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Spiritual gifts probably causes more controversy among Christians today than almost any other topic. On both sides of the issue we have stereotypes – the wild-eyed charismatic who throws his hands out to heal people and they fall down into the waiting arms of an attendant while others marvel at the power this man seems to possess. Then there is the steely-mouthed conservative who claims God’s Spirit does not move in supernatural ways today. I want to submit to you that both are wrong – both extremes miss what the Holy Spirit is about in the lives of His people.
Chapters 12, 13, & 14 are really one unit. Chapter 12 talks about the context of the Holy Spirit’s work through the believer. Chapter 13 the motivation in using Holy Spirit gifts, and chapter 14 the proper operation of those gifts.
There are four areas of focus in chapter 12:
1. The gifts come from God. Source & Focus of the gifts (vs 1-11) God is the source of all gifts.
2. The gifts are to be used in a corporate body. Makeup of the Body of Christ (vs 12-26) (All are one – & interdependent)
3. All the gifts are useful and equally as important. How the Spirit works through that body (vs 27-30) All have gifts – not all have all gifts
4. Every gift should have its motivation love. The real purpose of the Spirit gifting (31) The power of love – not the love of power
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
Apparently the Corinthians were ignorant about spiritual gifts. Their services were chaotic, with people fighting each other over expressions of prophecy and tongues – and the same sort of power struggle that came out in other areas existed in the area of gifts – some people considered themselves more important by nature of their gift – and thus they felt their place in the body must be more important.
It’s important that we not be ignorant of spiritual gifts as well. Why? Because it is the key to doing God’s work. Without God’s gifts we are powerless.
Jesus said:
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
The power to be a witness for Jesus comes from the Holy Spirit. So what are spiritual gifts? I would define them as “anything that God gives you are uses in you to do His will.” That’s a pretty broad definition – but I think it makes sense when you read this chapter – coupled with chapters 13 and 14.
But first Paul must clear up a serious misconception.
2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you 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.
First let’s get one thing straight – no true believer is going to utter a prophecy that goes against God’s Word or against the person of Jesus Christ. We don’t know, but it almost seems as if that must have happened.
And conversely, only those that are true believers can acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.
We should feel okay that as long as we acknowledge Jesus as Lord – we aren’t being led by anything but the Spirit. That’s not to say that everything you say will be as if God said it – you can make mistakes. But Paul says “don’t feel insecure – the Spirit is leading you so go ahead and step out.”
So in this context, Paul begins the argument:
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
Because it is the Holy Spirit who decides who gets what gift and how they are manifested – it is not up to the individual and doesn’t mean you are any more special than any other because you have a certain spiritual gift.
This listing in verses 4-6 has always intrigued me. What is interesting about it is the three different words Paul uses: gifts, service, and working.
Gifts is charisma which means “a free gift”, service is diakonia – we get the word deacon or servant, and working is ener’gema or “effect.” We get our word energy from this root word.
Think about it this way – all real spiritual power is a gift from God – not earned. These giftings are to be used in service to others – not to serve or puff up yourself – and they aren’t to be a show, but are designed and given to have a real effect in someone’s life. Keep that in mind as we walk through the chapter.
Now Paul gives a list of examples – this is not an exhaustive list because Paul isn’t writing a textbook on spiritual gifts, he is trying to make a point about how the Christian should live their life in the body using the Spirit as the power source.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
Wisdom is knowledge applied. Knowledge is the ability to explain difficult things or know something you couldn’t have known otherwise. Sometimes God uses knowledge to “cut through” someone’s tough exterior. Jesus did it to the woman at the well in Samaria. Sometimes when I’m talking to someone I will get an impression about something – and I’ll say, “I’m just curious here, has such and such happened in your life?” and if so, often it opens up the real crux of the matter so healing can take place.
Wisdom is the God-given ability to apply knowledge in a given situation. Teaching is often giving wisdom – applying God’s Word in an everyday life situation.
Note that it doesn’t have to always be some supernatural, glow-in-the-dark experience. God can take someone’s natural ability to impart wisdom, and use it by guiding him through the 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,
Faith is really the supernatural ability to trust God. “gifts” of healing suggest that the ability to supernaturally heal someone may not be something you can just “call up” at will – but works by God’s sovereignty. “miraculous powers” comes from two words – one of which we’ve already seen. Ener’gema is “power” and dunamis is “miraculous.” Sometimes God just gives us the power to do something we could never do otherwise.
Prophecy in the New Testament is not the same as in the Old Testament. It is both the foretelling and forthtelling of God’s truth – but in the NT is subject to misinterpretation. In the OT prophets who got it wrong were stoned. A good way to translate this would be simply: “speaking God’s message”. God gifts people with being able to speak His truth.
to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
Distinguishing of spirits suggests being able to tell if what someone is saying or doing comes from the Holy Spirit or not. Having this gift would be valuable if you watch a lot of Christian TV.
But here is the key:
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
The Corinthians – and I think many people in the church today – tend to put value on gifts – like “I can heal” so that makes me somehow more valuable to special. If we’re not the source, nor do we decide which gifts we get then we simply can’t take credit for it.
More than that even, Paul stresses that the use of the gifts should not focus on the individual at all – but on the corporate body. I shouldn’t shine because the Holy Spirit gave me a certain gift – but I should just rejoice that what I do fits in what you all do and together we do God’s work.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
So point 1 – although you are a diverse group you belong to one body – no stars, no Lone Rangers.
14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Point 2: We are one body, but not all of us are the same. One commentator puts it this way: unity without uniformity.
This goes against our normal human tendency towards conformance. Everybody has to be totally equal in everything or its not fair. The problem is that are still equating one person’s gifts as more important than someone elses. As the pastor I am no more important than anyone else – what’s important is that I function in the body as God has called me to.
Especially with the more flamboyant gifts – we think “that’s really all the body needs – superstar evangelists and healers – we don’t need people who do things totally invisible to anyone else. After all – being center-stage is what’s most important.”
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be 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 cease to be 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?
The diversity of gifts God gives is what makes the body strong. I might have wisdom, you might be strong in prayer – or in giving or administration or the ability to impart a trust in God. Without you I can’t do my job as effectively.
18 But in fact God has arranged 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.
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 combined the members of the body and has given 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.
Just as we shouldn’t all aspire to have the “more valuable” gifts, nor should we look at others and want them to be like us. In fact, Paul says, God wants us to treat members of the body who have gifts that might be seen as “less honorable” or even “unpresentable” to be treated with extra special care. It’s like comparing the eye to the stomach. The stomach is certainly not a very appealing part of the body – no one has stomach t-shirts. But while the eye is a pretty flashy part of the body is not essential to life. You can live without an eye, but you cannot live without a stomach.
An example of this in the body of Christ could be doing something in the background instead of up front. Maybe you pay the bills, or clean the church bathrooms, or visit people in jail – or maybe you just pray quietly for the church or the pastor at home. There isn’t much laud and honor for these types of things – no t-shirts saying “Book keepers for Christ” but I think Paul is telling us to value them just as much as others.
So to complete this part of his argument, Paul gives a list of gifts but his point is not to set up a hierarchy but to make a point there can be unity without uniformity – equality without similarity.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in 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? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Paul could be talking about the “greater” gifts in terms of his list – or he could be referring to greater as in less visible but more honorable gifts mentioned in verse 23. I think the latter is more likely – based on what comes next: chapter 13, on love as the greatest of all – love that “does not seek its own” – love that is better than all the gifts combined.
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
• Don’t be afraid to step out in your gift – as long as you belong to Jesus, He will guide you.
• Ask God to reveal your gift or gifts to you (what would have happened in Mozart had never learned to play the piano – you have a gift – take the time to as God to tell you. It might be something you already are good at or enjoy.)
• You have been arranged in the body just as God intended – so don’t try to be an eye if you are really an ear. (you may be a small peptide in the brain – who ever heard of Oxytocin anyway. But without it we would never experience love. Even the smallest parts of the body are important)
• My gift is dependent on yours. In our physical body all the parts are integrated. As scientists learn more and more they discover how much redundancy and interdependence exist. It’s the same way in the body of Christ. I might bring a word of wisdom on Sunday – then you, having the gift of knowledge, are able to help uncover a hidden wound in a friend using that wisdom – then another encourages the friend by expressing faith that God will work all things together for good, then a prayer warrior friend brings the need before the throne, and on an on it goes. I can’t do the Lord’s work without you and you can’t do it without me.
• Make sure not to over emphasize the more “spectacular” gifts – because the mundane are really just as vital (how could we survive without the ability to rid our bodies of waste, for instance).
Next week we will see that any gift – no matter how ordinary seeming or flamboyant – is nothing without the proper motivation – love.
