Not One Member but Many

J.J. Stark

February 2016

Week 7

IGNITE Class 10

Inductive Bible Study (IBS)

Not One Member but Many

“¹⁴For in fact the body is not one member but many.  ¹⁵If the foot should say, ‘“Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,”’ is it therefore not of the body?” – 1 Corinthians 12:14-15 (NKJV)

For the first eleven chapters in 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul’s writing is mainly focuses on instructing the church in Corinth in how abiding in the freedom of walking in the Holy Spirit.  This is a freedom from the law, which is the selfish flesh, and once free from the flesh, one can then live under Christ’s law and become an imitator of Him.  Upon reaching chapter 12, Paul begins discussing the topic of spiritual gifts and how through the baptism of the Holy Spirit there is large diversity in the gifts that can be received – each of equal importance in the Spirit.  Paul says this beginning in verses 4-7: “⁴There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  ⁶And there are diversities of activities, the it is the same God who works all in all.  ⁷But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”  Through salvation, I as a believer am now in the body of Christ and apart of His Spirit.  Coming to IGNITE has really given me an excellent physical example of operating in the body of Christ.  Throughout my class, there are many similarities and common threads amongst teammates, which is awesome, but at the same time, we are VERY different.  Each of us has a special skillset and gifting from the Lord.  It has been interesting to watch everyone learn to operate with their personal weaknesses and strengths, and then fit them with those around them.  This has been a huge blessing to me seeing how we are learning to build up and edify one another daily, as well as having people challenge me to use the set of gifts that I have been given to glorify God and esteem others above myself.

Application:  Today, I will write down at least two spiritual gifts and/or characteristics of each of my three roommates, and then discuss it with them this evening.