多樣中仍有一致：這就是基督身體的特色。我們都不同，但我們也都同屬一體──或至少，我們應該是一體的。

        保羅連著三章討論同一個主題，目的在消除哥林多信徒對屬靈恩賜的無知。保羅其實不需要鼓勵哥林多教會運用屬靈的恩賜──他們是所有保羅建立的教會中最「靈恩」的。但他們太熱中於個別的恩賜而忘記了屬靈恩賜最主要的功用──滿足身體的需要。以致在他們中間產生混亂、紛爭、和爭辯。保羅要使他們對屬靈恩賜有正確的觀點。

        保羅提出三個重點，作為任何討論或瞭解屬靈恩賜的原則：（1）並非所有恩賜都相同。（2）上帝卻只有一位。（3）恩賜是上帝所賜，為了叫人得益處（4~7節）。

        有人扮演眼睛，有人扮演腳。有人很搶眼，有人卻隱居幕後。即使有的肢體因較顯眼而倍受重視（如手），但那看不見的肢體可能更加重要呢（如肝臟）！不過，上帝是相同的一位──祂聯絡所有這些不同的肢體。恩賜的彰顯只有在以「叫人得益處」為動機時才有意義。

        「屬靈巨人」不適用於基督的身體。我們不是為了恩賜的緣故追求恩賜，也不是追求恩賜可能帶來的榮耀；我們是為了服事我們的弟兄。一個人運用其恩賜的根本動機是為服事而不是為成就。

        不論我們擁有的恩賜多麼引人注目，如果我們不為上帝和弟兄姐妹挑旺我們的恩賜，那麼我們就是浪費時間。以上所說的重點其實不在有沒有恩賜，而在──能不能結果子。

        天父，如同我們昨天的禱告，我們真的想與基督身上的肢體好好相處。您賜給我們屬靈恩賜是要使我們可以彼此服事，使基督的身體沒有分門別類的現象。幫助我們給予別人最大的關懷，如同我們在有需要時希望得到關懷一樣。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        Unity in diversity: That’s the story on the body of Christ. We’re all different, and we’re all one – or, at least, we’re supposed to be.

        Paul begins a three-chapter dissertation designed to dispel “ignorance” about spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church didn’t need to be motivated in this area – they were the most “charismatic” of all his congregations. But they were so keen on their individual gifting that they were forgetting the primary function of spiritual gifts: to meet the needs of a coordinated body. Instead there was confusion, wrangling, and division. Paul sets out to put spiritual gifts into perspective.

        He establishes three underlying principles for any discussion or understanding of spiritual gifts:(1) Not all gifts are the same, (2)God is the same, and (3) The gifts are given by God for the common good (vv.4-7).

        One person is an “eye”; another is a “foot”. One is visible; another is behind the scenes. And even though one member may be more visible, and thereby given greater deference (the hand, for example), the unseen member may be more vital (the liver, for example). God, however, is the “same” – He coordinates all these differing members. And the manifestation of the gifts has meaning only if their motive is “the common good”

        Spiritual giant hood doesn’t apply here. We don’t seek gifts for gifts’ sake. Nor do we seek the “honor” a gift may bring; we seek to serve our brother. Service, not achievement, is the underlying motivation for exercising one’s gift.

        If we don’t stir up our gift for God and Christian brothers, then we’re wasting our time, regardless of impressive our gift may be. The bottom line in this discussion is not giftedness at all; the litmus test is fruitfulness.

        Father, as we prayed yesterday, we truly want to live right with fellow members of the body of Christ. You gave the gifts of the Spirit so we could minister one to another, and so that there would be no schism in the body. Help us to have the same care for one another, as we would want to receive in our time of need.