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.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  (5)There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  (6)And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.  (7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all; (8)for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, (9)to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, (10)to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  (11)But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The Apostle Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians. The church he founded there was composed of mainly Gentiles with pagan backgrounds.  We must remember that all men have a fallen nature – this is part of history and certainly part of the early church – and the Corinthian Christians were no different.  Paul has already told the Corinthians that as pagans they were spirit led by demonic spirits to idols.   In another words they were led astray in the past and he was warning them to not let this happen to them as Christians.

There were divisions at Corinth over different factions or leaders.  There were serious problems of sexual immorality, casual heathen worship and  abuse of communion,  all arising from pride and arrogance and disobedience.  What Paul is addressing in our verses today however, is how Corinthians judged themselves and others on the basis of spiritual gifts.

The Corinthians were apparently highly gifted but not highly spiritual.  Spiritual gifts are just that – gifts from God – to enable the recipient to do what God has equipped them to do. These gifts are not things man can do by himself – (think of the transformation of Peter on Pentecost) – and these gifts are given for service and for the glory of God.

Spiritual gifts produce spiritual results. There are an infinite variety of gifts but they are from the same Spirit – our sovereign God gives us these gifts in the context of our lives and circumstances. Ministries can change and so can the gifts we receive – for example, the preaching ministry of Paul changing to the inspired written ministry – and there are infinite varieties of effects.  Paul is warning the Corinthians to let go of the past – let go and let God – and to reach for what is ahead. He tells them that these are gifts from God through grace and that they – and we – should not boast or take pride in such gifts.

Then Peter opened his mouth and said:  In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  (35) But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. (36) The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ – He is Lord of all – (37) that word you know, which  proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism, which John preached:  (38) how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, the physician and companion to the Apostle Paul. This book serves as a history of the early church – Luke was a careful researcher and intimate of many who were first hand sources of the life and works of Jesus Christ.

The first Christians were Jewish men and their  belief was that the Gentiles had to go through and keep Jewish rituals to become Jewish Christians like the apostles. But God has been breaking down Peter’s Jewish bias.  In Acts we are told of Peter being called in a dream to the house of Cornelius to minister to that Gentile household.  This was a radical change in Gods salvation history – salvation had been of the Jews and through the Jews and now Gentiles are not required to become Jews to be saved. Salvation was not based on nationality nor was it based on good works – and it is initiated by God, not by man. Salvation is by faith in Christ Jesus – And our verses today tell  of Cornelius who needed to hear about Jesus and put his trust in Christ to be saved

Early in chapter 10 of Acts we are introduced to Cornelius and we are told he was not only a good and devout man, he was a centurion of the Italian regiment. This tells us that he was a commander of soldiers; he was a commander in the elite, Italian regiment.  Cornelius was told in a vision to send for Peter, who would tell him what to do To be saved. The important thing here is, despite the good works and godly living of Cornelius, he was not yet saved.  He needed to hear of the resurrection of Christ.  Peter had not even finished preaching the gospel and we are told that the Spirit entered Cornelius and his household and the gifts of the Spirit were poured out on the Gentiles

So our verses today concern a Gentile –  an Italian Roman soldier who is saved by God through Christ Jesus.   Now, everyone who believes in Christ receives God’s salvation.

if  indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, (3) how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,……….) (5) which in others ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets; (6) that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,

The letter to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul. In our verses today Paul is explaining that  the Gentiles were historically excluded from the nation of the Jewish people – they were not part of the covenant of promise – but now in Christ Jesus, the Gentiles are no longer strangers but also inherit Gods promise of salvation. In the church all racial differences are gone.

in  beginning of chapter 3 Ephesians, Paul tells us that he is a prisoner of Christ Jesus – meaning he is an actual prisoner in Rome because of the gospel – his ministry at core was why he was in prison.   He is telling his readers that no one has ever come to Christ by his or her own intelligence or power or through good works; that the Gospel is not something we would ever think of or reason out but a mystery only revealed by God.

The key idea is God’s eternal purpose to sum up things in Christ – the centrality of Christ – the now revealed truth that Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus. None of these thoughts were welcome to unbelieving Jews. The Old Testament spoke of God’s blessings on the Gentiles but always through the Jews.  There were many centuries of hostility between the Jews and the Gentiles which would not be going away quickly or completely. There were troublemakers in Ephesus in Pauls absence questioning his authority and insisting that believers become Jewish proselytes  – they must be circumcised and keep the law of Moses.  This is why the apostle Paul found it necessary to remind the Ephesians of equality of the Jews and Gentiles in God’s eyes in the Church.  Faithful Christians did not have to follow the Law of Moses: they now had direct access to God through Christ Jesus.