Proper use of the Gifts

Today we begin to move from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

What is the purpose of this power?

Acts 1:8 CSB

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

In other words: The empowering of the Holy Spirit is given to members of the church for the purpose of witnessing, testifying, demonstrating the truthfulness of the gospel.

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The Apostle Paul gives a wonderful detailed explanation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor. 12.

However, the section on the gifts of the Holy Spirit begins in chapter 11.

Chapter 11 turns out to be a very important “set up” for the various gifts.

Why?

Because in chapter 11 we are reminded that everything in God’s kingdom (including the operation of spiritual gifts) follows a divine pattern of authority.

Basically chapter 11 reminds us that how the kingdom and thus the gifts operate is not a matter of our opinion or wants or desires.

The kingdom and the gifts operate on God’s authority and not our own.

Key:

If we cannot follow God’s prescription of other Kingdom related principles. what makes us think we will follow the Kingdom Principles that govern the use of the Spiritual Gifts?

What are Kingdom Principles of authoritative behavior?

Paul immediately goes to God’s authoritative principle of creation.

Specifically:

What is appropriate behavior for men and woman in the church and do they submit to that creation pattern?

1 Corinthians 11:1–16 CSB

1 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ. 2 Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold fast to the traditions just as I delivered them to you. 3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head dishonors his head. 5 Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since that is one and the same as having her head shaved. 6 For if a woman doesn’t cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, let her head be covered. 7 A man should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God. So too, woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man. 9 Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man. 10 This is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. 11 In the Lord, however, woman is not independent of man, and man is not independent of woman. 12 For just as woman came from man, so man comes through woman, and all things come from God. 13 Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? 14 Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair it is a disgrace to him, 15 but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her as a covering. 16 If anyone wants to argue about this, we have no other custom, nor do the churches of God.

My intention with this passage is not to expound and teach you how man and woman aught to behave in church.

That is a good sermon to preach but that is a sermon for another day.

My hope is not to show you HOW to behave as men and woman but rather WHY we aught to behave in this way as men and woman.

Order! Order in the Church!

Vital to understanding the WHY is found in the very nature of God Himself.

1 Corinthians 14:33 CSB

33 since God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

Confusion is the result when everyone does their own thing.

Peace is the result when everyone does what they are supposed to do.

When it comes to the operation of the various Spiritual Gifts - they are to be operated in the proper, biblicaly prescribed way.

1 Corinthians 14:40 CSB

40 But everything is to be done decently and in order.

When this occurs and each gift is manifested in order, in obedience and in faith - the result is PEACE in the body of Christ.

However if each person operates in a gift as they want to operate - the result is CONFUSION in the body of Christ.

The “enemy” we are dealing with here is EGO.

That is:

Romans 12:3 CSB

3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one.

This whole chapter is basically God reminding us that each one of us aught to recognize and embrace our place in the creation order.

If we cannot submit to our base creation order how on earth can you operate in the gifts of a God of Order?

You simply cant.

Lets look:

1 Corinthians 11:3 CSB

3 But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:7–9 CSB

7 A man should not cover his head, because he is the image and glory of God. So too, woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man. 9 Neither was man created for the sake of woman, but woman for the sake of man.

This passage shows us how we glorify God according to the creation order.

Man glorifies God when he recognizes and embraces his place as the head of his house and bears the weight of that position gracefully.

Woman glorify God when she recognizes and embraces her role as helper and bears the weight of that responsibility with grace.

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Why is this so important to the operation of Spiritual Gifts?

Because each of the spiritual gifts operates according to God’s pre-described order.

Illustration:

Gift 1 only operates in situation A.

“I don't agree with God’s prescribed order, I don't want to be the head!”

“I don't agree with God’s order, I want to rule my husband”

Do you think such a person will bring Peace or Confusion?

Will God be glorified? No - God is a God or order and peace.

Reflection

Is a body of Christ coming together to worship, pray and minister God’s Holy Word a good thing?

Absolutely!

Does coming together for fellowship, prayer and encouragement make our walk better or worse?

Better!

However, if we fail to submit to God’s Kingdom order what is said of our “church services”?

1 Corinthians 11:17 CSB

17 Now in giving this instruction I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.

Here is our closing question:

If God were to empower you with a spiritual gift - would you wants that gift to make the kingdom better or worse?

Prove it by submitting to God’s creation order first.