QT 4/4/2025 1 Cor 12:1-11, A special gift given to each

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 (ESV) —

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

 

NOTE: Paul's states his purpose very clearly, he does not want the church to be misinformed about spiritual gifts -- the implication being that they were misinformed. There are a number of key principles.

 

• A person under the power of the Holy Spirit cannot teach against scripture or commit blasphemy in the use of his gift; vs 3.
• Each person is given a manifestation of the Spirit (everyone has at least one spiritual gift); vs 7.
• A spiritual gift is for the common good; the purpose of the spiritual gifts are to build up the church; vs 7.
• There are many gifts as there are many types of service and as there are many types of expressions of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Lord; vs 4.
• The Holy Spirit decides and apportions spiritual gifts; vs 11.

 

There is more that could be written, but that is a nice summary of the first two paragraphs. Paul is going to spend three chapters (12-14) on this topic. Apparently there were both misinformed and abusing the doctrine of spiritual gifts. And these warnings are not just for "charismatic" churches, since all true church bodies have spiritual gifts, the non-charismatic churches do many of the same things wrong, just more subtly.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I realize that God has given me a gift to be used to build up the local church?
2. Am I using that gift correctly?

 

PRAYER: Father, over the years I have heard many people say that they are not sure what their gift is, but I think the problem is that they have not involved themselves in the local body enough to see what gift they have. Help us to get involved and see where you bless us and use us.