By a comparison of the church with the human body, the apostle aptly illustrated the close and harmonious relationship that should exist among all members of the church of Christ. "By one Spirit," he wrote, "are well 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. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 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? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? 318 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 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. . . . God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."

Og derpå forkynder Paulus i ord, som fra denne dag indtil nu har været en kilde til inspiration og opmuntring for mænd og kvinder, betydningen af den kærlighed, som burde næres af Kristi disciple. "Talte jeg end med menneskers og engles tunger, mem ikke havde kærlighed, da var jeg et rungende malm eller en klingende bjælde. Og havde jeg end profetisk gave og kendte alle hemmeligheder og sad inde med al kundskab og havde jeg al tro, så jeg kunne flytte bjerge, men ikke havde kærlighed, da var jeg intet. Og uddelte jeg end alt, hvad jeg ejer, til de fattige og gav mit legeme hen til at brændes, men ikke havde kærlighed, da gavnede det mig intet."