For the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, as one body, so also is Christ. (13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.  (14) For in fact the body is not one member but many.  (27) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.  

The Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians. It is apparent from reading this letter that there were many problems in the church at Corinth- there were cults of personalities: division over who was the most charismatic leader. There were divisions over civil matters which led to lawsuits in civil courts – matters of pride and arrogance.  But in our verses today, Paul is addressing  question of unity in the early church at Corinth.

The Apostle Paul – who alone spoke of the church as a body – used the human body as an analogy for the unity of the church.  He wrote that the church is the spiritual body of Christ and all believers are baptized by the Spirit into members of the church. Paul emphasizes that all parts of the body work together to function as an effective unit just  all members of the church – each member different – have their own function.  All members of the body of Christ – or the church – retain their individual identity and all have their individual ministry.

We do not operate or are placed in the body of Christ by chance but are gifted in a particular way by the Spirit – by God’s sovereign will.  Apparently the Corinthians prized certain gifts above others and Paul is attempting to show them unity and God’s purpose  – that the most desirable gifts are those which benefit the whole church.