For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are 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. (15) If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? (16) And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? (18) But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (19) And if they were all one member, where would the body be? (20) But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. (21) And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you.” (23) No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. (23) And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, (24) but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, (25) that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. (26) And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (27) Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (28) And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. (29) Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? (30) Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In our verses today Paul is showing – by analogy of the unity of the body – that unity is an essential need of the church and that diversity is essential to unity and this unity is divinely provided by the Spirit. The church no more consists of all members having the same gifts than the body is all eye or all ear. Many members necessarily means constituent parts having their own functions. Like the body, there is mutual dependency of the members of the church. The implication being that in Corinth some “members” of the church were discontent with their gifts – that God had made a mistake in His assignments and the Corinthians were looking for showy abilities. At the same time some who had visible gifts were belittling those with less prominent gifts. In unfounded pride they disdained those they perceived as “less” gifted.

Paul is not writing of water baptism but of baptism by the indwelling Spirit at the moment of faith in Christ Jesus. The proof of unity in the church is that by one Spirit we were many, baptized into one body. The Bible distinguishes between these baptisms – here not only distinguishes but disconnects them. The one baptism may be without the other. The baptism of the indwelling Spirit teaches the nature of the church and the principle of its unity. The church is not under one external or visible head or one governing tribunal but unified by virtue of the Holy Spirit in all its members.

Just as God has arranged the body parts to constitute one organic whole – the gifts/calling for church members is NOT according to the relative merits or decisions of the members but as the Lord determines. God’s thoughts are not as our thoughts. Paul is not writing of what ought to be but what is. The time is not yet come when every believer shall have the same care for another that he/she has for themselves but that ideal is set here in these verses.