For the body is not one member, but many

"For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him... And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another" (I Cor. 12:14-18,23-25). With all of the zeal in the body of Christ today to operate in spiritual gifts, this aspect of it that the apostle Paul taught is vastly overlooked. 1 Corinthians 12 is certainly not overlooked, but the principal of "esteeming others better than ourselves," and "Having the same care one for another" is left out of the mix far too often (Philip. 2:3). Yet this is in fact exactly what the apostle was teaching in the chapter. The purpose of the chapter was not to exhort the Corinthians to excel in spiritual gifts. They were already doing that, as Paul had mentioned earlier in the epistle (I Cor. 1:7). The apostle's intent with this chapter about spiritual gifts was as he stated two chapters later: "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the [congregation]" (I Cor. 14:12).

The believers in Corinth were lacking in order, as was evidenced in several places in this epistle; and their disorderly ways were not proving to edify one another (I Cor. 5; I Cor. 11:17,18,28-32: I Cor. 14:9-13,20-26). So as was the manner of the apostle Paul, he was striving to teach these people how to simply love one another as Christ loved us. Jesus obviously preferred our good over himself, and he graphically demonstrated that by dying a very cruel death in our place. While we should be zealous to manifest Christ through the gifts he has bestowed on us all, we should be more zealous of making him known by "the love of God [that] is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:5). Jesus told us exactly how the world would know that we are his: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (Jn. 13:35). Paul laid down some simplistic rules in this chapter that show us how to do just that in the arena of operating in spiritual gifts. The main points he made were simply to consider and understand that the gifts of others are as important as our own gifts, and that those who 'seem' to be less significant should be given more attention than those who are in the forefront. I have for too long seen the crippling effect of these simple rules being shunned, in favor of doing things in the exact opposite direction. When we think of the gifts of others as being less significant than our own, and when we exalt those with the more apparent gifts while basically ignoring the "less comely parts;" that is how we end up in a cult type of mindset, which is to the edifying of no one. Unfortunately the cult spirit is prevalent among God's people today, though soft for the most part.

Paul had dealt with that very result and spiritual malady earlier in this same letter: "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase... Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (I Cor. 3:3-7,21-23). So as I said, the zeal for spiritual gifts apart from the preference for love and edification can only lead to a cult mentality. Paul in this third chapter is having to steer these believers away from being in a cult mindset about himself, Peter, and Apollos. When we fail to esteem the significance of others as being at least equal to or own, and we give all of the honor to those who have the more apparent gifts, over those whose gifts are less apparent; we are losing sight of the heart of Christ, who is both "the head of the body," and whose body we are the members of (Col. 1:18). All I would add to these things is in fact the definitive and simplistic words of Jesus, in regard to the determining factor of our eternal destination: "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world... And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels... Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me" (Mat. 25:34,40,41,45,46). I think that says it for now. God bless.