Romans 12:4-5

Romans 12:4-5

[4] For  as  we have  many  members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have  not  the same  office:  [5] So  being many,  one  body  in  Christ,  and  every  one  members  one of another. 

What does Romans 12:4-5 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

It is important that we remember that we are part of a larger organism. We are not just a group of individuals each doing our own thing. Paul had previously used the body to illustrate the church in1Corinthians12. What he said here recapped the main idea that he expounded more fully there. The body of Christ is a unified organism, and its members are diverse personally and in their functions.
"Your right hand has never yet had a fight with the left: on the contrary, each constantly helps the other!" [1]
All the members belong to one another; there is mutuality in the church. As members of one another, we cannot work independently effectively. Each member profits from the contribution of every other member too. This realization should help us avoid becoming proud.
"The point is that each member functions to serve the body, not the body to serve the members." [2]