Most of the time, assemblies of persons desiring to worship Almighty God will be filled with those who had been introduced to God by attending an assembly with their parents and grand-parents. However, some may be in attendance who never knew much concerning God and spiritual things. Now they are present desiring to fit into the group as one family of believers.
In Corinth, Paul is met with a mixed group desiring to become one family of God. Some members were raised with a law of righteousness designed by God for his people, Jewish; the others, Gentiles, Paul speaks to them saying, Eph. 2:12. 12 .. at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:, Their understanding concerning righteousness and spiritual things must have been skewed and very often misunderstood. However, the inspiration of the knowledge of God was upon them; just like a new convert today who was not raised in a religious setting and now has come to a knowledge of the truth. They are zealous to be soul-savers of their newly found religion. They greatly desire to fit in and join in the teaching of others.
This situation set up a new form of division among the assembly at Corinth; just as it does in modern times. The difficulty was determining who was really inspired with gifts from the Holy Spirit to shed light upon the whole assembly. Everyone who felt they were inspired by the Spirit wanted their time to speak. However, each was receiving different spiritual gifts. Some gifts were more desirable than others. It puts some in front of the whole assembly more than it does others. Those who had the more desired gifts were seen most often in public assemblies and appeared more popular in the assembly. To a puffed up (self conceited) person, one desiring the attention, this was a problem; it bruised their ego. Now more divisive forces are causing additional turmoil.
The members did not understand that these gifts were all important; equally important. They were each given to the assembly at Corinth for the edification of the whole group. Each gift was distributed by the Holy Spirit as it was directed by God upon the members at Corinth. This is found as well in all congregations of the church of God. Each gift was given to the most qualified by God to distribute the gift for the enrichment of the entire assembly.
Realizing the nature of the early development of the Christian religion, some gifts were of a more miraculous nature and only necessary for a short period of time until the whole assembly of God, worldwide, had the conviction and knowledge necessary for salvation by the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ, son of the living God. The scrolls teaching righteousness of God were held by the Jewish people. Because of their persecution, the Jewish peoples were scattered among the many nations and perhaps lost their scrolls or they were confiscated. Either way, the scrolls were few, and not readable by all because of language barriers.
To the converts who had not the knowledge of God as the Jewish nation, some spiritual gifts required a distributor with greater knowledge and restraint of the use of the gift. Therefore, not each recipient received the gift they may have desired. God knew how each gift would be handled by the recipient who received certain gifts. It is from here Apostle Paul begins his dialog to correct the Gentiles. 1 Cor. 12:2. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. But, Paul did not desire them to be or remain ignorant. Vs. 1. I would not have you ignorant. As believers behaving righteously, we should not desire anyone to be ignorant, nor ourselves be ignorant of God’s Spiritual matters. Thus, all are in need of instruction on all matters Godly and Spiritual.
The Apostle goes further and desires all to know, no man can speak of Jesus recognizing him as Lord except they be led by the Spirit of God. vs. 3. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Each member must realize they were arguing over trivial matters because of their ignorance of the spiritual inspirations they felt they obtained. Their suffering was not from the foundation of their belief, each one was led by the Spirit to recognize Jesus as Lord. This was their common ground. Their suffering was ignorance, covetousness, and personality. For anyone to speak of Jesus as Lord, this knowledge was given unto them by the Holy Ghost; the Spirit of God. Righteousness has begun in their heart. The door to salvation has been opened. With that door opened, it is a direct invitation for Satan to subvert the knowledge which that soul receives and accepts. (causing divisions) It is the personality of the ignorant which Satan exploits. The ignorant do not have the experience of transforming their minds unto righteous behavior in the assemblies of God. They are the most vulnerable. Each person must be on guard of Satan’s vices to not get caught in his schemes. The antidote for this behavior is knowledge; allowing God his time with your soul through Bible knowledge and discussion by the whole assembly–we call it Bible School today and by diligent study with the aid of the Holy Spirit’s guidance.
God instructed Isaiah to record this quote from the mouth of God, Isaiah 55:8-11. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
God’s word ‘shall prosper in the thing wherewith I sent it.’! The ‘thing’ with which God sent his message to Corinth was Apostle Paul. Paul planted the seed of Truth, Apollos watered it and God saw to the increase. This Word, from the mouth of God, also through the Holy Spirit, did not return to God void. The new members needed wisdom with their new found knowledge.
We do not fully understand this mystery God holds with Spiritual matters. Corinth did not comprehend, either. It was Apostle Paul who began the teaching to Corinth with Spiritual words taught to him by the Spirit. 1 Cor. 2:12-13. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. However, it is by this Spirit all things are accomplished in the minds of the righteous. It is by this Spirit all things are distributed and made manifest for the development of the Kingdom God. it is by this same Spirit (The holy Spirit) which teaches, guides and aligns all believers with the Truth of God. (the mystery)
In Paul’s absence, the Spirit taught, and guided the believers at Corinth to the Truth by these Spiritual Gifts. They needed guidance to understand what they had received.
Paul did not want them to squabble over the gift they had received but use it to the Glory of God for their salvation and all others. This is what we need to do, also.
1 Cor. 12:4-7. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
Whatever your gift, use it properly. You have received it ‘according to the grace that is given you’. Romans 12:6-8. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. We are to maintain the proper use of each gift, sharing it freely.
Do not fret over the first gift you are given; develop additional gifts which shall be given as you show good stewardship of the first. Desire to obtain additional gifts which shall come with time and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. Use them to profit everyone. 1 Cor. 12:31.
Paul says, There are diversities of gifts, (vs. 4) such as revelations, tongues, prophecy, interpretations of tongues; but the same Spirit. There are differences of administrations, (vs. 5) or different offices, and officers to discharge them, different ordinances and institutions, but the same Lord. There are diversities of operations, (vs. 6) or miraculous powers, but it is the same God that worketh all in all.
What are these gifts? Vss. 8-10. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Wisdom–ability to correctly divide the Word of Truth for everyone to understand
Knowledge–general understanding of a subject matter
Faith– conviction of the truth or belief in a relationship with God–The Supreme Spiritual Being
Gifts of healing–perhaps a miraculous healing of a dreadful disease to verify the power of God in the recipient’s life; Today, perhaps knowledge of the bodily processes–i.e. Physician.
This not so much as a miraculous healer, but a knowledge as a gift from God to administer healing through the things God provides here on earth for medications, etc.
Working of miracles–the power of performing miracles; of the cause for the effect, a mighty work
This was a gift given unto the one most capable of executing the miracle for the effect of conviction to the recipient. It proved the power of God over all things, even evil
Prophecy– a discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden;
Today we would associate a teacher or preacher of the Word of God in like manner unto the Apostles and prophets of old.
Discerning of spirits– distinguishing, discerning, judging identifying spirits; whether they are from God or Satan; discerning between good or evil spirits.
Not all spirits are from God. A righteous person needs to be able to discern between.
1 John 4:1-3. 4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
The knowledge of God was not well spread over the earth at that time; the Faith was young and few in the hearts of the believers. It needed proving by those who could discern the power of God over the conception of Satan.
Diverse kinds of tongues–the language or dialect used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations
Corinth being a diverse city filled with many visitors and merchants from a multitude of nations, each spoke their own language. For the edification of the whole assembly, someone needed to interpret for the whole assembly to comprehend their need for salvation into the Kingdom of God.
Like unto the Day of Pentecost, everyone needed to obtain full understanding of the messages being delivered. This required the gift of tongues and an interpreter.
Interpretation (of tongues)--translation of what has been spoken more or less obscurely by others
The variances of the distribution of these necessary gifts and the personalities of the recipients was a cause of additional divisions in the assemblies. Even in modern times, with the diversity of the same type of gifts meant to admonish, rebuke and edify the whole assembly, divisions occur too often. We must remember and properly teach, (vss. 11-14) 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 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. 14 For the body is not one member, but many.
It is from the same Spirit of God these gifts are administered today for the betterment of the whole assembly, guiding the Kingdom of God here on earth toward a promised land called Heaven. We are many peoples but one in Christ. Let us seek peace and understanding. Let us ‘be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment’ as God.
Let us become content with the position God has placed us in his society and therewith dwell. Let us desire to improve the earth by sharing the righteousness we have been given with the gifts we have obtained.
