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4000 E. Collins
Rd. “Preaching the Living
Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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DIFFICULTIES
IN CHURCH WORSHIP (CH 11-14): THE
USE AND ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS (CH. 12-14) 1Co
12:1-17 (11/23/11) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I.
THE
SPIRIT DISTINGUISHES TRUTH FROM ERROR (1-3) A. [1Co 12:1] - Once again Paul begins a
new topic with his “now concerning” (peri
de) phrase. The topic is spiritual gifts. 1. The word “spiritual” is pneumatikō,n which refers to
things pertaining to the Spirit (pneu,ma).
Therefore spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit at them moment of
salvation. In vs. 1 the word “gifts” is not in this verse but certainly
implied by the context through chapter (1Co 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31). The word
“gifts” is the Greek word cha,rismata which
comes from charis and means
“grace.” So spiritual gifts are “grace gifts” that are gifts given by grace
through the Spirit and that give the believer the grace of enablement to
serve the Lord and build up the body of Christ. 2. Paul does not want the believers
(“brethren”) at Corinth to be unaware (agnoe,ō
- without information and understanding. Eng. “agnostic” one who does not
know) and have misunderstandings about spiritual gifts. They were a super
gifted church (“that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all
knowledge,” 1Co 1:5) but were misusing their spiritual
gifts. B. [1Co 12:2] - Paul refers to their pagan
(ethnos -
essentially non-Jews, also heathen in negative sense. Eng. “ethnic”) religious past. 1. Previously as pagans, they were
continually being led astray (ête - imperfect”to
be” verb connected with a pres pass part - apa,gō - lead away or astray)
toward (pros) pagan idols. However,
like all idols, they do not speak (aphōnos
- no voice - mute) because they are not real. Yet the pagans themselves
were led anyway either by their own diluted ecstasy (ekstasia, not used in Scripture, but similar to mai,nomai,cp. 1Co
14:23, Eng. “mania”, originally the
experience of a pagan worshipper worked up into a mindless frenzy through
revelatory communion with a deity) or demonic influence. 2. Why would Paul point out such things in
the past for the Corinthians? Obviously some of the Corinthians were being
led astray by bringing their past pagan tendencies into their practice of
spiritual gifts, thus abusing and misusing them. C. [1Co 12:3] - Evidently some in the
Corinthian church were prone to either giving or receiving from false
teachers ecstatic prophecies that were actually declaring that “Jesus is
accursed.” 1. “Accursed” is the word anathema and means that someone has
been delivered over to divine wrath, i.e. cursed. In essence this refuted the
person and work of Christ in that He was obviously worthy of divine
retribution for impersonating the Son of God. Paul distinguished that such
persons could not possess the Holy Spirit and be able to declare such
untruths. Perhaps as a persecutor, Paul himself attempted to get Christians
to denounce Christ (Act 26:11). 2. On the other hand, one who has the
Spirit of God, and only by the Spirit, can one say, “Jesus is Lord (kurios).” To make such a statement is
to categorically declare that Jesus is deity and equal to the “LORD” in all
capitols (Yahweh, Jehovah) and
“Lord” in small letter (Adonai - Master of everything and everyone,
especially believers) of the OT. 3. Truth is verified and error is detected
by placing them under the scrutiny of the word of God through the Holy
Spirit. II. THE SPIRIT HAS A VARIETY OF SPIRITUAL
GIFTS (4-10) A. Variety of Gifts, Ministries, and
Effects (4-7) 1. [1Co 12:4] - Three times Paul uses the
word “varieties” (diai,resis - to divide, distribute, and apportion) to show the diversity of the spiritual
gifts and the manifold ways in which the church is to use its spiritual
gifts. The “gift,s” (charismata -
charis = grace) “grace gifts,” or spiritual gifts are freely given and
apportioned by the same Holy Spirit (cp. 1Co 12:11) to all believers for
supernatural enablement to serve the Lord and the body of Christ. 2. [1Co 12:5] - Spiritual gifts are however
exercised in various ways and ministries so that each believer may be uniquely
used with their spiritual gift(s). “Ministries” is the Greek word diakonia (which comes from the Greek
word diakonos for servant) and
means service, task, or ministry. However, it is the same Lord that all
believers serve when they serve the body of Christ. 3. [1Co 12:6] - In addition there are
various “effects” (energêma - the
result of energy) or results energized by God’s grace. Spiritual gifts
are unique in that God is involved in bringing about spiritual results in
them. God who gives the spiritual gifts through the Holy Spirit is the same
One who makes those gifts effective in service. This ought to be a motivation
to all believers that spiritual ministry is dependent on God’s grace and not
themselves. Note that all three members of the Godhead are mentioned and
involved in spiritual gifts. 4. [1Co 12:7] - Yet it is the ministry of
the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit who is intricately involved
with the body of Christ and the distribution of spiritual gifts. “Each” (hekastos - each and every,
emphatic construction placed first) believer is given a spiritual gift(s), also called the
“manifestation of the Spirit.”
“Manifestation,” phane,rosis, here means the making known of the Spirit’s
work through spiritual gifts. The goal of those spiritual gifts is for the
“common good,” (sumphe,rō bringing together) which would be the
bringing together the body of Christ unto edification and maturity. B. List of Spiritual Gifts (8-10, 28-30) 1. There
are nine spiritual gifts mentioned here but this does not conclude the entire
list. Other passages confirm these and introduce different spiritual gifts
(Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11; and 1Pe 4:10-11). 2. Over the course of Christian
history and with the addition of completed canon of Scriptures, some
spiritual gifts are regarded as temporary due to their revelatory nature,
while others are regarded as permanent and in use today. Many of the
spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians are temporary gifts. a) Temporary gifts were revelatory and foundational in
order to establish the early church in the absence of the New Testament
(apostles, prophets, knowledge, etc.; Eph 3:5; Joh 12:16; 14:26). b) Phil Temporary gifts were given to the Church in
order to confirm God's message, messengers and mission (healing, miracles,
tongues & interpretation of tongues, etc.; Heb 2:4; 2Co 12:12; Act
8:6-7). c) Temporary gifts were given to the Church for a
limited period of time. Speaking in tongues has not been the norm from a
historical viewpoint since the end of the first century A.D. (1Co 13:8; 1Co
1:22). 3. The
Corinthian list includes: a) Word of Wisdom - It was the temporary extra revelation of divine doctrine
(1Pe 4:11a) replaced now by the complete canon of Scripture (Deu 4:2; Pr 30:6; Rev 22:18). b) Word of Knowledge - It was the temporary extra revelation of divine truth applied in
practical ways also replaced now by the complete canon of Scripture (2Pe
3:15-16). a) Faith - If
it is seen as a gift which enables miracles (1Co 13:2b) is temporary. But if
by the gift of faith is meant as a special
ability to lay claim on the promises of God in regard to God’s provisions and
purposes, then it is in use today (Act 6:15; also historical figures such as
George Mueller or Hudson Taylor. Cp. Rom 10:17; Col 2:6). This does not refer
to saving faith exercised in Christ. b) Gifts of Healing - It was a supernatural enabling of one person to heal
another with physical infirmities in order to authenticate the messenger and
message (Mat 10:1; Act 3:6-8). God still heals, and he heals through the
prayers of his people (Jam 5:15). However, he does not heal anymore in this
dispensation through the spiritual gift of healing. c)
Effecting of Miracles - It was the supernatural working
of signs and wonders. Jesus and the apostles performed miracles to confirm
that God was working though him (Act 2:22; 6:8; 2Co 12:12; Heb 2:3-4). God
still performs miracles, but not through miracle workers. III. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. We cannot say God cannot use me because
He uses all of us with various gifts and in various ways. B. We cannot say that God speaks to us
apart from or mystically through His Word. C. We cannot say that God will heal us or
else we have too little faith. |
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