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BIG IDEA:

THE VARIETY OF EXPRESSION OF GENUINE SPIRITUAL GIFTS WILL CONSISTENTLY EXALT JESUS CHRIST AND BUILD UP HIS BODY

(:1) INTRODUCTION – IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC

A. Transition to a New Topic = Spiritual Gifts

“Now concerning spiritual gifts”

Important to the community of believers

B. Target Audience – Fellow Believers in the family of God

“brethren”

C. Teaching Opportunity Critical in light of the Danger of Ignorance regarding this important topic

“I do not want you to be unaware.”

Believers can be taken by surprise; some things look much better than they are; need to get behind the effects to the motivating spiritual forces at work

MacArthur: It was an idiomatic phrase often used to introduce an exceptionally important subject. Paul used it to encourage his readers to pay close attention to a critical truth

I. (:2-3) RIGHTLY DISCERN THE GENUINE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD

A. (:2) Reality of the Deceptive Power of Satanic Spirits

“You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols; however you were led.”

B. (:3) Reliability of Indicators that Distinguish Between Counterfeit and Genuine Spiritual Powers

1. Apostolic Revelation Can be Trusted

“Therefore I made known to you”

2. Test for Rightly Discerning the Operation of the Spirit of God = the Exaltation of Jesus Christ

a. The Holy Spirit Cannot Blaspheme the Person of Christ

“that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’”

b. Only the Holy Spirit Can Truly Confess the Lordship of Christ

“and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.”

David Prior: “The burning desire of the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus is Paul’s overall criterion of genuineness in this matter of spirituality. Indirectly but cardinally, it pervades all these three chapters. Thus chapter 12 concentrates on the church as the body of Jesus Christ; chapter 13 unfolds the essential character of Jesus Christ; chapter 14 takes two particular gifts ( speaking in tongues and prophecy ) and shows how any spiritual gift exercised with true Christlikeness serves to build up his body,

the church — at Corinth or anywhere. As the church is thus consolidated and begins to function effectively, so Jesus of Nazareth is seen to be Lord of the universe.”

II. (:4-6) APPRECIATE THE VARIETY OF EXPRESSIONS OF THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – ALL CONSISTENT WITH THE UNITY OF THE TRIUNE GOD

A. (:4) Variety of Gifts – bestowed by the One Spirit of God

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.”

B. (:5) Variety of Expression of the Gifts in Ministries – Directed by the One Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ

“And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.”

C. (:6) Variety of Effects of the Ministries – Accomplished by the Power and Will of the One Sovereign God the Father

“And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.”

III. (:7-11) UNDERSTAND THE SOURCE, PURPOSE AND EXERCISE OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS

A. (:7) Simple Statement of Fact — The Source, Purpose and Exercise of the Spiritual Gifts

1. Every Believer has a Spiritual Gift

“But to each one”

One or Multiple??

2. Every Gift is Bestowed by and Controlled by the Spirit of God

“is given the manifestation of the Spirit”

3. The Exercise of Every Spiritual Gift is for the Good of the Body

“for the common good.”

Zeisler: The apostle gives some tests that will help them know if their gifts were from the Spirit or not. The first test is that any such manifestation be “for the common good.” It should benefit everybody, in other words. If you have a special ability that is from God, it is not given to make you richer, more prominent, or anything like that. It is not merely for your own good, in other words. If it is in fact from the Spirit of God, it will benefit all. Your using your gift will spread joy, truth and knowledge of Christ everywhere.

B. (:8-10) List of Spiritual Gifts that are Especially Prone to Counterfeiting, Abuse, Misunderstanding and Misapplication – Emphasis is on the Variety

God has uniquely gifted each of His children; He does not intend for us to function as carbon copies; the body is healthy as we all make our unique and significant contribution

Jeffries: A complete list of around 20 specific spiritual gifts can be compiled by adding to the two1 Corinthians 12 lists specific gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11 and Romans 12:6-8. It has been suggested that since none of the lists is identical they were not intended to be comprehensive.

1. Word of Wisdom

“For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit”

2. Word of Knowledge

“and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit.”

3. Faith

“to another faith by the same Spirit”

4. Healing

“and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit”

5. Miracles

“and to another the effecting of miracles”

6. Prophecy

“and to another prophecy”

7. Discernment

“and to another the distinguishing of spirits”

8. Speaking in Tongues

“to another various kinds of tongues”

9. Interpretation of Tongues

“and to another the interpretation of tongues”

C. (:11) Fuller Explanation — Understand the Sovereign Distribution and Operation of the Variety of Spiritual Gifts — to Each Believer by the One and Only Holy Spirit

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

Craig Blomberg: Verse 11 provides a crucial caution against the natural human tendency to want or expect everyone else to be gifted in the ways we are. It completely refutes all claims that any one gift is necessary for someone to be a Christian, or to be a mature Christian, or to be in the center of God’s activity in some part of the world. Just as there are no ‘one-member churches,’ neither are there any ‘every-member gifts.’