What does 1 Corinthians 12:25 mean?

This verse uses a word mentioned before in this letter. This seems to be a particular problem in the church in Corinth: division. Paul has held the believers in Corinth accountable for dividing themselves over everything like which spiritual leader has their loyalty (1 Corinthians 1:10–12) to how much money they have (1 Corinthians 11:18–21). Division is ugly and runs against the very idea of the church of God.

Paul brings up the word "division" here to show how little sense it makes for a body to be divided. A human body is made up of diverse parts that all serve different functions. A "divided" human body ceases to function properly. If all the parts are not working together toward the same ends, the body doesn't work as it was intended, if at all.

One way to avoid that, Paul writes here, is for each part of the body to honor the other parts of the body. Those with visible, up-front gifts and roles must honor those who serve the body behind the scenes. The teachers must honor the helpers. The exhorters must honor the encouragers. And those behind the scenes must honor and support those who serve on the front lines.

All believers must care for and uplift one another. Then there will be no division.