Author: Charlie Garrett

Friday, 19 December 2014

And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 1 Corinthians 12:19

A point that must have been on Paul’s mind when he wrote out this verse is that no one member’s interests, gifts, or ministry can be allowed to take overall precedence within the church. If the heart were to claim that it was somehow equal to the sum total of all the other members because of its unique makeup, then there would be no need for a body. If there was no need for a body, then there would be no body because that which is superfluous is unneeded and would eventually be cast off (like the shedding of unnecessary skin).

If this were the case, the heart would find out very quickly how lonely being heart without a body would actually be. The things that makes us feel unique and indispensable are actually the those things around us which we rely on, and which rely on us, in a harmonious and mutually-benefiting way.

Life application: No matter how much you do for the church, and no matter how important you feel your position in the body is, you cannot survive in that capacity without others. If the pastor of a church did every single thing in the church and yet there was no one to sit in the pews, then he wouldn’t be a pastor of a church. Paul says in Romans 12:3 that we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Let us ponder that as our life application for the day!

Lord, You have used me in certain ways to help others. You have allowed me to be ministered to as well. In both of these tasks, I feel unworthy of the honor. When I see someone’s path get straightened out by something I say, it reminds me of the wayward path I once walked. But You straightened it out. And when someone helps me out with a difficult issue of life, it reminds me how far I still need to go in my faith and in my growth. In both, I see just how great You are. Thank You for the interactions I have with others that show me this. Amen.

Thursday, 18 December 2014

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 1 Corinthians 12:18

“But now” is stated to contrast the examples given in the previous three verses. The many body parts don’t fight against one another, but rather they complement each other. And no part of the body reflects the whole. Instead each is designed to act in a particular way to benefit the whole, which is comprised of many. Therefore, “God has set the members.” The word for “set” is tithemi. It shows an intentional arrangement has taken place. Each member has been fashioned by God and then has been set in a particular place in order to benefit the whole.

This same word is used in John 15:16 as Jesus spoke to the apostles about His intentional choice and appointment of the apostles. There, translated as “appointed,” it says –

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16

The idea is the same here. God has done this for “the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” The wisdom of God is on display in the selection of each person for their appointed gift, ministry, and activity. It would make no sense to place an ear where a foot belongs, and to have knee in the middle of the forehead would show a significant lack of judgment and right thinking. As God is the Creator and the Giver of gifts to His creatures, He knows the very best placement for them within the body. There are no errors and all things work in the body exactly as He determines.

Life application: As you evaluate your own position within the church family, know that you are exactly where the Lord wants you. He has a good plan and a purpose for you. So trust that His placement is perfect. Then, use your placement to the fullest extent you can in order to give glory to God.

Heavenly Father, I am absolutely certain that Your wisdom is infinite. I am also absolutely certain that because of Christ, I am Your child. With this in mind, and knowing that You only intend the very best for me, I am confident that You have me exactly where You want me and that You have a good plan and a purpose for me. And so I will trust this, follow You, and cling to You with all my heart and soul. I know that my life and destiny is secure in You. Thank You for this assurance. Amen.

Wednesday, 17 December 2014

If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 1 Corinthians 12:17

This verse is evident in and of itself. After discussing various body parts and how they relate to the whole, he turns the concept around. For example, what if there were just an eye and nothing else? He asks the obvious – “Where would be the hearing?” There would be none.

But further, if an organism were only an eye, it would actually serve no purpose at all. Without a brain, there would be no processing of the signal which passes through the eye. Without feet, there would be nothing to allow the eye to move in order to see in various directions. Likewise, there would be nothing to move the eye when a predator came along. The list could go on forever at the huge lack there would be in the existence of any eye with nothing attached to it.

And the same is true with any other body part. Paul asks about the ear (hearing). If the whole body was an ear, “where would be the smelling?” There would be none. His comments here are known as Reductio ad absurdum, or the “reduction to absurdity.” This is an argument where the use of the assertion would have a ridiculous or untenable result. He is not attempting to be silly in his words, but rather to get those in Corinth (and thus us!) to consider the importance of each person, and the use of that person’s gift, for the benefit of the whole body.

If a pastor (say, an eye) has no one to accomplish the multitudes of other tasks within the church, then he would actually have no purpose at all. A pastor without a church of people (ears, noses, feet, hands, etc.) is not a church.

Life application: Nobody’s gift is so important that it can stand alone. Without a body to receive and compliment the gift, the gift is wasted.

Lord God, thank You for all the people I worship and serve with. I know that without each of us helping one another and receiving the fruit of one another’s labors, there would be nothing to enjoy. Certainly a hand without a body is a worthless body part. An eye without a head actually sees nothing. And a heart without a body to pump blood to and through is a heart lacking any purpose at all. But together, we make a wonderfully lovely body. Thank You Lord God for all the people I worship and serve with. Amen.

Tuesday, 16 December 2014

And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 1 Corinthians 12:16

Paul just used the foot and the hand as comparative parts of the body. Now, using the same type of comparative analysis, he mentions the ear and the eye. Each has an important function for the body, and if either is lacking the whole body will suffer. But some might say one is more important than the other. Although not universal, it is common to hear people say that if they had to choose seeing or hearing, they would choose seeing. Because of this, the ear may hear and fear that should the choice be real its time has drawn near.

But Paul asks, “If the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” does it change the fact that it is actually still a part of the body? Of course not! The ear doesn’t stop being a part of the body just because its feelings are hurt that its not an eye. And so the ear can cry (well, if it were an eye), and wonder why its not an eye, but we should not fear that the ear will refuse to hear, even if it attempts to try.

The ear will continue to be a part of the body and it will continue to allow us to enjoy all the marvelous sounds for which it was intended. Both the ear and the eye were designed by God for special purposes which each beautifully performs when it is operating properly. And so it is with those in the church. If the individual understands that their gift is truly needed and of value, they won’t complain against those with other gifts, but will instead work in harmony with them for the building up of the whole body.

Life application. If you are an ear, be happy that you can hear. For faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Someone spoke the word to you and you believed it was true. In that you were saved, when you rightly behaved, by believing not by sight, but in your heart as God says is right. Be thankful for who you are and use your gift to His glory.

Lord, when I think of the intricacy of the body, I stand amazed. Every part fits together so that we can hear, smell, feel, taste, and see. And then we can apply these senses to put together amazing meals, build ships that can fly to other planets, and make timepieces that are so intricately constructed that they can count the moments with the most astounding precision. If the creature can do this, how much more glorious is the Creator. Lord I stand amazed at You. Amen.

Monday, 15 December 2014

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 1 Corinthians 12:15

We were just told that “the body is not one member but many.” In support of this, and yet in order to defend the unity of the body, Paul will use parts of the body as if they were in a sort of rebellion against one another. This then would be likened to individuals within the church who were warring over their individual gifts. And so he begins with the hands and the feet.

A foot is a foot, but maybe it wants to be a hand. However, it is a foot, and so it rebels and says that it isn’t a part of the body because it’s not a hand. Does this change the fact that it is a member of the body? Not at all! It remains a foot and it will continue to serve as a foot to the body, regardless of whether it is happy about its “footiness.”

And whether the hand feels exalted over this or not, there is a truth which it may actually find to be rather underhanded. The hand can’t get the body to where it’s going without the foot! If the body is hungry and the necessary food is down the road at the market, the hand is rather useless in getting the body to the market. In fact, the hand may think that a conspiracy is afoot against it! But this isn’t the case. Rather, the foot is designed to perform its function and get the hand (and the rest of the body) to the market in a fairly fine fashion, thus out-footing the footlessly failing hand.

The body was constructed in a handy way to ensure that all of its parts are interdependent so that none outfoots another, but instead each part will graciously accept the role which Divine Providence has handed it.

This very passage of Scripture may have been on the mind of Alexander Pope when he penned these words to consider –

“What if the foot, ordain’d the dust to tread,
Or hand, to toil, aspired to be the head?
What if the head, the eye, or ear declined
To serve mere engines to the ruling mind?
Just as absurd for any part to claim
To be another in this general frame:
Just as absurd to mourn the fate or pains
The great directing MIND OF ALL ordains.
All are but parts of one stupendous whole,
Whose body Nature is, and God the soul.”
Alexander Pope, The Essay on Man, 1734

Life application: If you’re a foot, you are no less important than a hand. You are a part of the body which is indispensable to the whole. Be content with who you are; the body cannot work properly without you.

Lord, I am so thankful to You for this life. I know You have placed me in the exact time in history, in the exact location that I am, and in the perfect position in life for me to seek You out and to be used by You. All of the things that have happened to me along this journey have been a part of bringing me to where I am right now. Thank You for having selected every single thing, good and bad, to mold me for Your purposes. And help me to use it all so that the world can see You through me. Amen!