1 Corinthians 12 - The Indispensable Nature of Spiritual Gifts For You and Your Church!

1 Corinthians 12 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

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.

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.

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,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 contain Paul's most complete teaching on the nature and use of spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is a supernatural endowment given by the Holy Spirit to believers for the sake of building up the church. Every believer in Christ has been given at least one spiritual gift to use in the body of Christ. 

Paul focuses on the fact that though are different gifts, different services, and different kinds of working, but they are all from the same God. Remember in the gospel John, before he went to the cross Jesus said to his disciples, "It is good for me to go away, because if I go away I will send you the Holy Spirit who will guide you into all truth!" -  John 16:7

Paul separates the gifts of the Spirit into three types: gifts, service, and working.

The gifts are the supernatural abilities the Holy Spirit has given believers to build up the church. This is also called in verse 7, "A manifestation of the Spirit". These include" a message of wisdom, a message of knowledge, the gift of faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernement of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. 

Notice Paul does not exclude the gift of speaking in tongues, or the interpretation of tongues. Clearly Paul is not saying that the gift of tongues is only for the apostolic era. Paul will have a lot more to teach on the proper use and exercise of the gift of tongues in chapter 14. Some would say that anyone who teaches the gift of tongues is for today is teaching false doctrine. I think they will have a hard time arguing that Paul is in any way teaching that this spiritual gift has ceased being operative. Remember he is giving instructions to the church in Corinth and by application all churches. 

Those who believe speaking in tongues and other supernatural gifts, like miracles and healing, were only for the apostolic age are called "cessationists". 

Second, are the gifts of service or ministries. These are leaders in the church who faciliate the practical carrying out of the ministries of the church. They would include apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, those with the gift of helps, evangelists, and administrators. Paul also lists a very similar list in Ephesians 5, which we often call the five fold gifts of ministry. I.e apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 

Finally, we have working or the activities of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word is "energemata"

"The Greek word for activities is energemata, where we get our words energy, energetic, and enerize from." - Guzik

You might call this the power of the Holy Spirit, which fuels the use of the gifts by each member in the church. 

"Rather than being distinct lists, "working" refers to the operational power—the actual results and transformative impact—that happen when the Spirit's gifts are put into action." - Bible Gateway

The discovery and use of our spiritual gifts is one of the most exciting things we get to experience as a Christian. Paul started out in verse 1, "Now about the gifts of the Spirit, I do not want yo uto be uniformed". 

There are many Christians uninformed about the nature and use of the spirtual gifts. A Chrisitan can go to church, give to the church, and even volunteer from time to time, but never discover their unique spiritual gift(s) to use for ministry. Many congregants can sit as passive consumers of religious good and services in church, but this never be part of the church Jesus envisioned or the apostles built. 

I think when we stand before Jesus on judgment day, one of the things we will have answer for is what did we do with the spiritual gifts we have been given. Each of us have different types of spiritual gifts, and I won't be accountable for your gifts, and you won't be accountable for mine. 

Do you know what your spiritual gift(s) is/are? If yes, are you using them at your local church? Could this be a time where God is calling you to step and use a new gift, or enter a new season of minsitry? I.e. It is easy to get comfortable doing something we are good at. 

Jesus, thank you for not leaving us as orphans, but for giving us the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit. Help us to use our spiritual gifts to build up Your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We need Your supernatural power through the Spirit not only to live out our Christian life, but to live a life worthy of our calling to be disciples who make disciples. Amen.