Alan Lewis
Elon, North Carolina
July 2024
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, 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.
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require.
But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. (I Corinthians 12:1-31 NIV)
Today, we begin a new series in I Corinthians. Paul begins a new section of the book. It begins with four words, “Now concerning spiritual gifts” (I Corinthians 12:1 ESV). All of us like gifts. Kids like gifts. Just look at them on Christmas morning. The day can’t come fast enough.
Adults also like gifts. We like to receive gifts. Some of us like to give gifts. We like to bless people with gifts. We are going to see that God also likes to give gifts. He is a gift-giver. He gives good gifts to people.
We are going to spend three weeks on I Corinthians 12. This week will be practical. Next week, we will look at some controversy in the church over spiritual gifts. We are going to look at several questions.
We are going to look at what spiritual gifts are. We are going to discover how to find out what your gift is. We are going to look at some abuses of spiritual gifts in the church today. We are also going to look at some false ideas about spiritual gifts.
There are some key words in this chapter. The word “Spirit” is used twelve times in the chapter.[1] That is one key term. This chapter is all about the Holy Spirit and gifts of the Spirit.
Another key word is “body.” It is used seventeen times in this chapter.[2] The church is the body of Christ. One preacher called this “God’s Body-Building Program.”[3] Today, we are going to look at seven powerful principles of body life.
The Universal Principle
The universal principle teaches that every Christian in the body has a spiritual gift. Paul does not say that most Christians have a spiritual gift.
He does not say that many Christians have a spiritual gift. He does not say that some Christians have a spiritual gift. He says they all do. Each Christian has one.
Now to EACH ONE the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (I Corinthians 12:7 NIV)
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to EACH of us (Romans 12:6 NIV).
To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it (Ephesians 4:7 NIV)
These gifts are not earned. We don’t deserve them. They are not rewards. They are “grace gifts” (χαρίσματα). They are free. They are not earned.
They are not learned. You can’t just go to seminary and get them. Adrian Rogers says, “They are not earned. They are not learned. They are given.”[4]
They are given to all believers. They are not given to the most spiritual. They are not just given to leaders (pastors and the elders). Ordinary Christians have them. There are no second-class Christians. There is no elitism with the gifts.
Every single Christian on the planet has one. Each Christian has a super power. We should not be jealous of someone else’s gift.
We all should be thankful for the gift that God has given to us. Every Christian has the opportunity to be powerfully used by God in some capacity.
Three Common ProblemsThere are three common problems in the church today when it comes to spiritual gifts. 1. Not knowing what gift you have The first problem is ignorance. Many do not have any idea what their gift is. How do you find it out? We will give some suggestions. 2. Not using use the gift you have That is a big problem with many Christians today. Many know what their gift is but aren’t using it. You can have a lot of head knowledge about spiritual gifts. You can read all kinds of books about them. There are hundreds of them. You can listen to all kinds of sermons on them. God does not want us to just be hearers of the word but doers. 3. Trying to use a gift you don’t have Many Christians operating in gifts they don’t have. They spend their whole life doing things they were not gifted to do. I could sing in church, but singing is not my gift. Just ask my wife. Some people should not work in the nursery. They hate children. Our ministry in church should match our areas of giftedness. A.W. Tozer said, “About 90% of religious work done in the church is done by ungifted members.”[5] |
We all have a spiritual gift but how do we figure out what it is? We should all read the list of gifts in Scripture. If we don’t know what our gift is, we can pray and ask the Spirit who gave us a gift to reveal to us what it is. There are also three basic ways to know what your gift is.
Discovering Your Spiritual Gift1. If you have a gift, you will be good at something What are you good at? That is something you can answer. Some gifts are obvious. 2. If you have a gift, you will love to do it What do you enjoy doing? A spiritual gift is something you will have a passion and desire to do. If it is something you hate, it is probably not your spiritual gift. 3. If you have a gift, it will be clear to others If you have a genuine spiritual gift, others in the church will see it. It will be obvious. If you are the only one who thinks you have a particular gift, you might be misguided. |
The Supernatural Principle
The second principles teaches that the gifts in the body are supernatural God-given abilities. They are not natural abilities. They are supernatural abilities. We are not just naturally gifted; we are supernaturally gifted.
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. (I Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV)
The word “Spirt” used six times in five verses. These gifts come from the Holy Spirit. They are a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts are a manifestation of God working in your life. They are supernatural displays of God’s power working in and through you.
Now just because you have a gift, and it is from God, does not mean that you don’t have to develop it. All gifts need to be developed. That is true of natural talents as well. Some gifts need years to develop but they come from the Holy Spirit.
The Diversity Principle
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. (I Corinthians 12:4-6 NIV)
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. (I Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV)
God is a God of variety. God likes diversity. Diversity is built into creation. It is built into nature.
God didn’t create just different animals but different kinds of animals. He didn’t create just one dog. There are over three hundred types of dogs. There is diversity in nature and there is diversity in the body.
The Holy Spirit not only gives out gifts to the church, but he gives out different gifts. Paul says one gets this gift and another gets that gift. Your gift is not my gift. My gift is not your gift.
The gifts on this list are very different. Some seem extraordinary and some seem completely ordinary. Some of these gifts are clearly miraculous, like healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons.
Other gifts seem to be ordinary. On Paul’s list of spiritual gifts is the gift of helps and the gift of administration or leadership (I Corinthians 12:28). Those gifts do not seem too miraculous. We see this in Romans as well.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8 NIV)
Encouraging, giving, showing mercy and giving are spiritual gifts, along with prophecy. Peter mentions the gift of hospitality (I Peter 4:9). None of those are sensational gifts, but they are still supernatural in origin. They still come from the Holy Spirit.
Some gifts are ordinary, and some are extraordinary. Some gifts are in the spotlight, and some are not, like helps. Paul compared the body of Christ to the human body. Some parts of the body are seen by everyone.
Some are not seen. No one sees your feet. Some say that people have pretty faces. They never say that people have pretty feet. They never see them.
Paul says, some of the most important parts of your body are not seen (I Corinthians 12:23). No one sees your heart. That is a pretty important part of your body. It pumps blood all throughout the body and no one sees it.
The Holy Spirit gives out different gifts. Even those who have the same gifts are different. Paul says that there is not just “the gift of tongues.” He says that there are DIFFERENT KINDS OF TONGUES (I Corinthians 12:10).
There is not just the gift of healing, there is the GIFTS of healing (I Corinthians 12:9). No two teaching gifts are exactly the same.
Some are better at teaching adults. Some are better at teaching children. No two pastoring gifts are exactly the same. Some are better at pastoring a small church. Some are better at pasturing a large church. Why does this tell us? There are two takeaways from this truth.
One, our gifts are not the same. Some charismatic churches say we are all supposed to speak with tongues. We are all supposed to heal.
Paul specifically refutes that idea. He said that the whole body is not an eye (I Corinthians 12:17). He said it is not an ear (I Corinthians 12:17). The whole body is not a tongue.
At the end of the chapter, Paul asks some important questions. He asked seven rhetorical questions.
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? (I Corinthians 12:29 NIV)
All of these questions demand a negative answer in Greek. You can’t tell this form English but in Greek each question begins with the particle μή which expects a negative answer.[6]
The same particle is used in I Corinthians 1:13 when he asked, “Was Paul crucified for you?” (μη Παῦλος ἐσταυρώθη ὑπερ ὑμῶν)
All Christians do not all speak with tongues. They do not all heal. They do not all work miracles. They do not all prophesy.
Two, no one can do exactly what you can do. You should not try to be like someone else. You should not try to minister exactly like someone else, because you are different. You are unique.
The Sovereignty Principle
Spiritual gifts are sovereignly given. Paul says this twice in this chapter, in case you did not get it the first time.
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as HE wills. (I Corinthians 12:11 ESV)
But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as HE chose (I Corinthians 12:18 ESV)
One Christian gets this gift. Another Christian gets that gift. We don’t get to pick them out. We are given certain gifts. Kids do not get to pick out their Christmas gifts.
We do not get to pick out our natural talents. We were born with certain natural abilities. We may wish we had other abilities. We have the ones we were born with.
Now, we can desire certain gifts. We can pray for certain gifts. Paul said we could do that (I Corinthians 14:13). It is not wrong.
Apparently, we do not get all of our spiritual gifts when we get saved, as many teach. We can pray for more and get more after we are saved, but it is the Spirit decides what we get.
God designed all of the parts of the human body. He placed all of the members in the body of Christ. Paul said that in I Corinthians 12:28.
What does this mean practically? We all have a gift, and these gifts are personal. They were hand selected by God for you personally. They were tailor-made for you. That is an amazing thought.
The Holy Spirit said, “I want you to have this particular gift. I want someone else to have a different gift.” The Spirit decides what gifts we get. That proves the Holy Spirit is a real person. He has a will. The Holy Spirit is not a force. The Holy Spirit is a “he.”
The Service Principle
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (I Corinthians 12:7 NIV)
Spiritual gifts are not for you. Some use spiritual gifts to show off in the church and draw attention to themselves. Spiritual gifts are to serve people.
They were given for the common good. They were not given primarily for us. They were given to us by God to help others in the church. They are for the body.
Spiritual gifts are a little different from material gifts that people give us. When we get a gift from somebody, we can do whatever we want with it.
Unfortunately, too many Christians are like young children with their Christmas gifts. They get a gift, and don’t want any of their siblings to play with their gift. It is theirs. They are selfish when it comes to gifts.
Interdependence Principle
All the parts of the body are connected. If you break your toe, the whole body feels it. If you accidentally hit your hand with a hammer while trying to nail something, your whole body feels incredible pain.
“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (I Corinthians 12:26 NIV)
Paul compares the parts of the body to the spiritual body. He draws some lessons from human anatomy. All of the parts of the body need one another.
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! (I Corinthians 12:21 NIV)
The feet need the hands. You can’t write very well with your feet. Some can do it, but it is much harder to do. You can’t walk with your hands, unless you are a gymnast. We need both.
We need our ears, but we also need our nose. We can’t smell with our ears. The eyes can do the ears’ job. We need all of the parts. No one body part does it all. We need them all.
All of the parts are interconnected and dependent on each other. What Paul says is confirmed by modern science. All of the systems of the body (e.g., circulatory, and respiratory) are connected.
We need every Christian in the body. No one is so important that he or she does not need anybody else in the church. We all have a part to play.
That is why we all need to be in a local church. That is God’s will for every believer and yet today we find people who think it is not necessary to go to church.
Unity Principle
The word “one” (ἓν) is used eleven times in this chapter.[7] Paul says there is one Spirit. He says we are one body. That shows unity.
For just as the body is ONE and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are ONE BODY, so it is with Christ. (I Corinthians 12:12 NIV). There are many parts, but ONE BODY. (I Corinthians 12:20 NIV).
He also says that there should be NO DIVISION in the body. There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other (I Corinthians 12:25 NIV)
Spiritual gifts should produce unity. In our day, we see division when it comes to spiritual gifts. Christians fight over the gifts. Next week, we will look at some of the controversy with spiritual gifts.
[1] I Corinthians 12:1, 3 (2), 4, 7, 8 (2), 9 (2), 11, 13 (2)
[2] I Corinthians 12:12 (2), 13, 14, 15 (2), 16 (2), 17 (2), 18, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27.
[3] https://insightforliving.swncdn.com/pdf/series/GCL/GCL-STS-19.pdf
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TuRIpOjURM
[5] A.W. Tozer, Tragedy in the Church: The Missing Gifts, 33.
[6] μη πάντες ἀπόστολοι; μη πάντες προφῆται; μη πάντες διδάσκαλοι; μη πάντες δυνάμεις;
[7] I Corinthians 12:11, 12 (2), 13 (2), 14, 18, 19, 20, 26 (2).
