Daily Scripture Reading 1Corinthians 12:18 - 13:13

People are naturally selfish and competitive. This means humans naturally want to be at the top of the chain of command and be the person who is praised and rewarded for being the best.

Christians are not immune to having these desires within the church. Just like any organization, a church has a hierarchy. There are different roles within the church. Some people have roles that are visible and thus receive much praise and recognition. Meanwhile, other people spend years fulfilling functions that are never recognized or rewarded.

In today’s passage we will learn that while there are differences between Christians in regards to the set of abilities and functions that each person has been given by God, there is a very necessary characteristic that each person can perform equally. We should desire to do so.

Yesterday, we began reading chapter 12 in which Paul wrote about the church being like a body. Just as a body is one and yet has many different parts which have different functions, so too the church is one, and yet has many different members who have different gifts.

1Cor. 12:18 But now God has appointed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

Note the phrase “God has appointed”. It is quite easy for a Christian to be discontent with the set of talents he has and be jealous of others who have what he wants. This verse makes it clear that God composed the church as He desired, so if anyone is discontent, he is actually complaining against God Himself.

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

1Cor. 12:20 But now there are many members, but one body.

1Cor. 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1Cor. 12:22 On the contrary, how much more is it that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary,

1Cor. 12:23 and those members of the body which we think as less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,

1Cor. 12:24 whereas our more presentable members have no such need. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,

1Cor. 12:25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

Some people in the church appear to have a greater position, but they may not be as necessary as someone who appears to have a lesser position.

1Cor. 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

This verse describes how the church should work. We should know each other well enough that we suffer and rejoice as one.

Unfortunately, many Christians today are so busy with the distractions of life, and/or we are so corrupted by selfishness, that we don’t know each other well enough to live life as one body.

1Cor. 12:27 ¶ Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

1Cor. 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

Notice the words “first”, “second”, and “third”. There is a ranking within the church. The apostles had the highest authority. The prophets were God’s chosen vehicles to deliver His messages.

1Cor. 12:29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?

1Cor. 12:30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all translate?

The answer to all these questions is no.

1Cor. 12:31 But you earnestly desire the greater gifts. ¶ And I will yet show you a more excellent way.

The first sentence of this verse reminds us that every human naturally wants the top gifts. Everyone wants top power, fame, and attention.

The second sentence tells us there is something more excellent for which we should strive. That other way is described in the following verses.

1Cor. 13:1 ¶ If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1Cor. 13:2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

1Cor. 13:3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

People have a desire to be somebody and accomplish things. However, if we are fabulously successful in the eyes of the world, but do not have love, then our status and successes profit us nothing. We should have more desire to love than to have status and accomplishments.

1Cor. 13:4 ¶ Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous, does not brag, is not puffed up;

1Cor. 13:5 it does not act unbecomingly, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered;

1Cor. 13:6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1Cor. 13:7 it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Verses 4-7 are the definition of love. Basically, it is the opposite of selfishness.

1Cor. 13:8 ¶ Love never fails, but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

The Christians in Corinth were desirous to have the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge. However, those gifts were temporary gifts that had been given to establish the church. They were going to go away.

Meanwhile, love will never go away. Being a loving Christian will always be necessary, beneficial, and rewarding.

1Cor. 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

1Cor. 13:10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

Prophecy, tongues, and knowledge were necessary before the completion of the Bible so that people would have direction from God. However, once the Bible was complete, the gifts that yielded partial messages, such as prophecy, tongues, and knowledge, ceased to exist.

1Cor. 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child. When I became a man, I did away with childish things.

1Cor. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.

1Cor. 13:13 But now abide faith, hope, love—these three; but the greatest of these is love.

People have a desire to be somebody and accomplish things. However, if we are fabulously successful in the eyes of the world, but do not have love, then our status and successes profit us nothing. We should have more desire to love than to have status and accomplishments.

What are some ways you have demonstrated true Biblical love as you exercised the gifts and talents God gave you?

What are some ways you could be more loving as you serve your local body of believers?

What changes do you need to make in your mind so that you value being loving more than you value having status and success?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”