Baptist Fellowship Church

Unity in Diversity

1Corinthians 12:12-19

The title of this sermon is an oxymoron of sorts because diversity can hardly lead to unity. Yet, in 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses this issue. This is an issue that is prevalent in any organisation that has diversity.

How then does the church view diversity?

The sermon begins with verse 12 in that there is first and foremost unity in Christ. Having set this premise, the reason is given. For it was by one Spirit that all are baptized into one body regardless of whether one was a Jew or Gentile, slave or free. In effect, all are welcomed into the body of Christ which is the church. The head of the church is Christ. Various verses project this truth including Romans 12:5, Ephesians 4:4, 12 and 16, Col 1:18.

The analogy then carries on from here. The body of Christ is made up of many members. No two members are alike. In essence then, you are going to get diversity. To carry the analogy of the human form further is to look at all the members as diverse parts. We all know that the human body cannot function efficiently without all the parts. Every part is important as we may all attest to somewhere along in our lives when a part is sick, is painful, is incapacitated from a sprain, a cut or an abrasion. We then notice how inconvenient it is to try to write involving a painful index finger, for example, or to limp about with a sprained ankle. It is then that we appreciate the importance of every part.

Similarly, the diverse nature of the members of the church serves to give the church its character. The church cannot function with only one member. The church will lose its function if all the members are pastors.

To whom do they preach?

It will no longer be a church. If each member does not fulfill his promise and do his part, the church is lesser for his absence. A missing jig-saw piece means the picture cannot be completed. No piece is more important than another.

In summary, we must dwell on the fact that diversity enhances the church, drawing on the different spiritual gifts bestowed on each of us. The church is strengthened by this diversity when everyone contributes to it. The diversity does not work independently of each other but in unity. The focus of the church then is its unity in Christ.

Dr and Mrs ET Chua

This entry was posted on Friday, October 5th, 2007 at 10:00 pm and is filed under Sermons. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.