"Ye Are the Body of Christ"
August 28–September 3
FAIR Faithful Resources for Come, Follow Me 2023 August 28–September 3. 1 Corinthians 8–13 “Ye Are the Body of Christ.” Find answers to difficult questions to help you in your learning and teaching. Here is a collection of reliable resources to supplement your study of 1 Corinthians 8–13. FAIR Resources link to relevant questions which have been answered on the FAIR website. Under Church Resources you’ll find links to the different Come, Follow Me manuals, as well as other helpful links as applicable. Other Resources link to resources outside of FAIR that are trustworthy and helpful.
Main points to ponder
The lesson observes that the saints at Corinth were struggling for unity, and that Paul “sought to help them find unity in their belief in Christ.”
“Paul wasn’t asking them merely to tolerate each other’s differences. Rather, he taught that when you join the Church of Jesus Christ, you are ‘baptized into one body,’ and every body part is needed.”
Consider the need for unity that we are experiencing today. Ponder how the following scriptures teach us more about becoming unified:
- 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; 11:16–30
- 1 Corinthians 11:11
- 1 Corinthians 12–13
- “Spiritual Gifts” in Gospel Topics
- 1 Corinthians 9:24–27
How can applying some of Paul’s teachings help you become unified with those you may be distant from?
Faithful Resources on the FAIR website:
- Is There a “Priesthood of All Believers”?
- To Add To or To Take From
- “I Have Said, ‘Ye are Gods’”: Concepts Conducive to the Early Christian Doctrine of Deification in Patristic Literature and the Underlying Strata of the Greek New Testament Text
- Breaking Down Barriers with Wrecking Balls of Fallacy
- Joseph Smith: The Profile of a Prophet
- Agency vs. Predestination
- Peter and Paul’s Paradoxical Passages on Women
- The Temple as a Place of Ascent to God
- FAIR Voice Podcast #10: Polygamy and 1 Corinthians 13
- “Put Away Childish Things”: Learning to Read the Book of Mormon Using Mature Historical Thought
Resources on the Church website:
Come, Follow Me – For Individuals and Families
Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School
New Testament Videos: Charity Never Faileth, 1 Cor 13
Faithful Resources from other reliable websites:
- 1 Corinthians 8-13: New Testament with Lynne Wilson
- Scripture Central, Taylor and Tyler: 1 Corinthians 8–13 | Aug 28 – Sep 3 | Come Follow Me Insights
- The Scriptures are Real, Kerry Muhlestein: Gaylamarie Rosenburg on Paul, Covenant, Charity, Unity, and Grace
- Follow Him, John Bytheway and Hank Smith: 1 Corinthians Part 1 • Dr. Mary Jane Woodger, 1 Corinthians Part 2 • Dr. Mary Jane Woodger
- Unshaken, Jared Halverson: Come Follow Me – 1 Corinthians 8-13 (part 1): So Run, That Ye May Obtain, Come Follow Me – 1 Corinthians 8-13 (part 2): The Best Gifts
- Talking Scriptures, Bryce Dunford and Mike Day: Ep 217 | 1 Corinthians 8-13
- Don’t Miss This, David Butler and Grace Freeman: Come Follow Me New Testament 1 Corinthians 8-13
- BYU Scripture Roundtable Discussions: Render Due Benevolence: 1 Tim. 2 & 1 Cor. 7- 11
- Interpreter resources for this unit: Come, Follow Me — New Testament Lesson 36 | The Interpreter Foundation
- Scripture Central resources: Come Follow Me 2023: 1 Corinthians 8–13 | Book of Mormon Central
- BYU RSC: (click “jump to this week’s lesson”): Come, Follow Me | Religious Studies Center
Dig Deeper
Be sure to listen to Jennifer Roach’s presentation for this week!
- General Conference Talks
- Elder D. Todd Christofferson: The Doctrine of Belonging
- Elder Marvin J. Ashton: “There Are Many Gifts”
- Elder John C. Pingree, Jr.: “I Have a Work for Thee”
- President Thomas S. Monson: Charity Never Faileth
- BYU Devotionals
- Eric Huntsman: Hard Sayings and Safe Spaces: Making Room for Struggle as Well as Faith
- Brett G. Scharffs: The Most Important Three Things In the World – BYU Speeches
Lesson Devotional
“Ye Are the Body of Christ”
By Natalie Hancock
Paul taught that we can find unity through believing in Christ. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:13, “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.” Our Church is filled with many different kinds of people who all bring their own unique gifts to strengthen us as a whole. This was also the case during Wilford Woodruff’s time.
Wilford taught, “Although 666 different sects profess to show mankind the way to glory and heaven, the Latter-day Saints have become a wonder to the world by showing unity and they preach the same gospel as has been preached in every age of the world showing the figure of a perfect body.”1 Even with the diversity found in the members of our Church, we find unity in Christ. Through that unity we are strengthened.
Some original historical text has been edited for clarity and readability.
1 Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, July 3, 1853, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/discourse/1853-07-03.
Natalie Hancock is a Senior Editorial Assistant for the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project. She currently attends BYU. In the future she hopes to graduate from the Marriott School of Business at BYU and open her own business. She enjoys learning about the faith and testimonies of Wilford Woodruff and others during his time.
Lesson devotionals are provided by the Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation. Its mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. See wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.
Chapter Summaries
1 Cor 8
1-13: Paul answers the question of whether the Corinthian saints should eat meat that was previously offered to an idol. He says that eating it will not be heretical, as those gods are fictitious and prayers said over the meat will have had no effect. However, they should avoid any acts that become stumbling blocks for those in their Christian community.
1 Cor 9
1-14: Paul states that as an apostle, it is not unreasonable to expect the Corinthian saints to take part in supporting him and possibly his family as he performs his missionary labors.
15-23: However, he has not called upon them for financial support. He has given his labors freely, doing whatever is necessary to reach as broad an audience as possible.
24-27: Paul compares his missionary efforts and the efforts of the Corinthian Christians to live their faith to a race. Dedicated training and effort is needed to make sure you qualify for the prize at the end of the race.
1 Cor 10
1-12: Paul compares their Christian journey to the Israelites during the time of Moses. There are many similarities, for example baptism, being taught spiritual truths, lapsing into sin and complaining due to trials. Paul hopes they will learn valuable lessons from the ancient Israelites.
13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
14-21: As the Corinthian saints partake of the sacrament, Paul encourages them to be clean and united. Also, they should steer clear from idolatry, not confusing partaking of the Lord’s supper with the food or drink offered to idols.
22-33: Don’t use your agency to either make choices without regard to the will of God, and don’t make choices that would cause a brother or sister to falter. Paul specifically mentions choices regarding what to eat and what not to eat.
1 Cor 11
1-16: Paul’s instructions regarding hair/head coverings for men and women. While there is a cultural aspect of these instructions that feels very dated, see this article for another interpretation of Paul’s instructions. Unveiling Women’s Veils of Authority | The Interpreter Foundation
17-34: The Corinthian saints were not celebrating the Lord’s Supper (the sacrament) in the correct manner. Paul shares a clearer description of its purpose and meaning, while also giving instructions for appropriately participating.
1 Cor 12
1-31: Paul enumerates the gifts of the Spirit, emphasizing that all are important. He compares them to our bodies. All parts are needed and work together to form a healthy whole. We should seek to develop our spiritual gifts, which should be used for the benefit of all, recognizing that each contribution is vital to the Church of Christ.
1 Cor 13
1-13: Paul’s eloquent discussion on the importance of charity/love along with the ways in which it is manifested. Without love, our other spiritual gifts are of diminished value. “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (v. 13)
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