All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.
The implied response to all of Paul’s questions is ‘No!’. Each of us have different gifts and no one gift is overarching and necessarily granted to everyone. God wants a diversity of gifts in order to benefit the entire body. There is no gift that is the litmus test of our membership in the body. Paul makes it clear that we do not all have the same gift nor are we supposed to.
Love, ‘the more excellent way’, is supplied amply to all who are submitting their lives fully to the lordship of Christ. This overarching ‘gift’ has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). It is of ultimate worth.
Uniformity or Diversity? – 1 Corinthians 12:29-31
Ventanas 