The Expositor's Bible: The First Epistle to the CorinthiansDods, Marcus
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The First Epistle to the Corinthians
Dods, Marcus
Bible. Corinthians, 1st -- Commentaries
4. Lastly, Paul is careful to teach that "the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to every man _to profit withal_." It is not for the
glorification of the individual that the new spiritual life manifests
itself in this or that remarkable form, but for the edification of the
body of Christ. However beautiful any feature of a face may be, it is
hideous apart from its position among the rest and lying by itself.
Morally hideous and no longer admirable is the Christian who attracts
attention to himself and does not subordinate his gift to the
advantage of the whole body of Christ. If in the human body any member
asserts itself and is not subservient to the one central will, that is
recognised as disease: St. Vitus' dance. If any member ceases to obey
the central will, paralysis is indicated. And equally so is disease
indicated wherever a Christian seeks his own ends or his own
glorification, and not the advantage of the whole body. Simon Magus
sought to make a reputation and a competence for himself by spiritual
gifts. What in his case was mainly stupidity is in ours sin if we use
such powers and opportunities as we have for our own purposes, and not
with a view to the profit of others.
Let us then endeavour to recognise our position as members of Christ's
body. Let us with seriousness accept Him as appointed by God to be our
true spiritual Life and Head; let us consider what we have it in our
power to do for the good of the whole body; and let us put aside all
jealousy, envy, and selfishness, and with meekness honour the work
done by others while humbly and hopefully doing our own.
_NO GIFT LIKE LOVE_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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