Abide Together: Reflections on 1 Corinthians 12 and 13

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 we see the church being called to be one body in Christ.  Just as we are powered by the one Holy Spirit,  they are called to be one.  This is just a continued discussion from the last chapters.  Paul addresses this issue because there was a lack of unity in the church.

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free and all were made to drink of one spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13

Paul then encourages the church to understand that all are blessed with different gifts and not to be jealous of another gift, but to understand that all the gifts God blesses them and are necessary.

In 1 Corinthians 13 we see  Paul encourage the church to love.  These are all very related issues.  Paul says that love is imperative to success in the church.  He even says Love is the greatest between faith and hope and love.  He is emphasizing how important it is to love others in the church even more than yourself.  This is key to unity of the church and to truly doing God’s will.  I pray that we would be a body that loves selflessly and is unified as God calls us to be

-Joshua Dawes