EQUALLY VALUABLE, EQUALLY NECESSARY

1 Cor 12v4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ...

20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

At times, in the body of Christ, there has been a false notion that only some are gifted in order to benefit other members of the Church. This has often bread lax, lazy and selfish attitudes, jealousies, discouragement, and the glorification and idolisation of men, as the Church has often thought that some in the body of Christ are better or more important and valuable than others. The Church often recognises the members of the body of Christ that take the form of Pastor, Teacher and even at times, Prophet, and those that work miracles and healings, but the scriptures below outline that there are many more giftings and manifestations of the Spirit, and also that no one is left out of being given a role of service. Verse 7 says; 'But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.' This clearly shows us that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each and every member of the body of Christ, so that each member may spiritually benefit and build up their brothers and sisters in Christ in some way, shape or form. Those forms are outlined in the scriptures below. There are no members of the body that have been left out of this! Therefore, there are none that should be needlessly discouraged, thinking that they don't have a role to play and that their lives don't hold the importance that others' lives do. Each should feel, by His grace and love, as special in the body as the other. Conversely, there are none that should feel that they have the right to sit and watch on the sidelines when it comes to the areas mentioned above v4-6; giftings, ministries and activities. Make no mistake about it, the Word is clear that everyone in the body of Christ has been given a manifestation of the Spirit, and so in some manner, you will operate in a gift and therefore have a ministry that is made up of a kind of activity to go along with it (the practical outworking of that gift). This is a glorious thing; we have been gifted in order to benefit our brothers and sisters in Christ in some way shape or form, and this should excite us to use what we have been given: 2 Tim 1v6 'For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.' Christ has laid His hands on us, and given us His Spirit, and so we have been gifted with what He intended us to have, as the Spirit willed it. We all have a purpose to fulfil! We all have a role to play!

If we don't know what impartation of the Spirit you have been given, we need to find out. We may already be using what He has given us, and that is great, but it is still important to know what it is and how He intended it to be used, to be even more effectual in what we've been given. We need to ask the Lord about it and seek Him in His Word. I did this when I was younger, and the Lord made it clear to me, via His written Word and the highlighting of it by His Spirit, exactly what He had given me in order to serve Him and His people. And so He is faithful to do this with all that ask this of Him. However, it may already be apparent to you what you have been gifted with, or even others may have known it for a long time, and told you already. You may already be walking in it, so keep walking in it! You may have put your gifting down for a while, so pick it up again and use it to help the family of God! Whether in the seemingly greatest or smallest of ways, use what you have been given for His body and thus for Him. To bury your gifting and not use it is an incredibly serious matter and the Lord will hold us accountable if we do that (Matt 25). To not use our talents is to not allow the Lord to work through us in this manner, and that is a serious denial of His Lordship of our lives (Phil 2v13). If we have never had such a desire to serve Him, we should even examine whether we even have the Lord Jesus inside us (for there would be that working inside of us of His will and to do His good pleasure if He truly is inside of us- Phil 2v13). But if we are truly His, although we are weak and none of us perfect in the area of service, we won't let our talents be idle for long; the Spirit will stir us up to use them for Him and His glory! 

It is crucial that we find out how the Lord has gifted us, and what He wants us to do for Him with those things. 1 Corinthians 12 clearly shows us Christians are all part of one body and that the Lord's will for us is that we support each other in one of the capacities outlined below. The writer of Corinthians, the Apostle Paul, said that each gifting is NECESSARY: 1 Cor 12v22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.' Even those gifts which seem the least essential are in fact as essential as any other gift. If we didn't have hands, it wouldn't really matter if we had a very intellectual head, because we'd have nothing to carry out what we thought we should do. Even so, every gift is needed to support the other gift, and we can achieve so much more as a complete body. We all need each other in some way, and one of those ways are outlined in Chapter 12. For one member to think they are exempt from this, and therefore exempt from supporting the part of the body of Christ they have been placed with, weakens that body and actually makes it lame in some way shape or form (just as if we were to be made lame if we were to lose an eye or arm (v 20-22). Yes, it is true that all of our lives should be lived for God, but there should still be a specific aspect of our lives lived for God that encompasses the service that is outlined in this chapter of scripture (1 Cor 12), as the writer makes quite clear. And we should make every effort to make sure we are contributing what God intended for us to contribute. 

None of us as part of the body of Christ are dispensable, each of us are crucial to its healthy existence, and each of us have an opportunity this year to make use of the talent the Lord has given us. Jesus has a specific will for the working which He has planned to do through us: Phil 2v13- 'For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.' This is the highest of callings, and we have already been gifted to fulfil such a calling. And there is even the possibility that we may do more for Him than we ever have before (but that is for another post). By the grace of God, you are crucial to the health of His body and for its good function! What an amazing thought! What an incredible truth!


(this carries on from verse 3 in the passage of scripture above) 1 Cor 12v4: There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same[b] Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best[d] gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.