Daily Devotions – What is a Church? Pt. 9

Daily Devotions – What is a Church? Pt. 9

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

1 Corinthians 12:27-31  (NIV)
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

 

We are starting to see the problem that Paul was addressing a bit more clearly. When he wrote this letter, some thought because they performed certain functions in the church that they were more important, and others were expendable or worth less. Paul does give a bit of hierarchy here, but he finishes this section on the Body of Christ by pointing beyond roles and functions to something more “excellent”. In other words, what you do at the church is important, but it is NOT the “most excellent way”. Let us pray that God would fill the roles necessary in our church, but help us all to pursue the “most excellent way”.