94 Percent
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ Romans 12:4-5
Just As – The exclamation point comes first. In the Greek text, this word (kathaper) is the first word in the sentence. We change the word order in translation, but we shouldn’t miss Paul’s emphasis. Sixteen of the seventeen occurrences of this word are in Paul’s letters (94%). He uses it when he really wants to draw attention to the connection between two thoughts. So, although he says “therefore,” he first says kathaper so his readers won’t have any doubt about the relationship between God’s measuring stick and God’s gifts. We shouldn’t miss the point either. The appropriate measuring stick of trust in God with regard to the exercise of the gift He gives each of us is His measuring stick, not ours. We can use the gift for all kinds of purposes. After all, it is a gift given to us at birth. It is the way we are designed. But the only measuring stick of the appropriate use of the gift is God’s determination about how we should use the gift. Anything else is misuse or abuse. You and I might think we are being successful or creative or productive, but it’s a sham. If we don’t use the gift the way God intended it to be used, we lose. That’s why Paul wants us to underline the connection to the body metaphor. If you don’t use your arms or legs for what they were designed to do, they are not optimally productive. You could walk on your hands, but doing so causes other problems for the body. In exactly the same way, not using the gift God has given you in the way God wants it used will cause other problems for the corporate body.
Let’s use a real example. A person I know has been given the gift of penetrating understanding and the ability to unpack and proclaim deeper meanings. This gift is called nevuah (we’ll examine this later). He is able to see where things are going before others have a clue. He can quickly grasp the essence of a problem and reveal its solution. In this regard, he understands more than most. Used according to God’s measuring stick, this gift is a powerful addition to the edification of the community. It brings clarity and depth, glorifying God by pointing the out the Way. But it is always possible to use the same gift in another direction. Seeing where things are going is a very useful tool when it comes to scheming. This person has used the gift to manipulate others, guiding them toward certain personally advantageous conclusions while they were unaware of his objectives. The same gift can be used to circumvent the law by finding all the loopholes. Without a divine measuring stick, a person with this gift can be seductively crafty. I know. Gratefully, God forgives.
Examples like this must have been on Paul’s mind when he chose the word kathaper. It’s not enough to have only the logical conclusion to Paul’s argument. Like every good rabbi, Paul is interested in a change in behavior. He wants us to see that the appropriate use of these gifts comes from deep humility and submission to God. There is no other way to use them for the Kingdom.
As we will discover, each gift depends on and benefits all the others. None stands alone. That means that when it comes to the exercise of the gifts in God’s community, there is no hierarchy. There are no professionals, no staff, no senior positions. Those are the inventions of men designed to prop up our need for control. But the exercise of gifts cuts right across such scaffolding. There is only one head – Yeshua – and He orchestrates all the other functions as He sees fit. Hands and feet, ears and eyes, mouth and nose are all equally, necessary equally able – and equally treacherous if misused.
The only remaining question is this: Are you using your gift as you should?
Topical Index: Transformation
