1 Corinthians 12 - What is the Purpose of Spiritual Gifts?
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
The next three chapters are the most extensive teaching on the subject of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. The Corinthians has some misunderstandings about the use of spiritual gifts that he needed to correct. First, he says he does, "Not want them to be uniformed".
Many churches do not spend enough time teaching about the spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts, especially the extraordinary gifts, can lead to confusion and even division in the church. Importantly the Holy Spirit is the only one who can lead someone to say, "Jesus is Lord". It is not by our own understanding that we can come to know Jesus as Lord, but only by the conviction and power of the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, the gospel is foolishness to those who hear it.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
First of all, Paul teaches that there is diversity and unity with the gifts of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in different ways in each person and in each ministry, but it also works in conjunction with the Father and the Son. Just like in the Trinity there are three persons each with their own unique traits, yet they are all God.
This is why we can never take credit for our spiritual gifts because we did not earn them. They are a gift from God, and when we use them to serve Him they always will glorify Him and build up His church.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
The exciting thing is that every Christian has a manifestation of the Spirit given to them. Though we receive the manifestation individually, it is always for the good of the body of Christ. Paul then lists a few different spiritual gifts.
Message of wisdom. Wisdom is seeing things from God's perspective when making decisions etc...Leaders often have this gift.
Message of knowledge. We often call these "words of knowledge." This can be knowledge related to God's Word, or a word regarding a certain situation often given in the context of prayer. Importantly any word of knowledge is completely aligned with God's Word and never in contradiction to it. Bible teachers often have this gift.
Faith. Every Christian has been given the gift of faith, but this is extraordinary amount of faith needed to trust in God during difficult times or forging ahead in a whole new direction. Leaders and pastors need this gift too.
Gifts of Healing. We can all pray for healing, but those who the gift of healing have an extraordinary ability to pray for people and heal them by God's power.
Miraculous powers. Also known as miracles. Miracles are signs and wonders which can't be explained by the natural mind. They can only be explained by God's intervention.
Prophecy. Those with the gift of prophesy proclaim God's truth in bold ways that often challenge people to a new obedience to God. Often prophets point out ways the church is veering from the truth or a believer is starting to conform to this world. This type of prophecy is called "prescriptive prophecy".
The other type of prophesy called "predictive prophesy" is debated. Some will say that all of the predictive prophesy has already happened and was fulfilled when Jesus came to earth. What will happen in the end times is contained in the book of Revelation.
Other believe that "predictive prophesy" is still happening today. I have not seen it, but others claim it is.
The telling-forth of God’s message in a particular situation, always in accord with His Word and His current work. Sometimes this has the character of foretelling the future, as in Acts 21:10-11 and Acts 27:21-26. - Guzik
Distinguishing between spirits. This is also known as "discernment". This is the ability to separate the truth from error. Discernment also recognizes the difference between good and evil, and can sense when the evil one is influencing the situation.
Speaking in Different Kinds of Tongues - This was a gift that was introduced in Acts 2, where the apostles spoke in tongues so that everybody gathered for the Feast of Pentecost heard the gospel of Jesus in their own language. The Jews from every nation were gathered, were filled with the Holy Spirit, believed in Jesus and they spread the Good News to those in their native towns.
Again there is debate whether this gift was only for the first century church, or whether people speak in tongues today. Paul clarifies this with the next gift he lists.
Interpretation of tongues. Some will argue, as Paul will teach later on this this chapter, that unless someone has the gift of interpreting tongues that tongues, it should not be allowed in a church service.
In the church today some teach that a person with the gift of tongues can use tongues as a prayer language and even worship in tongues. I have seen both done beautifully.
Importantly it is the Holy Spirit which orchestrates the distribution of the gifts to each person as the Spirit sees fit.
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
The Holy Spirit is the unifying force in the church. With the Holy Spirit there are no distinctions by ethnicity or economic status. We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord. When there is a division in a church, you know the Holy Spirit is not in control but the pride and lust of the flesh has taken over. We are all given the same Holy Spirit but this doesn't take up our individuality.
God made us all unique people with unique personalities, gifts, and passions. But we are united through the Holy Spirit with a bond that cannot be broken. But we need to protect this unity, as there is nothing the evil one likes more than to create dissension and disunity in the church!
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
Paul uses the metaphor of a human body to show how we are all interdependent parts in the body of Christ. Every part of the body is indispensable just like the nose is as important as the mouth or ear. We all play different roles using our different gifts. When everyone is exercising their God given spiritual gifts in the church, the church is like a "well-oiled" machine.
Unfortunately many churches do not teach on and equip their members to use their spiritual gifts. Oftentimes churches leave minstry up to the "paid professionals" as the parishoners are primarily there to be fed and get their spiritual needs met. This consumer mentality has infilitrated the American church to its demise.
As a pastor my job is not to try and do all the work, but equip the members to do the work of ministry. I use my gifts of teaching, pastoring, and encouraging, but if I try to operate out of my area of giftedness not only do I get burnt out, but I take a job from someone else!
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
In a healthy church there is mutual appreciation and recognition of all the gifts. One gift is not seen as more important than another. The person who hands out the bulletins is as important as the person giving the sermon. There is no room for pride or thinking we are indispensable in the church. Pride comes before the fall. Unfortuantely we have seen many pastors of big churches fall due to sexual and other sin. Part of it is that they didn't recognize that they were only one part of the body of Christ and not more important than any other. That pride leads to a sense of entitlement and a lack of accountability.
In a good church all the members see each other as equal and every one steps up to the plate when one person is suffering.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Paul then list some of the main leadership gifts given by the Spirit.
Apostles - those who have been sent to start new church or reach new people groups with the gospel.
Prophets - those who call the church back to the truth and keep it from conforming to the standards of the world. Prophets sometimes need to correct and rebuke the church and/or its leaders/teachers.
Teachers - those who correctly handle the Word of God. They are able to explain God's Word correctly and give people examples of practical application of God's word in people's lives.
Miracles - Miracles are things that cannot be explained except for the divine intervention of God.
Guidance - those who give counsel and wisdom to those who are struggling to find their way.
Tongues - As explained above.
Paul ends by making a provocative statement, "Now eagerly desire the greater gifts!"
What does he mean by this? We will find out tomorrow.
Have you learned what your spiritual gifts are? Are you using them to help build up the church you belong to? If you haven't talk to a pastor or other leader who can help you to identify what your gifts are and where you can use them.
Here is a spiritual gifts test you can take to give you an idea of what spiritual gifts you might have and also a list of what each gift is about.
Spiritual Gifts Survey and Spiritual Gift List
Comments
Post a Comment