Unity in Diversity

[Erwin]

In 1 Cor 12:12-26, we find that the church is a body comprised of many diverse members. There is the foot, the head, the hand, the eye, the mouth etc. In spite of this many different parts, Paul urges us to srive for oneness in this diversity. The key to this unity is our attitude.

[bible]1 Corinthians 12:12-26[/bible]


We are all different, with different gifts. We are all important parts of the body of Christ.

[bible]1 Corinthians 7:7[/bible]


Let none of us think too highly of ourselves.

[bible]Romans 12:3-5[/bible]

 

[Bushido216]

I must have missed something big if you're posting this.

 

[Erwin]

No, I just posted that as a reminder.

 

[seebs]

Thank you, Erwin. I certainly appreciate the sentiment.

 

[oldrooster]

That was great Erwin......

 

[Plan 9]

An excellent post, Erwin.

 

[CPman2004]

Very Good Reminder

 

[freespirit2001]

An Excellen+ Pos+ Dr.Loh*.*.*.*.
M +'s go+ we+ +onigh+*.*.*.*.(I spil+ soda on kee board )
A li++le while*.*.*.*.+his +oo shall pass*.*.*.

*free

I LOVE CF!!! GOD BLESS!!

 

[freespirit2001]

In 1 Cor 12:12-26, we find that the church is a body comprised of many diverse members. There is the foot, the head, the hand, the eye, the mouth etc. In spite of this many different parts, Paul urges us to srive for oneness in this diversity. The key to this unity is our attitude.

I totally agree with what you say here, Erwin:
"The key to this unity is our attitude."....

This is so true!!!

We all have needs for achievement, acceptance and some kind of power in life--control and influence over our environments...I hope we can maintain that bridge of "good attitude" even if its mainly a pragmatic good attitude, one that doesn't judge others so harshly, or is overly judgemental, here on CHRISTIAN FORUMS.

People who maintain a good attitude seem to always have patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and understanding ( other Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians5:22) who continue to look and strive for higher meaning and reasoning and purpose in their life, in the Lord. I think these are the kind of people who have a good attitude towards life and others well being, even if they may not see things the same way as others, and others the same way with them. It is important to have that "good attitude" and hold on to the precious gift of faith that is "God-given" more than anything else in our times, of great stress and world tribulation---like they are now. Syncronicity and coincidence also are good messengers in life if we continue to look on other levels of life, for meaning.

I like to think of power, not in terms all the time, of drama or the emotions, but in terms of spiritual empowerment and perceptive empathy---how perceptive are we in our self-awarenesses looking within ourselves and our empathy towards others in life...

I feel alot of acceptance here---tremendous spiritual and emotional well-being and empowerment being a member of christian forums.

PS...St.Paul also mentions about being built up as livingstones in one body of believers...XOXOXOX

1 Corinthians 12:12-2612 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.


We are all different, with different gifts. We are all important parts of the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:7For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.


Let none of us think too highly of ourselves.

Romans 12:3-53 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

[ I got another keyboard up and running...after a spill!!!...Keyboards are the most hyper-sentitive pieces of our computer equipment now, the first to go if they get wet....They are not child-proof, but are the least expensive to replace.]


NEW SMILIES, ERWIN???!!!

 

[freespirit2001]

Erwin,

The warning mechanism on our control panel........ possibly appears like an over-active appendix...(?)...maybe my own observation...

(only kidding---freespirit can sometimes take off at great speeds of zeal and passion without reflecting on the whole picture fully yet...I'll keep trying to get the full picture---it is team work....good perceptive and empathetic skills---excellent timing and communication skills...humor hopefully comes into play)

I possible can think of this warning mechanism as a speeding-check modular...like they are starting to set up around schools and areas where speeders are likely to disregard considerate safety regulations and considerate speed concerns....

Warnings, when it comes to getting ticketed in life...are sometimes a blessing in disguise....even if the ticket is in small increments...

freespirit does her best with all in life....

I'm hoping not to be overly overly conscious about the hazards of being a freespirit---unpretentious as it all can possible seem to me...A freespirit, like myself, hopes to follow all the rules that her heart and spirit guides her with, and not break any rules for the clear perceptive hope of it all. I hope not to be blinded by narrow perspectives....but also appreciating the understanding of the greater hazards of not having any rules at all....

Thank-you Erwin! God Bless !

 

[The Midge]

It is great to read about some of the vision that underpins CF. Something to strive for indeed!

 

[freespirit2001]

...I sometimes wonder if in St.Paul's time there was such a thing as "Behavior Management Science" as we have in our businessmanagment courses, if he could have likened this passage in another kind of reference to our unity in Christ:
i.e.: social manintenance rules of groups:
some are:
~harmonizers
~feeling expressors
~tension relievers
~energizers
~conciliators
~evaluators and critics
~coordinators
!~information gatherers and information seekers
~ opinion givers and opinion seekers ( or seekers of wisdom and healthy feedback and good reality tests, etc, good perception testing )
~diagnosticians and problem-solvers
~elaborators and clarifiers
~intiators and procedure developers
~time management reminders....( from personal oberservation)
~and gatekeeper

I think also, by presenting this information as a brief sketch of sharing and caring social role dynamics---it projects healthy group dynamics as a whole. Showing role relationships in this way, may also provide more insight into goals to shoot for in good inter-personal relationals skills. I think what St.Paul meant in this passage, is that we're all different parts of one body---with different social roles and social functions in unity with each other....