Audio commentary on this verse

Note 1 at Ro 12:4: This verse starts with the word "for"; i.e., a conjunction, just as in Ro 12:3 (see note 13 at that verse). This is linking Paul's following statements with his previous ones.

Paul had encouraged these people to experience the perfect will of God (Ro 12:2) by humbling themselves (being living sacrifices). This was vastly different than the world's formula for success and needed some further explanation. Therefore, in Ro 12:3, Paul explained that every believer has been given the same opportunity for success through "the" measure of faith.

Here in Ro 12:4, Paul continued to explain that although every believer has been given "the" measure of faith, not every believer has been given the same job in the body of Christ. He used the physical body to illustrate this.

We have many different parts of our bodies, and they all have different purposes or functions. Yet it takes all the parts operating in unity to make one body. Likewise, it takes all the different people in the church performing their different functions to make up Christ's body.

So, in Ro 12:1-2, Paul gave a "foolproof" formula for success. However, to keep anyone from gloating at the tremendous potential of these promises, he made it clear in Ro 12:3 that everyone has been given the same potential. And in Ro 12:4-8, he revealed that people all have different functions, and all need each other.