AM Aug 2nd 1Cor 12

August 2nd  

1 Corinthians,  12

(Spiritual and unspiritual christians)

Christian Maturity

1: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2: Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3: Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4: Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5: And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6: And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10: To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Paul goes on in his letter to the Corinthians to talk about spirituality. He says concerning spiritual – brethren – l don’t want you to be lacking in knowledge. (The word gift is not in the original text) in the past you were Gentiles sold out to dumb idols, you were taught to worship them. But now that you are saved l want you to know that no man can call Jesus accursed if he is speaking by the Spirit of God and no man can say Jesus is Lord unless God the Holy Spirit is in him. There are different gifts given to believers but it is the same Spirit of God that rules over all. And there are different ministries but we all have the same Lord. There are different operations of God working in our lives but we all worship the same God who is doing all the work in every believer. However all though it is the same God the Spirit of God manifests himself in every believer so that he might be profitable to everyone else. To one believer is given by the Spirit a word from God of wisdom. To another is given by the Spirit of God supernatural knowledge. To another believer the Spirit gives supernatural faith. And yet another has various forms of healing from God. Another might have the ability to do miracles in the supernatural power of God. Yet again there is Prophesy, Discernment of spirits. To another different kinds of languages and to yet another the supernatural ability to interpret those languages. Each of these gifts come from the same Spirit to every believer and he distributes them as he sees fit. It is not for us to seek these gifts but to be thankful with what he gives.

(Paul was speaking during the apostolic age when the apostolic gifts were still in operation. There are no NT books written after the apostolic age. However after the apostolic age, when the apostles were still alive, these apostolic gifts ceased to be manifested to Israel as signs from their God. The Apostolic age closed with the detruction of Jerusalem and the murder of 1,100,000 Jews and the scattering of the rest.)