly celebrated.

C. God's arrangement corrects human pride

MacArthur emphasizes that God Himself has composed the body.

God gives greater honor to members who might otherwise lack recognition.

This reverses ordinary human standards.

People naturally celebrate visible achievements.

But God values faithfulness, humility, and service.

MacArthur connects this principle to the future judgment of believers.

D. The judgment seat of Christ

MacArthur anticipates that the distribution of heavenly rewards will surprise many Christians.

He believes some obscure believers may receive greater rewards than highly visible ministers.

His argument is that God's evaluation differs from human evaluation.

Public recognition does not necessarily indicate spiritual faithfulness.

A pastor may possess a prominent ministry.

But a believer who quietly serves with exceptional faithfulness may receive greater reward.

MacArthur's illustration concerns the judgment seat of Christ, often called the bēma.

Relevant passage: 2 Corinthians 5:10.

The point is not that prominent ministries are inherently less valuable.

Rather, God evaluates the faithfulness of His servants rather than merely their public reputation.

Central lesson: The church must not confuse visibility with spiritual value.

VIII. The Purpose of Harmony

1 Corinthians 12:25–26

Paul now explains why God has arranged the body in this manner.

A. There must be no division

Verse 25

God's design is intended to prevent division within the body.

The members are to demonstrate the same care for one another.

MacArthur emphasizes that this mutual concern counteracts both pride and inferiority.

The prominent member must not despise the obscure member.

The obscure member must not resent the prominent member.

Both must recognize their common dependence upon God and one another.

B. When one member suffers, all suffer

Verse 26

Paul describes the body's shared experience.

When one member suffers, the entire body is affected.

MacArthur applies this principle to Christian fellowship.

The suffering of another believer should not be treated as an unrelated private matter.

Members of Christ's body should demonstrate genuine concern.

This includes sharing burdens, offering encouragement, providing assistance, and praying for one another.

C. When one member is honored, all rejoice

The same principle applies to blessing.

Christians should rejoice when God honors another believer.

Envy has no place in the body.

Another person's spiritual fruitfulness should be a cause for thanksgiving rather than resentment.

The relationship between harmony and love

MacArthur explains that rivalry contradicts the purpose of the body.

Members should not compete for recognition.

They should cooperate for the benefit of the whole.

This anticipates Paul's teaching in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love makes genuine harmony possible.

Without love, spiritual gifts can become instruments of pride, competition, and self-promotion.

IX. The Application: You Are the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:27–30

Paul now applies the analogy directly to the Corinthians.

A. The local church represents Christ's body

Verse 27

MacArthur considers it significant that Paul addresses one local congregation as the body of Christ.

He explains that the Corinthian church was not the entirety of Christ's universal body.

Nevertheless, it was a local manifestation of that body.

MacArthur calls the local congregation a miniature representation of the universal church.

His argument is that God equips a local church with what it needs to represent Christ faithfully.

B. God appoints different ministries

Verse 28

Paul identifies various ministries and gifts.

Ministry or giftGeneral functionApostlesFoundational apostolic ministryProphetsCommunicating divine revelationTeachersInstructing believers in God's truthMiraclesMiraculous worksHealingsSupernatural healingHelpsAssisting others in practical ministryAdministrationsProviding direction and organizationVarious tonguesSpeaking in different languages

MacArthur emphasizes that these ministries do not possess identical functions.

God sovereignly appoints different believers to different responsibilities.

C. Not everyone possesses the same gifts

Verses 29–30

Paul asks a series of rhetorical questions.

Are all apostles?

Are all prophets?

Are all teachers?

Do all perform miracles?

Do all possess gifts of healing?

Do all speak in tongues?

Do all interpret?

The expected answer to every question is no.

This reinforces the central argument.

God never intended every believer to possess the same gift.

D. Unity without uniformity

MacArthur summarizes the practical application.

Christians must recognize their unity.

They must accept their diversity.

They must submit to God's sovereign arrangement.

The result should be harmony.

X. The Major Interpretive Question: 1 Corinthians 12:31

This is the passage MacArthur promised to address in the previous sermon.

It deserves particular attention because his interpretation differs from the reading adopted by many Bible translations and commentators.

A. The apparent contradiction

The traditional rendering of 1 Corinthians 12:31 instructs believers to earnestly desire the greater gifts.

MacArthur recognizes that this appears to contradict his argument.

Throughout the preceding verses, he has emphasized that believers should accept God's distribution of gifts.

Why would Paul suddenly instruct them to pursue other gifts?

MacArthur argues that the answer lies in the Greek grammar.

B. The Greek verb

The relevant verb is:

ζηλόω (zēloō)

The word can express zeal, earnest desire, or jealousy, depending upon context.

Its meaning is not inherently negative.

In 1 Corinthians 12:31, the particular form is:

ζηλοῦτε (zēloute)

This form can be understood grammatically as either:

Present imperative: Earnestly desire.

Present indicative: You are earnestly desiring.

The written form is identical.

Therefore, grammar alone does not settle whether Paul is issuing a command or making a statement.

Context must determine the interpretation.

C. MacArthur's interpretation

MacArthur argues that Paul is describing the Corinthians' behavior.

He understands the verse as a rebuke.

In his interpretation, Paul is effectively saying that the Corinthians are pursuing the prominent gifts, but he will show them a superior way.

This interpretation is consistent with MacArthur's understanding of the entire chapter.

He believes the Corinthians were dissatisfied with God's sovereign arrangement.

They pursued conspicuous gifts for personal recognition.

Consequently, Paul corrects their attitude and directs them toward love.

D. Why MacArthur rejects the imperative interpretation

His argument proceeds from the broader context.

First, God sovereignly distributes spiritual gifts.

Second, every member possesses a necessary function.

Third, no member should envy another.

Fourth, the Corinthians were pursuing prominent manifestations in ways that disrupted the congregation.

Therefore, MacArthur believes it would be inconsistent for Paul suddenly to command the very behavior he has been correcting.

This is the central logic of his position.

E. An important exegetical distinction

MacArthur's grammatical observation is legitimate: zēloute can function as either indicative or imperative.

However, his conclusion is an interpretation rather than an unavoidable grammatical result.

Many interpreters understand the verse as an imperative.

They argue that Paul can affirm God's sovereign distribution of gifts while encouraging the congregation to desire ministries that most effectively build up the church.

This interpretation understands the greater gifts in terms of their usefulness for congregational edification.

It does not necessarily imply seeking gifts for personal prestige.

The following chapter is especially important because 1 Corinthians 14:1 again speaks about desiring spiritual gifts, particularly prophecy.

For our study, the key distinction is this:

MacArthur interprets 12:31 as a rebuke of the Corinthians' pursuit of prominent gifts.

Other interpreters understand it as an exhortation to prioritize gifts that edify the church.

Both interpretations must account for Paul's emphasis on divine sovereignty, diversity, mutual dependence, and love.

XI. The More Excellent Way: Love

MacArthur concludes by returning to the final words of 1 Corinthians 12:31.

Paul introduces a more excellent way.

MacArthur understands this as the transition into chapter 13.

The Corinthians possessed spiritual gifts.

But their use of those gifts was characterized by selfishness, rivalry, and pride.

The fundamental problem was a failure of love.

Love corrects inferiority

Love enables believers to recognize that their ministry exists for the benefit of others.

It redirects attention away from personal recognition.

Love corrects superiority

Love prevents believers from using prominent gifts to exalt themselves.

It produces humility and concern for less visible members.

Love creates harmony

Love causes believers to care for one another.

It enables them to share suffering and rejoice in one another's blessings.

It motivates Christians to strengthen rather than compete with other members.

The relationship between chapters 12 and 13

Chapter 12 explains how God distributes spiritual gifts.

Chapter 13 explains the indispensable character of love.

Chapter 14 addresses the proper exercise of gifts in congregational worship.

The sequence is significant.

Spiritual gifts must operate within the framework of Christian love and for the edification of the church.

That is the direction in which MacArthur concludes this sermon.

XII. Key Greek Terms

Greek termTransliterationMeaningSignificanceσῶμαSōmaBodyThe central metaphor for the churchμέλοςMelosMember, partEvery believer belongs to the bodyαἰώνιος ζωήAiōnios zōēEternal lifeThe shared spiritual life of believersσχίσμαSchismaDivision, splitWhat mutual care is intended to preventσυγκεράννυμιSynkerannymiTo combine or blend togetherGod's arrangement of the bodyζηλόωZēloōTo be zealous for, desire, or envyCentral to the interpretation of verse 31ἀγάπηAgapēLoveThe essential principle developed in chapter 13

Two terms deserve special attention.

Schisma — Division

The term occurs in 1 Corinthians 12:25.

Paul's concern is that the members should not be divided against one another.

The word helps explain why spiritual pride and envy are so destructive.

Synkerannymi — To combine together

The related verb occurs in verse 24.

MacArthur uses its meaning to reinforce God's sovereign arrangement of the body.

Believers are not independent components.

They are deliberately joined together.

XIII. Scripture Cross-References

Unity and mutual dependence

Romans 12:4–5

Believers are many members of one body and belong to one another.

Ephesians 4:4–6

The unity of the body rests upon shared spiritual realities.

Ephesians 4:15–16

The body grows as its members function properly under Christ.

Humility and service

Philippians 2:3–4

Christians are instructed to reject selfish ambition and consider the interests of others.

Romans 12:10

Believers are to demonstrate brotherly love and give preference to one another in honor.

1 Peter 4:10

Each believer is to employ the gift received in serving others.

Shared burdens

Galatians 6:2

Believers are to bear one another's burdens.

Romans 12:15

Christians rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

The purpose of spiritual gifts

1 Corinthians 12:7

The manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

Ephesians 4:11–12

Gifted leaders equip believers for the work of ministry.

Spiritual gifts and love

1 Corinthians 13:1–3

Even extraordinary gifts and sacrifices are spiritually deficient without love.

1 Corinthians 13:4

Love is patient, kind, and free from envy.

XIV. Teaching Guide

Lesson Objective

Participants should understand why spiritual independence, inferiority, and superiority undermine the church, and how biblical love produces mutual dependence and faithful ministry.

Opening discussion

Ask the group:

Can a Christian have a strong personal relationship with Christ while remaining disconnected from meaningful relationships with other believers?

Encourage participants to consider the difference between personal spiritual responsibility and biblical fellowship.

Teaching Point 1: Christians need one another

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:12–14

Explain that every believer shares spiritual life through the Holy Spirit.

The body is one, but its members have different functions.

Emphasis: Spiritual maturity does not eliminate our need for other Christians.

Teaching Point 2: Inferiority is not an excuse for inactivity

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:15–20

Explain the illustrations of the foot, hand, ear, and eye.

A member cannot deny its responsibility simply because it possesses a less visible function.

Emphasis: Every Christian has a meaningful responsibility to serve.

Teaching Point 3: Superiority is not evidence of maturity

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:21–24

Discuss the importance of hidden organs.

Explain how prominent ministries depend upon less visible ministries.

Emphasis: Public recognition is not a reliable measure of spiritual significance.

Teaching Point 4: The body must share one another's experiences

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:25–26

Discuss mutual care, shared suffering, and shared rejoicing.

Emphasis: Biblical fellowship requires active participation in the lives of other believers.

Teaching Point 5: Love governs the exercise of gifts

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:31

Introduce MacArthur's interpretation of the verse.

Explain the transition into chapter 13.

Emphasis: Spiritual gifts are valuable only when exercised according to God's purposes and in Christian love.

XV. Discussion Questions

Understanding the passage

1. Why does MacArthur believe rugged individualism is incompatible with biblical Christianity?

How does Cain's response in Genesis 4 illustrate his argument?

2. What is the difference between spiritual independence and spiritual maturity?

Can a mature Christian legitimately claim not to need other believers?

3. Why does Paul use the human body rather than an organization as his illustration?

What does the body communicate about unity and diversity?

4. How can spiritual inferiority become a form of disobedience?

Why does MacArthur argue that feelings of insignificance do not eliminate responsibility?

5. Why does Paul emphasize weaker and less visible body parts?

What does this reveal about the value of hidden ministries?

Applying the passage

6. What are some ways churches unintentionally encourage spiritual celebrity?

How might this affect members whose ministries receive little public recognition?

7. How should Christians respond when another believer receives recognition or experiences spiritual success?

Consider 1 Corinthians 12:26 and Romans 12:15.

8. What responsibilities do prominent church leaders have toward less visible members?

How might a pastor practically demonstrate the mutual dependence Paul describes?

9. What would meaningful mutual care look like in a local congregation?

Consider members facing illness, discouragement, financial difficulty, or spiritual struggles.

Examining the interpretation

10. How persuasive is MacArthur's interpretation of 1 Corinthians 12:31?

Does the preceding context favor the indicative or imperative reading?

What additional insight might 1 Corinthians 14:1 provide?

XVI. Memory Verses

Primary Memory Verse

1 Corinthians 12:25–26

These verses establish the responsibility of mutual care and shared concern within the body of Christ.

They are particularly appropriate for this sermon because they express Paul's purpose in explaining the body's interdependence.

Supporting Verses

1 Corinthians 12:18

God has arranged the members of the body according to His will.

1 Corinthians 12:21

No member can declare that another member is unnecessary.

1 Corinthians 12:27

Believers are members of Christ's body.

Romans 12:15

Christians are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

1 Peter 4:10

Every believer is responsible to use the gift received in serving others.

XVII. Condensed Teaching Outline

One Body, Many Gifts — Part 2

1 Corinthians 12:12–31

Introduction: The Danger of Spiritual Individualism

God did not design Christians to live independently.

Every believer needs the ministry of others.

I. The Analogy — Verses 12–26

A. Unity — Verses 12–13

One body.

One Spirit.

One shared spiritual life.

B. Diversity — Verse 14

Many members.

Different functions.

Every member necessary.

C. Sovereignty — Verses 18, 24, 28

God distributes gifts.

God arranges believers.

God appoints ministries.

D. Harmony — Verses 15–26

Do not think yourself inferior — verses 15–20.

Do not think yourself superior — verses 21–25.

Care for one another — verses 25–26.

II. The Application — Verses 27–30

The local church represents Christ's body.

God provides different gifts.

Not everyone possesses the same gifts.

Every member has a necessary function.

III. The Final Appeal — Verse 31

MacArthur interprets Paul's words as a rebuke of the Corinthians' pursuit of prominent gifts.

Paul introduces a more excellent way.

Love is essential to the proper exercise of spiritual gifts.

XVIII. Final Exhortation

The Corinthians' problem was not a lack of spiritual gifts.

According to Paul, they had been richly supplied with spiritual gifts.

Their problem was that they had become consumed with themselves.

Some believed they were spiritually insignificant.

Others believed they were spiritually superior.

Both groups had lost sight of the fundamental purpose of their gifts.

God had not equipped them for personal recognition.

He had equipped them to serve one another.

MacArthur's challenge reaches beyond the Corinthian church.

A Christian who withdraws from meaningful fellowship because he feels unimportant is denying the significance of God's provision.

A Christian who looks down upon other believers because he possesses a prominent ministry is denying his dependence upon the body.

Both must repent of self-centered thinking.

Paul offers a different way of life.

It is characterized by humility, mutual concern, shared burdens, rejoicing together, and faithful service.

And ultimately, it is governed by love.

The mature Christian is not the one who needs nobody. He is the one who recognizes his dependence upon Christ, values the ministry of other believers, and faithfully serves the body.

XIX. A Deeper Observation: Two Forms of Pride

There is one aspect of this sermon that deserves additional reflection.

MacArthur identifies inferiority and superiority as opposite problems.

But both can arise from the same underlying issue: an excessive concern with oneself.

The believer who feels inferior may become preoccupied with what he lacks.

The believer who feels superior may become preoccupied with what he possesses.

In both cases, attention shifts away from serving others.

Paul redirects that attention toward the body.

The central question is no longer whether my gift is impressive.

It becomes whether my gift is benefiting others.

This is a significant application of Philippians 2:3–4.

Humility involves considering the interests of others rather than pursuing personal prestige.

The solution to inferiority is not self-promotion.

The solution to superiority is not merely suppressing pride.

The solution is Christ-centered service motivated by love.

That is precisely where Paul's argument is heading in 1 Corinthians 13.

XX. Looking Ahead: 1 Corinthians 13

These two sermons have established the theological foundation for understanding spiritual gifts.

MacArthur has argued that God sovereignly determines the gifts and functions of believers.

He has also demonstrated that those gifts are intended to operate through mutual dependence.

The next question is unavoidable.

What is the essential spiritual quality that enables Christians to exercise their gifts properly?

Paul's answer is love.

Chapter 13 will show that even the most extraordinary spiritual gifts cannot accomplish their intended purpose when exercised without love.

The transition is especially important because the Corinthians were fascinated with spiritual manifestations but deficient in Christian character.

Paul is moving from the distribution of spiritual gifts to the motivation governing their exercise.

The progression of these sermons is therefore:

One Spirit → One Body → Many Gifts → Mutual Dependence → Love.

That final principle will bring the entire discussion into focus.

Reference

https://www.gty.org/sermons/1861/one-body-many-gifts-part-2