1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:1

The 'spiritual' people were ignorant!!

The 'now' sounds like Paul was 'finally' able to get to the point, or the crux of the matter; as if to say, "finally, we can deal with this." The word used for spirituals is 'Nu-ma-te-kos'. Nu-ma-te-kos are spiritual things. They are the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit. One commentator said these gifts are "gracious endowments, leading to miraculous results." If you look in your bible, the word 'gifts' is italicized. That means it was added from context and not really a specific translation of a Greek word. If these people were to grow and move away from worldly wisdom and be equipped to battle against the sin and flesh, they must be wise to the spiritual things. They could not remain ignorant; to do so was to unarmed in a carnal world. It was to be surrendered without a fight. The spiritual gifts are important to Paul and he doesn't want us to be ignorant of these things. The Greek word for ignorant is äg-no-e'-o and it means ignorant; not in a mean way, but simply not knowing. It's from the same root word for agnostic, it's unknowing, not understanding.

Paul wanted them to know and understand these spirituals gifts; and not just what the gifts were but also how God used them. He wanted them to understand each person's part in the use of the gifts and how they worked within the body. The existing attitude toward the gifts in Corinth was an issue of spiritual maturity. Those who thought they know, saw themselves as strong were not teachable. This lesson isn't about the gifts themselves as much as the attitude toward the gifts by the people who had them.

1 Corinthians 12:2-3

The past life as a pagan had not given those in Corinth any capacity to understand the spiritual things. How can bowing before a carved piece of wood or a trinket do anything to prepare you for the incredible and awesome power of God? They had been previously duped into believing a lie. Like us, they thought they had enough, or all of the spiritual information they needed for life. They had been led and willingly followed others to dumb idols. Paul doesn't want them to be duped any longer. It's the same for us.

They may well have experienced 'spiritual' things. They could have seen spiritual manifestations, healings or other displays that led them to believe they followed a god. In our past, we've all been led astray. It would be nice to think those days are past, yet, we see many 'churches' that no longer resemble the church. You don't have to look far to find 'woke' churches, embracing the culture and all its wickedness. Every day is a new headline of a new line being crossed; transgender pastors, gay pastors and bibles being put away for a more inclusive message. They no longer seek the true God by way of the Jesus of the bible. They have propped up a false god, a manmade word and chase a dumb idol; many times even applying the name of Christ.

With that in mind, Paul laid down some basic principles that these people needed to know.

The spirit will never speak against Jesus Christ.
1. It's not unusual to hear 'progressive' churches put down those who hold fast to gospel and God's word.
2. Calling Jesus accursed wasn't unusual for the Jew in their old life. Paul knew this!
3. It seems a ridiculous thought that someone in the church of Christ might claim Christ accursed by the Spirit that Christ gave us. Paul makes it clear that that just won't happen.
  1. It is possible, in the old pagan life, something resembling spiritual gifts (demonic influenced utterances) cursed Jesus.
It is only by the Holy Spirit that one may call Jesus Lord.
1. Simply put, no one came to Jesus by their power, wisdom, deductions or anything else. It is a work of the Holy Spirit that prepares us, works in our lives and brings us to a place of decision.
  1. This should be encouraging to all of us. Every believer is heartbroken for family or friends who continue to run from God. They seem so far away. Rest assured, they are not as far as you might think; for it is not their work that brings them to Jesus, it is the work of the Spirit.

The function of the Holy Spirit is to point people to Jesus Christ and edify the church. The church at Corinth had received gifts; however, they glorified themselves or others instead of Christ. In some cases, these 'gifts' may not have been 'spiritual' and may not have been from the Holy Spirit. Something that resembles a spiritual gift used in the flesh is phony and draws attention away from Jesus and becomes an accursed thing.

The Christian church is composed of many different kinds of people with different gifts and different ministries. The manner in which these are combined is not like a melting pot but like a salad bowl. Within the church, there is no loss of individual identity, but rather the complementing of distinct elements to create a new, special, and united body. [Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 351). Baker Books.]

Point:

The gifts weren't some novelty items given by God to be used by man as man saw fit. They have a purpose. The Devil counterfeits the gifts, men carry on with the gifts, putting on a show and faking them. However, the real gifts are Give by the Holy Spirit to draw attention to Jesus, to authenticate His work and glorify God.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

There is an interesting occurrence of the Trinity in Paul's writing here. It's worth noting because you can read right through this and not catch it. In Paul's teaching of diversity and differences while remaining in unity, he noted we have:

The same Spirit
The same Lord
The same God

We are united under the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; not within our gifting, education, wealth, politics or any social structure. There is One God in three persons; each person glorifies the other, each person with function, yet all One. This is Paul's example of diversity in unity. The gifts were given for the profit of all, not to divide us. Paul classifies them as gifts, ministries and activities, all from our God. As the trinity has 3 diverse persons in One, we have many diverse in one body, the church.

I used to do a lot of woodworking. The more advanced I got in it, the more specialized tools I found I needed. I'd go to shows or woodworking stores or find them on line. Someone could walk in my shop and see all these tools and conclude that I was a woodworker. However, it wasn't possessing the tools that made me a wood working. It was picking them up, using them and becoming proficient at them. This chapter isn't about the gifts as much as our attitude towards them. The gifts aren't like award badges for spirituality or tools to collect. The gifts don't make you 'spiritual'. Receiving a gift is bound up with service to God and others; we receive gifts to use them in service to God and others. Let me at least offer a challenge. If you aren't aware of your gift and using it, becoming proficient at it, could it be your own unwillingness to serve?

"It is not so much a matter of having a gift, as of being a gift"

(Jean-Jacques Suurmond)

1 Corinthians 12:7

Between this chapter, Ephesians 4 and Romans 12 there are nineteen gifts listed. There are variations to these lists and they are debated. We so like lists and labels and categories. God the Holy Spirit gives us a gift and we don't want to accept it till we know what's in it, what category it belongs to and will everyone else agree with the gift and acknowledge it as valuable. How sad this must make God when we accept or reject a gift based on how it is viewed in the culture or by men. We can very much be just like the Corinthians who were claiming gifts like Spiritual awards of accomplishment.

God does not owe us His gifting. We do not choose our gifts. He gives them to us in the balance of the church, as needed, to glorify him and edify each other. One gift might be given regularly and used regularly; like discernment; while another might be given for a specific 'one time' event like healing. The spiritual gifts don't conflict with each other, they work towards a common good. If I'm exercising my gift of teaching, I won't be speaking out against Jesus Christ or someone else's spiritual gift. Everything works together for a common good. My gift will work well with everyone else's gift. Each of us is a part that serves a whole; each of us relies on someone else in the church to fulfill their part. Together we are to be a complete body of believers.

If together, we are one and complete, then what happens when someone doesn't exercise their gift? What happens when they don't come to church and fellowship with other believers? (We've all heard someone say, "You don't have to come to church to be a Christian.") If we are one body when we are together, then we aren't when some are missing; when someone is rejecting their function in the body. We become an unhealthy body, limping along, functioning at a disadvantage.

The Holy Spirit is with every believer. That we know from Scripture. However, sometimes the Spirit is more evident in some folks because of the manifestation of a gift. As I exercise my gift of teaching, it doesn't make me any better than any other believer. It doesn't mean the Spirit is more present with me than those who don't teach. It just means my gift is more visible right now than others.

Later when I'm through teaching someone else might be quietly exercising the gift of healing or mercy. The manifestation of some gifts is not nearly as evident as others but it doesn't make it any more or less important. It's different, given by God to different people for different purposes.

This was really messing with the minds of those in Corinth. To them the only good gift was the one you could do in front of other men and get accolades. They treated it like some magic trick or entertainment. And they sought after them for their own benefit not for the benefit of the church.

Each believer has a gift. That gift is not given for you because you earned it or deserve it. It really has nothing to do with you as a person. When you've truly died to yourself then you know that God is just working a divine gift of His divine power through you. He's pouring something of worth into a broken vessel. And that's given for the benefit of the church body.

1 Corinthians 12:8-11

Paul gives us some examples of the Spiritual gifts here. Yet, he doesn't imply these are the only gifts or that each gift of the same type might be worked out in exactly the same way.

We should note that some denominations and bible scholars don't believe all these gifts are active today. They place these gifts in 3 categories.

Active
- Verbal
  - Teaching, exhortation, prophecy, wisdom and knowledge.
- Nonverbal
  - Leadership, helps, giving, mercy, faith, and discernment.
Temporary, for early church
- Sign gifts.
  - Healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation of tongues.

They believe these gifts were only given to the apostles as credentials of their authenticity. There are some pretty good bible scholars and teachers that believe this way. I disagree with them and think they are wrong. I just don't see where these gifts were temporary.

It's really not important that you know and understand each gift and how it works. If it were, Paul would have given us lessons on them. It wasn't about the gifts it was about how they were being used. For many believers they have a gift and use it all the time and don't realize it. They don't name it and don't have a list of rules about it. They just do it because the Holy Spirit put that gifting and desire in their life. It's just part of who and what they are.

I hesitate to make a list, because I don't think God would be constrained by a list. It is men who like list. We do it to understand our God; yet, we then hold our list with a zealous legalism. We get upset if something doesn't fit comfortably on our list. In the same way, to describe the gifts is to attempt to understand these things. Yet, we get tempted to hold tight to our understanding and anything outside of that we dismiss. The test for gifts and the use of gifts isn't if we understand them or if we agree with them and our traditions authorize them; the test is:

Does it glorify God?

Does it edify the church?

If both are not true, then sin, pride and man's interference has entered in. It may be labeled as a gift and resemble a gift, but if it doesn't pass the test of authenticity, it isn't functioning properly.

*GIFT*	*1 Corinthians 12*	*Romans 12*	*Ephesians*
Faith	ü	ü
Pastor			ü
Teach		ü	ü
Prophecy	ü	ü	ü
Discernment	ü
Healing & Miracles	ü
Word of Knowledge	ü
Words of Wisdom	ü
Tongues	ü
Interpretation of tongues	ü
Ministry (diakonan)*		ü
Exhortation		ü
Giving		ü
Leading		ü
Mercy		ü
Apostles			ü
Evangelists			ü

Word of wisdom

This word is speaking the wisdom of God into a circumstance. Chuck Smith defines this as the anointing of the Spirit that comes upon you in a time of need. A word of wisdom unites when there are divisions; it soothes and quiets when tempers are flared; it brings peace when a war is about to break out.
Some equate this gift to apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor, teacher - not on this list but on Ephesians 4 list.

An example of this is when two women came before King Solomon with a baby. Both had given birth at about the same time. One mother lost her baby and laid claim to the live one. So there were two mothers claiming this one child. With a word of wisdom Solomon told the attendants to cut the child in half and give each mother half. The real mother wept for her child and was willing to give up her right as a mother to see the child live. The other mother thought this arrangement sounded fair. Because of this word of wisdom it was clear to Solomon who the real mother was.

A word of knowledge.

This is information given supernaturally. This gift might be used to convict or rebuke someone for some secret sin they harbor. How many times have you been sitting in church Sunday Morning when you were sure the pastor was talking specifically about you? He used a random story that perfectly fit your life or circumstance. And it left you wondering, "How did he know that?"
There are other times when the Spirit gives this knowledge and you don't know what it means. You end up saying something that makes no sense to you, yet when someone else hears it their jaw drops because you spoke into their life.

Faith.

Each believer has a measure of faith. We have a saving faith that led to our salvation. We have a faith in the promises of God but this faith is more specific. This is a faith given within a circumstance. It's not whipping yourself up and really, really, really believing something; that's just working within your own power. This faith is given to you supernaturally and you know that God is prompting you to do something for which He alone can get the glory. This can take so many forms.
- When Abraham looked up at the stars and believed God's promise, he did so by faith – and it was credited to him as righteousness.
- When Peter stepped out of the boat he did it by a faith. The opportunity and strength to do so is given to Him by the Lord, not by anything he possessed of his own spirituality or human strength and desire.

Healing and Miracles.

These are often associated with faith. Everyone's heard the declaration that if we just have enough faith, we can make anything come about! That's just not true, it leaves God out of the equation. God is the object of our faith; it is His power and will that makes things happen. He links His work to our willingness to believe He will and can act in ways we often can't imagine.
Healing and Miracles are a specific type of faith. Just like faith, healing and miracles aren't gifts that can be called up by a person at their will, in spite of what you see on TV.
The disciples did a lot of healing but they didn't heal everyone. Paul prayed for healing but was stuck with his thorn in the flesh that the Lord didn't heal. Healings and miracles happen by a supernatural faith given by God and it is by the power of the Lord at the will of the Lord that a healing or miracle happens. These things can happen through whomever the Lord chooses, when He chooses. We will never understand it or figure it out.
How will you know if you have the gift of faith, healing or miracles? You'll know. None of us want to take a step of faith and be wrong. Nobody wants to declare someone healed and be wrong. God doesn't want that either. He has a way of getting through to us. If God ever works through you for healing or miracles, it's His power and His miracle or healing. You will only be called to be obedient not perform in any way.

Gift of Prophecy

The forth telling or fore telling of God's word. A prophetic word given by the Holy Spirit and spoken to a person or a group is a gift from God. To some a word of prophecy might offer comfort in some life situation you are going through. Or it might be the kick in the seat to move in some direction the Lord has been prompting you. It might also be the confirmation from the Lord you've been waiting for. For others it may just grow you closer to the Lord; growing you in holiness and righteousness. Prophecy is a truth spoken directly into your life.

Gift of discernment

This is the ability to sense or see what is holy and what is not. I think we've all experiences this to some degree when someone or something gives us the creeps.
- When I think of this, I see a child randomly saying, "That's a bad man" about some stranger in a crowd.
- Or I think of a woman saying, 'Something's not right about that guy." Only to later find out he is a suspect in a murder case.
This can take so many forms. It's the spirit moving you to see a truth that isn't visible in any physical way.

The bible says Satan is clothed as an angel of light and fools many people. The saint with discernment will see past the light and know that something evil lurks there. Discernment is the sense that in spite of the evidence or in spite of what is seen, something is wrong. It's recognizing the truth that lies behind what is being presented.

Gift of tongues

This is always one that will cause some discussion and debate. It's worth noting that Paul put these last on his list. In Corinth, the order in which he listed these gifts would have been important to them. It is likely that Paul put these gifts last because they were being abused the most.
There are many differing opinions and thoughts on the gift of tongues. Many get very passionate about this gift and won't go to a church that doesn't believe as they do.
The gift of tongues can be a little intimidating and maybe a little frightening to some. Tongues is simply a prayer language. It's a language that even the one speaking doesn't understand. It's the Holy Spirit praying through you in a heavenly language.
This gift is not given to everyone. It shouldn't be used as an indication of salvation or baptism in the spirit or anything else. No one should ever feel pressured to speak in tongues. Sometimes too much emphasis is put on this gift. This seems to be the case in Corinth and in spite of Paul's teaching, we do the same today.

I would say that most of the time this gift is used in private prayer and praise. However, it could happen in a gathering of God's people. When it happens, it will be at a time when it is natural and relaxed and people are in the Spirit. It won't be a rude outburst that freaks everyone out. If it is of the Spirit, it will always be done in order. It's not orderly for someone to pray in tongues in the middle of church, that's disruptive of worship or teaching. And it would be disorderly for several to be speaking in tongues at the same time. And no one would speak in tongues in a gathering of others unless there was someone there to interpret.

Interpreting of tongues.

It's the supernatural gift of being able to understand and edify others with the word's offered in praise or prayer.

****

That's a partial list of the gifts. Paul didn't write this chapter to teach the Corinthians about the gifts but to check their attitude about them.

A. W. Tozer said, "If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference. If the Holy spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church, 95 percent of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference."

This is a frightening thought. Can this be right? A statement like this has some shock value, but coming from a man like Tozer, who wasn't really one used to using such methods, it should bring us to self-examination; an examination that ought not leave any stone unturned. Have we lost our way? Tozer passed away in 1963; the world and the church has changed drastically since then. What would he say today about your church?

This brings to mind a quote from E.M. Bound from the 1800's.

What the Church needs to-day is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use, men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Ghost does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men, men of prayer.

If this statement was true in Bound's day, it is even more true today where so much of Christianity is a defined and packaged religion. We operate within boundaries of traditions, expecting nothing less and nothing more than yesterday, last week or last year. So many see Christianity as old, dour, stale and irrelevant, as if it has nothing for life in our world today. The Holy Spirit did not cease operations! God is still on the throne. And now more that ever the gospel of Jesus Christ is relevant and needed in this world. Christianity hasn't become irrelevant, just many folks within Christianity have relegated themselves to irrelevance.

How does this happen? The Father is still on the throne. Redemption hasn't lost value. The Holy Spirit is still in us, around us and desiring to do His work. The problem isn't God, it is us. D.L. Moody said this:

When the Spirit came to Moses, the plagues came upon Egypt, and he had power to destroy men's lives; when the Spirit came upon Elijah, fire came down from heaven; when the Spirit came upon Gideon, no man could stand before him; and when it came upon Joshua, he moved around the city of Jericho and the whole city fell into his hands; but when the Spirit came upon the Son of Man, He gave His life; He healed the broken-hearted.

What has happened in your life when the Spirit has come upon you? What work or works is God doing through you by the Holy Spirit's gifting and presence in your life? How is the body of Christ being served or edified? This question may sound odd in our culture where our thoughts so often turn to what religion can do for me. There are so many abuses combined with poor teaching that lead to gross misunderstanding of the Spirit-filled life. God didn't give you the Holy Spirit to grant your wishes or make your life better or easier. The Spirit is His presence in you until He comes. It's our way, and privilege, to walk with Jesus today. He's the basis for a changed walk; a new life empowered, directed and provisioned by God through the presence of the Holy Spirit. He disciples us and empowers us in our service to others. He brings glory to God through the willing heart, mind, soul and body of those who trust in Christ.

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. ⁴For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, ⁵so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. ⁶Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them.

[The New King James Version (Ro 12:3–6). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]

Do it, and do it well.

Right after speaking of the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul immediately speaks of love in chapter 13.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ²And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

[The New King James Version (1 Co 13:1–3). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]

Again in Romans 12 Paul speaks of love right after speaking of the gifts.

[The New King James Version (Ro 12:3–6). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]

Our Agape is to be without Hypocrisy. Agape love is not a feeling or emotion, it is actionable. It is unconditional live. For agape to be sincere, it must move us to action. If it is not sincere, it probably isn't love anyway; proving that hypocritical love isn't love at all.

If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? ²¹And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 john 4:20-21)

In Ephesians, Paul went further; painting a picture of brethren serving and edifying, speaking of love in the midst of a world tossed to and fro, full of deceit, trickery and fraudulent ministries and false Christ. Paul presents the gifts as an extension of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. He Himself gave these gifts:

…….for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. [The New King James Version (Eph 4:12–16). (1982). Thomas Nelson.]

Authentic love will be a love that serves and sacrifices. We've often heard that love is a verb; it's action. It's moving what needs moved to serve and edify our brethren. The gifts become the tools to express that love. Authentic love will move us to cling to the good in the midst of evil; and move us to abhor the evil that causes so much damage among men.

Point:

As the trinity is three Persons, none more or less than the other, all part of One God; we are one body, diverse, yet gifted and interacting to be one in the Lord. The Holy Spirit works all these things and He does it as He wills. These gifts don't come about as we will, at our desire or demand.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

The body is one unit, made up of several parts; no one part is more valuable or important than another. In a similar way, the body of the church has many parts. We are all part of that same body because we are all baptized by that one Spirit, saved by the same blood. In Corinth they had not grasped this. They were acting as individuals. It appears that some were trying to possess all the gifts, or at least the ones they place value on. Corinth had assigned some worldly value to the gifts, placing some higher than others. Therefore, those with the 'lesser' gifts were perceived as less spiritual and treated as less important in the church. Many of the folks were feeling as though they weren't part of the body because of this. They were the feet who said I guess since I'm not a hand I'm not important. But the feet served a practical and noble purpose. Even though they are rarely seen, they bear the load, provide mobility and direction.

The worldliness and pride of some at Corinth didn't mix well with the gifts of the Spirit. It's not hard at all to imagine the proud claiming the gifts that are visible, as they portrayed the deeply spiritual and displayed their gifts for all to see. This was the eye saying I am the most important part. Without me this body is nothing. Everyone should be an eye like me. The ear was hearing all this and saying, "If I'm not an eye I don't belong." The service of the ear was defamed. The ear was taken for granted. The body was sick.

Notice Paul's examples of the body expressing feelings of not belonging.

Should the foot feel bad? Should it think it isn't part of the body.
Should the ear feel as though its not important?

In fact, no part of the body should feel less than the others.

Paul asked, what if the whole body were an eye? Would the eye try to hear? What would happen since eyes can't hear? No part of the body has the right to disregard or downplay any other part of the body. The parts we think are weaker are the ones we find indispensable. Do you think little toes aren't important? They don't seem important. They aren't very glamorous. Yet, if they aren't important, then why do they hurt so bad when you stub them. Try to run or walk on a broken toe and you'll find out how important it is and how much you use it.

How about those parts that are thought to be less honorable? These are the parts covered or hidden and not given much thought. Yet, the heart, the lungs, the organs are the very things that give life to the rest of the body. And then Paul even talks about the parts that are unpresentable. These parts are given special treatment in modesty.

God brought all these parts together in balance to form this body. He gives greater honor to the parts that lacked honor. We can see how this would counter the pride coming from what a man considers honorable and keep it in check. Likewise, the self-imposed shame that a man feels over what he considers the less honorable parts is also kept in check. In this way there is balance and there is no division. That's what is supposed to happen. That's what should have been happening at Corinth.

In verse 25 Paul said there should be no schism in the body. The word pictures part of the body torn from the other. That can't happen. Each member should be equally important, equally needed and respected. If one member suffers, then the entire body feels the pain. If one member is honored, the entire body rejoices and celebrates with that member.

We are the body of Christ. We shouldn't take that lightly. We are still individuals, diverse and functioning differently, but God blends us together as He wills within the body. Paul adds to the list of gifts and offices in verse 28 He starts with what appears to be offices within the church and advances the list to gifts. He places tongues dead last. You have to think he did this on purpose. It appears this is the one that was being abused and causing problems. The list implies and order of importance and Corinth would have seen it that way also. Yet, Paul's point was that all are equally important to the function of the body and greater value shouldn't be placed on one over another.

Maybe you don't recognize where you fit in the body. That's okay. You need to know that you have a purpose in the body of Christ, though. You may be operating in your gift and not even know it. Not every gift operates exactly the same in every circumstance.

As part of the whole body, it's important to remember that when one part of that whole is not operating at capacity then the entire body feels it. We suffer together and are honored together. This is the summary of this part of Paul's message. It's a message of unity in the Spirit. That unity takes place as we work in the role God designed for us. If you holding back for some reason; or not in fellowship, then the body can't function properly. God gifts us and expects us to walk in that gift by faith. Whatever your role is, you will be supernaturally equipped. It will be very comfortable and natural. It will also be hard work and it will be serving in the body; gratifying and humbling at the same time.

For those in Corinth they had every good gift. The Holy Spirit had equipped them with all they needed. However, they weren't acting as a body. They needed to care for each other because they were all part of the whole. That care called for them to have a heart of fellowship and caring along with sympathy and compassion for their brothers and sisters.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12

Related Articles • More Articles

Contact Info.

Email Sign Up

Get Connected