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        with Pastor Gregory


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        THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT
        1 Corinthians 12:1-11
        Strong's Concordance
        Theme:         God's Spirit manifests His power through gifts
        which He sovereignly dispenses.

          I. THE DEFENSE REGARDING THE SPIRIT'S MANIFESTATION - 12:1-3

            A. THE EXCESSES OF SPIRITUALITY - vv. 1-2

            1. "Now concerning . . ." - denotes that he is moving to the next area of concern where the Corinthian church had written him for clarification.
            2. He addresses this extremely controversial and dangerous subject of "spiritual gifts" - spiritualities: a reference to issues surrounding the spiritual realm - particularly of the Holy Spirit’s activity among us.
            3. He proceeds to state that it is not the will of God that we approach this subject with a perspective that possesses little or no objective reality - "I do not want you to be unaware" - ("unaware" - is the word from which we get "agnostic")
            4. There are some issues that ought to govern the subject of spiritual giftedness - in distinction to the way it was when they lost control and were subject to the excesses of their pagan practices
            5. "You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols"
                a) Within the practice of the heathen religions, they were given to times when they "led" to moments of ecstatic ecstasies - a illustration of the presence of "tongues" and other forms of ecstatic speech.

                b) However, this loss of control was "to the mute idols" - gods who could not speak but were representative of demons who would give expression through the people being possessed

              6. According to Paul’s comments here, some of the Corinthian believers had fallen back into some of their old idolatrous practices of being "led astray" into excess - particularly into these ecstasies generated by demonic power.

            B. THE EXPOSURE OF SPIRITUALITY - v. 3

              1. In light of the confusion that was gaining ground in the Corinthian church, Paul provides a means by which "spiritualities" can be exposed as either of the Holy Spirit or of demonic origin.

              2. First, he declares that "no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’."

              a) They were actually giving themselves over to ecstatic utterances and in the midst of the frenzy, they were condemning the Lord Jesus Christ.

              b) The exhilaration of their ecstatic experience was generating an enthusiasm resulting in the squelching of the judgment.

              c) Possibly, they were allowing the demonic instigators of their ecstasy to "lead them away" by twisting the biblical intent of Deuteronomy 21:23; - Galatians 3:13

              d) The bottom line in this test is that God’s Spirit will never generate a believer under His guidance and energy to state something that is doctrinally erroneous.

              e) We must always compare what any person preaches or teaches with what has been declared in God’s Word; if it contradicts that, it is not of God.

              f) "The only way to be sure if something is spiritual is to be sure it is scriptural. If it agrees with Scripture, a new revelation from the Spirit is unnecessary; if it does not agree with Scripture, a new revelation cannot be from the Spirit
              and is false."               (John MacArthur, p. 286)

            3. Secondly, he says: "and not one can say ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit."

              a) Here, we have to understand that Paul is not talking about the mere formulation of these word, but the sincere confession of the truth of the statement - cp. Acts 16:16-18

              b) Confessing Jesus as Lord means nothing unless it involves affirming who He really is and obeying what He commands - cp. Matthew 7:21

              c) Thus, the Holy Spirit will always lead men to ascribe lordship to Jesus Christ, calling on them to obey Him completely.

        II. THE DIVERSITY REGULATING THE SPIRIT’S MANIFESTATION - 12:4-7

          A. THE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS - vv. 4-6

            1. Having established the principles by which we are to recognize the legitimacy of "spiritualities," Paul now discusses that there is great diversity in how these gifts are manifested.

            2. He states first of all, that "there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit"

              a) This is the first time in this passage that "gifts"; is actually in the text - carisma from which we get "Charismatic"

              b) The meaning of the word emphasizes a "gift of grace"; or "free gift" and is normally used relating to the divine enablements for believers to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit.

              c) The point Paul is making here is that there are "varieties" of these divine allocations for ministry - that not everyone is "gifted" in the identical way.

              d) There are great differences in how individuals are gifted, but each "distribution" of grace is of "the same Spirit."

            3. Second, "there are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord."

              a) Here the diversity is taken even further, indicating that people who are gifted in the same way may not use that gift in ministry in the same way.

              b) This emphasizes that the gifts once again are given but for one reason "ministry" - serving the body.

              c) By emphasizing "the same Lord" - the body life within the church which is the body of Christ is highlighted.

              d) Hence, a gift exercised in private is a perverted gift. God gives His gifts TO us, but FOR others!

            4. Finally, "There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons."

              a) Here we are made aware that not only does God give the gifts to believers, he also "energizes" them.

              b) "Varieties of effects" illustrates that the way God energizes the gifts will likewise vary depending on His will and plan.

              c) A person exercising his gift will not always see the same result.

              d) We are completely dependent on God’s power and energizing for the benefit of our gift.

          B. THE DESIGN FOR THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS - v. 7

            1. Notice that "to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit" - but the previous three verses illustrate that each Person of the Trinity is involved - Spirit, Lord, and God (Spirit, Son, and Father).

            2. The unity in the midst of diversity comes in the wisdom of God in His sovereign bestowal of the gifts within the body of Christ.

            3. The welfare of the body is the priority of the Spirit of God as the gifts are distributed - it is "for the common good"

              a) "Common good" comes from sumferw - "to bring together" and suggests a bestowal of advantage or benefit on those brought together.

              b) This then is the priority and basis for spiritual giftedness in the church - to edify and help the church - brought together in His Name.

        III. THE DISTRIBUTION REVEALING THE SPIRIT'S MANIFESTATION - 12:8-11

          A. A SAMPLING OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS - vv. 8-10

          1. Paul illustrates for us that the "common good" can be best served through varieties of gifts - since they come from a common source - the Holy Spirit.

          2. A careful examination of the teaching on Spiritual gifts in the Scriptures provides the awareness that there were two primary purposes identified for them:

              a) The PERMANENT GIFTS were designed to edify the church and continue throughout the current age.

              b) The TEMPORARY GIFTS were signs to authenticate or confirm God's Word and were limited to the apostolic age as God's Word was being provided.

          3. The sampling provided here by Paul is not exhaustive of all the spiritual gifts given to the Church - neither does it concern itself with maintaining a distinction between the permanent and temporary gifts.

          4. The point Paul is making is that one Spirit gives a variety of gifts for the "common good" of the assembled people of God.

          5. The gifts that are given are given "through [or by] one Spirit" and include:

              a) "The word of wisdom …" - This refers to the supernatural ability to make practical application to the truths of God's Word (prior to completion of Scripture, it may have included revelation).

              b) "The word of knowledge …" - This refers to the supernatural ability to grasp the meaning of the mysteries of God's Word (those things that cannot be know apart from revelation).

              c) "Faith …" - This does not refer to saving faith. This is a reference to the supernatural ability to lay claim on the promises of the Word of God even in the face of obstacles and seeming impossibilities.

              d) "Gifts of healings …" - This is the first of the sign gifts mentioned by Paul in this list. It refers to the supernatural ability of those who, through a word or touch, could instantaneously and totally heal all who came to them. (It is to be noted that this gift was exercised on the basis of the giftedness of the healer, not the faith of the one being healed.)

              e) "Effecting of miracles …" - This is another sign gift - the supernatural ability to exercise power ( dunami") - and most commonly refers to the casting out of demons. B. B. Warfield wrote: "These miraculous gifts were part of the credentials of the apostles, as authoritative agents of God in founding the church. Their function confined them distinctly to the apostolic church, and they necessarily passed away with it."

              f) "Prophecy …" - This is the supernatural ability to proclaim the Word of God - this is viewed as one of the most crucial of all spiritual gifts since it edifies - cp. 14:1

              g) "Distinguishing of spirits …" - This is the supernatural ability to recognize whether or not spiritual activity is truly of God's Spirit, natural imitations, or demonic counterfeits - cp. 14:29

              h) "Various kinds of tongues …" - This is another of the sign gifts - specifically a sign to the unbelieving Israel - whereby one has the supernatural ability to speak known languages that have never been studied by the speaker.

              i) "Interpretation of tongues …" - This is the supernatural ability to turn tongues into a form of prophecy whereby truth is declared.

          B. THE SOURCE OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS - v. 11

          1. Although there are a variety of gifts, there is "one and the same Spirit [who] works all these things."

          2. Unity is attainable in the midst of great diversity because there is a common Source who has the common good of the Body in mind as He is "distributing to each one individually just as He wills."

          3. We do not requisition for a particular gift - hoping to jockey into prominence by obtaining the most prestigious and visible manifestations of God's Spirit.

          4. Believers yield themselves to the Sovereign plan of the eternal Spirit of God who Himself determines what gifts are given to which believers.