Humble Service in the Body of Christ/We Being Many

New International Version

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your^[a] faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,^[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Footnotes

1. Romans 12:6 Or the
2. Romans 12:8 Or to provide for others

NIV Study Bible notes:

12:4-8 Paul likens Christians to members of a human body. There are many members and each has a different function, but all are needed for the health of the body. The emphasis is on unity within diversity (see 1Co 12:12 – 31 and notes).

12:5 in Christ. The key to Paul’s concept of Christian unity. It is only in Jesus Christ that any unity in the church is possible. True unity is spiritually based. See note on 6:11.

12:6 gifts. Greek charismata, referring to special gifts of grace — freely given by God to his people to meet the needs of the body (see notes on 1Co 1:7; 12:4). prophesying. See notes on 1Co12:10; 14:1 – 5. then prophesy. There is to be no false modesty that denies the existence of gifts or refuses to use them. in accordance with your faith. Probably means about the same thing as “in accordance with the faith” in v. 3 (see note there).

12:7 serving. Any kind of service needed by the body of Christ or by any of its members. teaching. See notes on 1Co 12:28; Eph 4:11.

12:8 to encourage. Exhorting others with an uplifting, cheerful call to worthwhile accomplishment. The teacher often carried out this function. In teaching, believers are shown what they must do; in encouraging, they are helped to do it. giving. Giving what is one’s own, or possibly distributing what has been given by others. lead … diligently. Possibly a reference to an elder. The Ephesian church had elders by about this time (see Ac 20:17; 1Ti 5:17 and notes). show mercy. Caring for the sick, the poor and the aged. cheerfully. Serving the needy should be a delight, not a chore (cf. 2Co 9:7).

We Being Many lyrics

VERSE 1 (HELEN):
And we being many.
Are one body in Messiah.
And everyone are members of one another.
Loving each other.
With God as our Father.
Who loves us as a mother loves her newborn child.

VERSE 2 (CLIFF):
We are His Bride,
Taken from the side.
When blood and water fell,
From the broken heart of Israel.
See the Lord provide.
The precious Lamb who died,
The Great I am who cried,
“Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”
Abba, El Shaddai.
To God I give my life.

VERSE 1 (TOGETHER):
And we being many.
Are one body in Messiah.
And everyone are members of one another.
Loving each other.
With God as our Father.
Who loves us as a mother loves her newborn child.

(instrumental)

VERSE 2 (CLIFF) & VERSE 1 (HELEN) COMBINED
TOGETHER:
Who loves us as a mother loves her newborn child.