Psalm 133:1–3; 1 Corinthians 12:12–18, 21–26

Bible Studies for Life
Instructor of Church Music and Worship Leadership, School of the Arts, Samford University

Connect to CommUnity
Psalm 133:1–3; 1 Corinthians 12:12–18, 21–26

As Christians, we are called to grow in faith. Though this seems easy enough, we often find ourselves in ruts. Some of us repeat the same spiritual exercises over and over only to become weary.  

Our lessons this month will focus on four ways Christians can balance spiritual growth: connecting to God and the community, growing in a deeper understanding of Scripture, serving the church through ministry and going beyond church walls to participate in building God’s Kingdom.

Community Is Vital (1 Cor. 12:12–18)
The touchstone for thinking about community is Paul’s well-known words to the Corinthians. The Corinth community serves as a negative rather than positive example of communal living. This diverse community struggled with elitism, rivalry and individualism, and these traits were most problematic when the community gathered for worship. Paul chastised the community for its shortcomings in 1 Corinthians 11. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul attempted to help the Corinthians understand the gifts God had given them.

Paul approached his teaching on Christian community using the metaphor of the body. In other words, the community of Christians is like a body consisting of many parts. A succinct summary of verses 12–18 might be “unity through diversity.” Paul emphasized that individual members of the body are united through their baptism and then brought together as a cohesive whole — the one body.  

Paul equally recognized that diversity is absolutely necessary within the united body. If each individual performed the same task, then the body would not function properly. Just as all parts of the body perform different tasks yet work together, so should the church and its members strive for interdependence.

Community Cares for Its Own (1 Cor. 12:21–26)
After establishing the importance of a united yet diverse community, Paul added additional characteristics in verses 21–26. Paul stated that conflict among various members is unacceptable and comparison of individual members is not allowed. Each member is placed within the body for the common good, and all are necessary for the body to be complete. While Paul criticized dissension and prioritization within the body, he affirmed the unity of the body once again in verses 25–26. Members of the community are to function together, he claimed.

The vision Christian community outlined in 1 Corinthians 12 is really quite grand. The Christian community — and therefore, the church — is to function differently from other human organizations. While other groups may cooperate and make decisions toward a common goal, the church is a living entity. Members of the church are to do more than govern and promote civic cooperation; they are to share a common existence and life with one another.  

Community Leads to the Lord’s Blessing (Ps. 133:1–3)
Psalm 133 is a short psalm applauding the community that lives together as one. This psalm is a psalm of ascent, likely sung by families when they gathered together for pilgrimage. In fact, some translations use the words “kindred” or “kinfolk” in verse 1. These families would have hoped for harmony in the pilgrimage.  

The reference to oil and dew in verses 2–3 can be confusing. Oil may refer to a sensuous element adorning an individual for a festive occasion, which means the community had something to celebrate together. Dew was an important part of harvesting crops. When there was no rain, dew helped crops mature, bringing new life just as God provides the blessing of new life when Christians are connected to a healthy community.  

As we strive for balanced spiritual growth, may we remember the importance of Christian community. May we find ways to use our gifts in the body of Christ and celebrate others’ gifts. May we continue to look to God.