Church Series-Paul's Teaching in First Corinthians 12.1-27 Regarding Spiritual Gifts
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday November 10, 2016
The Church Series: Paul’s Teaching in First Corinthians 12:1-27 Regarding Spiritual Gifts
Lesson # 14
1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (NASB95)
Bob Deffinbaugh writes “We will be greatly helped in understanding Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts if we pause to reflect on the Corinthians’ problems in this area. We know the Corinthians are proud and arrogant (1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 4:7-13, 18-21; 5:2; 8:1; 2 Corinthians 10). From what Paul has to say in chapters 12-14 (see 12:21), we can be quite certain some of the Corinthians’ pride lay in the possession of certain gifts or the following of some with those esteemed gifts. We do know the Corinthians prize certain gifts and disdain others. This resulted in many seeking to obtain gifts God had not given them and those possessing certain ‘lowly’ gifts feeling they had no contribution to make at all. Those possessing the visible, verbal gifts seem intent upon showing these gifts off in the church meeting (see 14:26ff.). Those with the ‘best’ gifts feel independently self-sufficient and do not sense their dependence on less visible members of the body (12:21). Paul has some well-chosen words for these carnal Corinthians about the relationship between spirituality and spiritual gifts, words which knock the props out from under their pride and self-sufficiency.”
In 1 Corinthians 12:7, “manifestation” refers to the fact that every believer receives one spiritual gift since the word is in the singular (See 1 Peter 4:10).
This verse is teaching that each individual member of the body of Christ has a single “manifestation” of the Spirit in order to benefit the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (NASB95)
The various gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and 28 are also mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 and Romans 12:6-8.
“Word of wisdom” is a temporary gift that was needed during the pre-canon period of the church and proclaims that Jesus Christ crucified is the wisdom of God, which is superior to the wisdom of men (See 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Colossians 2:3).
“Word of knowledge” is a temporary gift that was needed during the pre-canon period of the church and proclaims specific revelation from God and reveals great knowledge or insight regarding the person of Christ and the plan of God (See Colossians 2:3).
“Faith” is the ability to have trust in the Lord in a great crisis beyond that exercised by most Christians in a crisis (See Matthew 17:20; 1 Corinthians 13:2).
“Healings” was also a temporary spiritual gift given to the apostles to establish their authority as being from God (Acts 3:7; 5:16; 9:34; 14:10; 16:18; 19:12; 28:8).
“Miracles” was a temporary “sign” gift that was given to the apostles to establish their authority as coming from God and was an instrument used to draw the unsaved to hear the message of the gospel.
“Distinguishing of spirits” is the ability to distinguish between true and false sources of supernatural revelation when it was being given in oral form and was essential before the canon of Scripture was completed for there were those who claimed to bring revelation from God who were not true prophets.
“Tongues” was a temporary spiritual “sign” gift designed to evangelize the Jews in Gentile languages during the pre-canon period of the church age (See Isaiah 28:11-12; 1 Corinthians 14:21-22; 1 Corinthians 1:22).
“Interpretation of tongues” was also a temporary gift that was used to interpret the message that was communicated in a foreign language to the unsaved.
1 Corinthians 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? 17 If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 If they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body, which seem to be weaker are necessary; 23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it. (NASB95)
“The less presentable members” and those “we deem less honorable” refers to those parts of the body which are clothed or not seen by the naked eye because of being inside the human body.
A.F. Johnson writes “These verses can be obscure unless we realize Paul is referring to the bodily parts that have to do with procreation (male organ and female vagina) and nurture (female breasts). These parts, though treated with modesty and covered, are in reality indispensable, while the more dispensable parts of the body (such as limbs and hands) we often display openly.”
Bob Deffinbaugh writes “Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 12:22-24 surely come as a slap in the face to the status-seeking saints at Corinth. He turns their value system upside-down. The body illustrates what he is teaching. Those members of the body which are of the least importance are those to which we devote the most attention and effort. We paint our toenails, put rings on our ears (men, too!) and noses! We put rings and jewelry on our fingers. But the truth is we can live without ears (or hearing), eyes (or seeing), fingers, hands, legs, toes. The least needed members of our body are the ones which are most visible and to which the most ‘glory’ is given. And yet, they are the lesser gifts. Those gifts which are most visible, most vocal, most glorified in the Corinthian church are, in reality, the least important gifts. These Corinthians have been storing up sand in their safety deposit boxes and using gold for stepping stones. As the body illustrates, just the reverse is also true. The most important gifts, like the most important organs, are those which are not visible or spectacular, those of which we are the least conscious. You cannot see my spleen, my kidneys, my liver, or my heart, but I cannot live without them. They do not get a lot of attention. I have never seen ‘pancreas powder’ or ‘heart highlighter.’ I do not have to glorify these organs. They do not need any compensation. They are, in truth, the most vital members of my body, whether I see them or not and whether others value them or not.”
A.F. Johnson writes “Contemporary churches and Christian organizations and institutions need to pay close attention to this teaching of Paul. Often the tendency is to showcase the most ‘successful’ Christians who have won achievement awards, excelled in gaining wealth, or risen to prominent positions in government, entertainment or book publishing. These members often are appointed as church leaders or college trustees. Instead, without ignoring these ‘parts,’ we should look for those who have less visibility yet have displayed unusual faithfulness, especially through suffering and loss, who have given away great wealth, are self-effacing, have showed restraint in material possessions, exhibited downward mobility in seeking to serve Christ, and are filled with the fruit of the Spirit despite relative obscurity. These and others like them should be our main showcase examples in the church.”