God bless you in the name of Jesus Christ
The seventh usage of “but God” is found in I Corinthians 12:24. Seven denotes spiritual perfection. This occurrence speaks of the spiritually perfect body of Christ that God has tempered together. This is the third usage of alla and very emphatically shows contrast.
I Corinthians 12:12-27:
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
In this section of scripture God uses the human body as an illustration to present the same truth that applies to the spiritual body. Verses twelve thru twenty deal with the many members of the body. These members were ordained of God in the body as it pleased Him. Verses twenty-one to twenty-seven elaborate, showing the interdependence of these members. The eye needs the hand and the head needs the feet. Those members of the body that are naturally more feeble, are necessary. There are comely parts and uncomely parts, but God tempered the body together. He did this in order that there be no schism, and that the members should have the same care one for another.
The word tempered, sunkerannumi, in verse twenty-four means to mix together, blend, unite, or compound. It is only used twice in the Bible. Here in I Corinthians 12:24 where God composes the body by uniting its members, and in Hebrews 4:2 where the God breathed word that is profitable (II Timothy 3:16) did not profit the unbelievers because it was not mixed, sunkerannumi, with believing in them that heard it. These two uses show God’s ability and willingness to unite together the body of Christ and man’s unwillingness and therefore inability to believe the gospel, the rood news of what God had done.
The Corinthians were in error regarding spiritual matters. This illustration of the body in I Corinthians 12:12-27 reproved (Romans 12:4,5) and reestablished the truth that God ordained the members as it hath pleased him. Not only did God ordain the individual members but He tempered them together in order that there would be no schism in the body and that the members would have the same care one for another.
Ephesians further displays the unique and eminent position of this wonderful body of Christ. Christ was set at God’s own right hand in the heavenlies:
Ephesians 1:21-23:
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
All things are therefore under the church’s feet for it is his body. Ephesians 4:16 also elaborates on the magnificent way in which God tempered the body together.
Ephesians 4:16:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
This body of Christ is God’s doing. He worketh all things after the council of his own will. There are many members, but God tempered them together.