Romans 12:3-8
3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 4 For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. 6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith; 7 if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; 8 or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Not to think more highly: Paul is encouraging people to renew the mind, not their heart. The heart is inherently loving towards people. The mind, however, can think more highly of oneself than others. For Paul, the believer’s worth is in their identity in Christ. As people mature in their understanding of this identity, they will understand themselves in light of Christ and be listeners and learners who do not live from fleshly identities.
Same function: The church of Christ is diverse. We do not have to be like other people. God has made us each unique. We each have something to offer that others do not.
Prophecy: Much misunderstanding exists around the concept of prophecy. Elsewhere, Paul makes it clear that prophecy is not fortune telling. Prophecy is for exhorting people and comforting people (see 1 Corinthians 14:3).
Diligence/Cheerfulness: There is a deliberate choice to walk in truth which means there is no room for laziness for the Christian. We are faced with the decision to express Christ every moment of the day. And not only this, but life comes at us constantly, forcing us to make difficult decisions. We can face these choices with cheerfulness as we live from Christ’s Spirit.
