1 Corinthians 12:12-17

The Unity of the Body

There is but one body. That body is the church. Paul told the Ephesian brethren, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling." Earlier in the same letter, he had said, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Ephesians 4:4; Ephesians 1:22-23).

There are many different offices in the body, but only one body. The Spirit, working through earthly ministers, had caused people to be baptized into the one body. After baptism, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). If the baptism into the one body is the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which would be a filling or overwhelming, then why would Paul go on to say they were "made to drink into one Spirit?" In other words, why would a person already filled with the Spirit have to drink of it (1 Corinthians 12:12-13)?

The human body and the church have many members, each with a role to play. Apparently some thought their possession of less showy gifts made them nonessential to the body (church). By referring to the human body, Paul showed each member fulfills an important function. No matter what their function, Paul said each was a part of the body and must perform his duty to the best of his ability. The need for differing gifts was thus made very plain. Different functions were to be performed by different members of the body to have a body working as a harmonious whole (1 Corinthians 12:14-17).