For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts and though all its parts are many, they form one body. Paul talked more about this in I Corinthians 12. This is what brings us freedom as individuals and what blesses the collective body of Christ. This is why each one of us should know and prove the will of God for our lives and set out to operate in it ( Romans 12:2 ). We were called by one spirit to one body. If the entire body clamored for the pulpit but disregarded other gifts such as encouraging a struggling member or serving the needs of the body, then we would have chaos rather than unity. However, just as important are gifts like encouragement, generosity and showing mercy to one another. We readily recognize the more visible gifts such as prophecy, teaching and leadership. Paul listed several things in these verses that are easily overlooked as gifts from the Lord.
There are many gifts and each one is very important to the body of Christ. If we have been given a servant's heart, then we should be operating within that calling. If we are talented at teaching, then we should be teaching the word to others. So it makes sense that if we have the gift of prophesy we should use it to bless the body of Christ. We all have different gifts and talents according to the grace given us. In today's passage Paul is encouraging us to play to our strengths. The many members make up the church and the church is the body of Christ. We all have different functions but we belong to the same body. He designed us to complement the body of Christ by our membership in it. We were all created with specific purposes, talents and aptitudes.
There is incredible freedom in operating in your strengths. If it is serving, let him serve if it is teaching, let him teach if it is encouraging, let him encourage if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously if it is leadership, let him govern diligently if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully" (Romans 12:6-8) If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
0 kommentar(er)
