Original Meaning

IN 12:1–2, PAUL has encapsulated the gospel imperative: honoring God at all times through a transformed life that is in keeping with his will. In 12:3–15:13, Paul unpacks some of the specific components of that will. He begins in 12:3–8 by reminding us that we live out our transformed existence in community. Central to our community life is a fair and sober estimate of ourselves in line with the Christian faith and with the gifts God has given us.

Why Paul includes this particular focus in his letter to the Romans is not clear. Since we find similar teaching in his other letters (see esp. 1 Cor. 12; also Phil. 2:1–4), he is probably simply mentioning what he considers is a key element in Christian obedience. But he may also have one eye on the Roman church itself, where both “strong” and “weak” believers were thinking more of themselves than was healthy for the community.1

Paul underlines the importance of what he is about to say by reminding the Roman Christians of his own authority. The “grace” given Paul is his apostolic calling, a specific manifestation of God’s grace (see 1 Cor. 3:10; Gal. 2:9; Eph. 3:7–8). Paul’s exhortation plays on a Greek word (phroneo) that means to think, have a particular mind-set (see 8:5; see comments on 8:6, 7, 27). A paraphrase that tries to preserve this wordplay in English is “Don’t think more highly of yourselves than it is right for you to think, but think with sober and accurate thinking about who you are in Christ.” We should regard ourselves, Paul is saying, with “renewed minds” (cf. 12:2) that deliver us from the self-centeredness typical of the non-Christian and enable us to look at ourselves objectively and realistically.

The standard of that measurement is “the measure of faith God has given you.” What is this standard? In light of the following verses, Paul may mean the specific amount of faith that God has distributed to each person. He is then encouraging us to look at ourselves in light of the gifts we have and to estimate ourselves accordingly. One person may have a great deal of faith and giftedness, while another has less. Each believer should recognize where he or she stands and pursue those ministries appropriate to them.2 But another possibility is that the Christian faith in general is the standard of measurement—a standard that is the same for all believers. On this view, Paul is asking us to look carefully to the gospel faith and its requirements as we assess ourselves.3 The decision between these two options is not easy, but we incline slightly to the second alternative.

Paul backs up and illustrates his call to assess our place in the Christian community accurately and in accordance with our common faith by reminding us that that community, while diverse, is at bottom a unity. Paul uses the imagery of the human body to get this point across, imagery widespread in the ancient world and familiar to us especially from 1 Corinthians 12. The church, Paul says, is like our individual bodies (Rom. 12:4–5). It has many different parts, each with its own function. But all the parts form “one body,” and each part is needed if the body is to function as it should. If we are “in Christ” (v. 5), we are in his body, inescapably joined to the other members of our local Christian community. We can no more separate from each other than an arm can decide it does not want anything to do with the torso or legs.

In verses 6–8 Paul develops this notion further by listing a number of “gifts” God has given the members of the body of Christ. Paul uses this word “gift” (charisma) elsewhere to denote a God-given ability to serve the community of Christ in a particular way (see esp. 1 Cor. 1:7; 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31; 1 Tim. 4:14; 2 Tim. 1:6). Paul lists gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:7–10, 28 and gifted individuals in Ephesians 4:11. None of these lists is comprehensive; rather, Paul chooses in each place to illustrate his argument by mentioning certain gifts that come to mind. In Romans 12:6–8, in contrast to the other lists, Paul not only cites gifts but also encourages those who possess them to be active in using them for the edification of the community.

Thus, those who have the gift of prophesying should prophesy “in proportion to [their] faith.” The gift of prophecy in the New Testament involves aiding the church by relaying to it truth gained from a “revelation” (see 1 Cor. 14:26, 30). That truth might be something in the future (e.g., Acts 11:27–28; 21:10–11), but more often denotes an insight into present circumstances.4 Such prophesying can be dangerous if it is uncontrolled, so Paul urges that it be according to the analogia of faith. Analogia, from which we get the word “analogy,” denotes a right “proportion” or relationship. Prophesying must be in right proportion to faith.

As with “measure of faith” in verse 3, just what “faith” (pistis) denotes here in verse 6 is not clear. It might be equivalent to “gift,”5 though Paul does not elsewhere use pistis is this sense. Most commentators think it refers to the faith, the body of Christian truth.6 It is true that Paul does use “faith” in this sense (Gal. 1:23; 1 Tim. 1:4, 19; 3:9; 4:1, 6; 6:21), but it is rare. So perhaps it is best to give the word the same meaning as in verse 3: one’s own faith in Christ. Christian prophets should always speak in accordance with the standard set by their faith in Christ.7 They need to be careful not to interject their own opinions into their prophecy, for those opinions would not be according to “the analogy of faith.”

The gift of “serving” (diakoneo) in verse 7 can refer to a gift that all Christians share. Following the example of Christ, the “servant of the Lord,” all believers are called on to serve Christ and one another (e.g., Mark 10:43–45; Rom. 15:25; Eph. 4:12). But the word diakoneo also has a more limited sense, referring to the ministry performed specifically by the deacon (diakonos, lit., “servant”; see Rom. 16:1; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8, 10, 12, 13). Since all the other gifts in Romans 12:6–8 refer to distinct activities, “serving” here probably refers to the special activities of the deacon: ministering to the church by organizing and providing for the material needs of the community (see, perhaps, Acts 6:1–6).8

“Teaching” (mentioned as a gift also in 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11) involves passing on the truth of the gospel. The teacher must study God’s Word and be rooted in the tradition of the church so that he or she can guide the community into truth and preserve it from error.

Closely related to teaching is “encouraging” (v. 8). The Greek word (parakaleo) can mean to comfort or to exhort, but in this context probably denotes the activity of encouraging Christians to live out the truth of the gospel.

“Contributing to the needs of others” might take place out of one’s own resources or out of the church’s giving as a whole. In either case, one must contribute, Paul insists, “generously” or “with sincerity”—the word used here (haplotes) suggests a “single” attitude, a consistency of intent and absence of any ulterior motive (2 Cor. 8:2; 9:11, 13; 11:3; Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22).

Since the next listed gift comes just after the one who “contributes to the needs of others” and just before one who “shows mercy,” some commentators think that ho proïstamenos in verse 8 refers to one who “gives aid” to others.9 But this meaning for the verb (proïstemi) is not well-attested, while Paul does use this same verb twice elsewhere to refer to the “leaders” of the church (1 Thess. 5:12; 1 Tim. 5:17). With most English versions, then, we think he is referring to the person who has the gift of leading the church (e.g., the elders).

Paul concludes his list by mentioning those who have the gift of “showing mercy”—probably those who are particularly sensitive to the needs of others and who give themselves to visiting the sick and other suffering people.

Bridging Contexts

BODY LANGUAGE. Paul’s analogy between the church and the human body is one of the most familiar in the Bible. It has had a big influence on the way we think about the church, since we use the term body often to refer to (especially) the local church. But what does calling the church the “body” actually communicate? Probably many different things, depending on our own personal filter through which we run the word. But if we want it to communicate what Paul wanted to communicate, we must anchor the imagery in Paul’s own world. What does he want us to understand by his application of the term body to the church?

Paul was not the first to compare a group of people to the human body. A number of ancient writers used that metaphor to argue that the political state, while comprising many very different kinds of people, was still a single entity. A few writers even called the state the “body” of the emperor.10 The comparison is widespread enough to justify our thinking that it played some role in Paul’s decision to use the imagery of the body. We may even consider this an adequate explanation. In this case, the church as a body is no more than a simple analogy, and it is wrong to search for any further significance in the equation.

But Paul’s own use of “body” language surely suggests that the metaphor also had roots in his own theology. In our text, Paul speaks simply of people “in Christ” making up a single “body.” In passages parallel to this one, he uses the expression “the body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:12). This language invites us to probe a bit further into the connections between Christ’s own body and the use of body language for the church. Probably what pops into many of our minds at this point, because of its familiarity to us in our own worship, is the intriguing body language in Paul’s account of the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 11:23–29:

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. (italics added)

Paul follows Jesus himself in this word of institution, equating the bread with the Lord’s body, broken in death. But Paul has mentioned the details of the Corinthians’ celebration of the Supper for a particular reason: to rebuke them for their selfishness in the way that they were eating it (and probably also an associated fellowship meal). Therefore, while “body” in 1 Corinthians 11:27 still refers to Christ’s own (physical) body, “body” in verse 29 almost certainly refers to the church. The community abuses the Lord’s own body and blood (v. 27) by not “recognizing,” that is, by not discerning the corporate nature of, the body of believers whom Christ through his death created and whom the church models in communion (v. 29).11

Here, then, Paul uses “body” to refer both to Christ’s physical body and to the church, and he brings them together in a context that focuses on the corporate identity of the church. What this suggests is that when Paul uses body terminology for the church, he is thinking of Christ’s death on the cross as the means by which that community was brought into being. “Each member belongs to all the others,” as Paul puts it in verse 5, because each of us participates equally in the benefits of Christ’s redemptive work. The unity of the church rests in the oneness of Christ as the only means of salvation (see Eph. 2:16).

But we can go one step further. Ultimately, Paul claims, the church is Christ’s body (Eph. 1:23; 5:23, 30; Col. 1:24). This identification is a natural development from a key idea in Paul, one that comes to expression in our text: believers are “in Christ.” As we saw in commenting on Romans 5:12–21, Paul thinks of Christ, like Adam, as a corporate person, one who includes within himself many others. Everyone who believes in Christ becomes a part of him. Scholars have sometimes gone far beyond the text in suggesting various philosophical and religious backgrounds for this idea. But this is unnecessary. It was the experience of Paul and the other believers, interpreted in light of the Old Testament and God’s revelation in Christ, that convinced them that they were in intimate union with Christ. To be “in Christ” is to be joined to “his body.”

Contemporary Significance

THE LOCAL AND THE universal church. What should not be missed is the way Paul moves immediately from the general commands of verses 1–2 into a passage dealing with the corporate life of the church. Offering ourselves as a “living sacrifice” (singular in the Greek), transforming ourselves, developing the mind of Christ—all these take place in community: “Each member belongs to all the others” (v. 5b). And note not just in any kind of community; to be “in Christ,” that is, to be a Christian, is to be part of Christ’s body, the church. We can formalize church membership as a step one takes in identifying with a particular local church. But from the point of belief on, the Christian in inescapably a member of the universal church.

While the distinction between the local and universal church is helpful in some ways, Paul’s letters forbid us from separating them. Every individual church is simply the universal church in its local expression. We must seriously question, then, whether Paul would even entertain the idea that a person could be a member of the universal church without being a member of a local church. Our modern proliferation of local churches creates difficulties at this point, but Paul would never imagine any believer seeking to grow in his or her faith apart from the Christian community.

The Western individualistic tradition can create problems for us at this point. A “Lone Ranger” mentality in our faith can easily set in. I am perhaps as prone to such an attitude as anyone. Naturally shy, loving books more than people, I tend to withdraw from society in general. My status as a seminary professor makes it easy for me to find excuses not to be involved in my local church. I can always claim that I am too busy ministering to others in my writings and in various speaking forums to commit to local church involvement. Yet I do not think I have good biblical grounds for such an attitude. I believe that I, like all believers, am called to live my faith in the context of a local church. Thus, I have always identified with a local church, tried to keep up my participation in it, and served it in a variety of ways.

The same principle holds true for any one of us. Television “church” is not church; just because thousands of people watch the same service and listen to the same sermon does not make it so. Why not? In verses 3–8 Paul suggests two reasons. (1) As we have seen, the implication of the relationship between verses 1–2 and verses 3–8 is that I cannot fully “renew my mind” without the active help of other believers. I cannot understand what Scripture teaches apart from dialog with others who are reading that same Scripture. I cannot live the life of a disciple of Christ apart from the nurturing context of a community of believers who encourage me, pray for me, and set an example for me. I cannot discern the blind spots in my obedience to Christ without other believers to point them out to me. Here is where the attitude of arrogance that Paul rebukes in verse 3 can get in the way. We think of ourselves “more highly than [we] ought” and so conclude that we do not need the help of others.

(2) More directly taught in the text, I must participate in the local church to help others grow. Whatever gift I have been given, I am under obligation to my Lord to use it to serve his people. That gift need not always, of course, be expressed only in a local church. The writing I am doing right now is, I hope, an expression of one of my gifts that serves the church at large. Most of the teaching that I do is apart from the local church context. Moreover, how the seminary, certainly a ministry of the church in general, relates to the local church in Pauline terms is not easy to sort out. But this much can certainly be said: The gifts God has given us are generally to be exercised in local churches. Other Christians need what each of us has to offer. As the human body is at a disadvantage without a foot, or an eye, or a kidney, so the local church is harmed when the full panoply of gifts are not being exercised within it.