THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PART III

1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-11

          Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 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.

          Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit. 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 interpretation of tongues.

          But one and the same Spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually just as He wills (NASB).

INTRODUCTION

          On Christmas morning, the children in a family do not usually all receive the same gifts. One gets a football, one a puzzle; another receives a dollhouse, another table game. Yet, although each child does not receive the same gifts as the others, the parents intend the gifts to be enjoyed by all the children as they use them together. The same is true of the gifts God gives His children. We do not all have the same gift, but we are all to use our gifts for the good of all in God’s family.

I.  THE TEST OF TRUE SPIRITUALITY VV. 1-3

          A reading into the first three verses has created a biased disposition to the Corinthian problems that Apostle Paul addresses in the first letter to the Corinthians. In verse 1, Paul is saying, “You know of course that when you were pagans your ignorance on spiritual things was profound.” Verse 2 reads something like this: Now since I do not want you to be ignorant in these matters, I am making them known to you. As I said some time ago, the church of Corinth was by far not a model church. But at the same time you and I should not conclude that the church was made up of members who were all pagans. Many of us here in this church came from a pagan background, but that does not make us pagans today. Praise God. Notice that Paul refers to the Corinthians as brethren (adelphoi). It is the same word that Jesus used in reference to His disciples during His resurrection appearance to Mary Magdalene. The word brethren, connotes endearment, affection, or one who is dear to you. When people are converted to Christ from a pagan background what is their basic need in the Christian faith? Their basic need is to have a genuine understanding of who Jesus Christ is, and to walk in intimacy with Him. That is what the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to do for the Corinthians.

          Therefore, Paul says to the Corinthians and to us today that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, Jesus is accursed (anathema), and no one can say, Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. Some Christian Commentators think that there were actually some in the Church of Corinth who were cursing the name of Jesus, but I differ with them. I think it was a hypothetical statement that Paul was making. I believe that the apostle Paul was simply contrasting those who have the Spirit of Christ and those who do not. Jesus is Lord is the first century church confession. This is similar to Peter’s statement in Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13-19). Therefore, Paul is using the statement in verse 3 to establish the question of who is spiritual, and who has the Holy Spirit is the one who can say, Jesus is Lord. Saying that Jesus is Lord is not a flippant statement. Saying that Jesus is Lord has profound implications. It means that Jesus is Lord over your life. He is Lord over your family. He is Lord over your money. He is Lord over everything you have. Jesus is Lord over your spiritual gifts. And if Jesus is Lord over your spiritual gifts, why do you elevate your spiritual gifts above others? If Jesus is Lord, why do you look down upon others? If Jesus is Lord, why do you allow your spiritual gifts to become divisive in His church? Having established the Christological focus of who is spiritual, Paul begins to deal with the bountiful diversity of the grace-gifts (charismata).

II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF DIVERSITY VV. 4-11

          Probably Paul’s statement in verse 4 might have come as a shock to those who had elevated their spiritual gifts in the Corinthian Church. The elevation of certain grace-gifts has given room to pride, set some believers against others and had caused division in the church. Paul says that “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.” What Paul is doing is that instead of allowing division, pride and self-centeredness to infest and destroy the church, he is promoting unity in diversity. The Triune God loves diversity. He made us different and gave us different gifts. If all of us were to have the same gifts, we would be bored. If all of us were to have the same gifts, we would not need each other’s help. Someone has said that God loves diversity so much that when He sends a snowstorm He makes each flake different. The Christian church is much like an orchestra; each part making its unique contribution to the symphonic harmony. God has given us different gifts for the common good of each other in the church.

          Therefore, God has given to some in His church wisdom (sophias). The gift of wisdom has to do with divine illumination that enables one to apply God’s truth to an immediate problem or need. The gift of wisdom enables you to apply spiritual truth to concrete situations in specially anointed way so that others recognize that truth has been spoken. To be sure, all Christians are invited to ask for God’s wisdom when they need it (James 1:5). The spiritual gift of wisdom is a special power given only to some Christians, enabling them to apply spiritual truth to specific issues in a relevant manner (Solomon and the two women). Jesus possessed this gift in a supreme way. When the Pharisees sought to confuse or trick Him, Jesus detected the roots of their questions. He answered them with such wisdom that He penetrated into the hidden implications of their questions (Luke 13:17; 14:6; 20:40). The gift of wisdom transcends innate human insight or human philosophy. The wisdom of this world is foolish when compared to God’s wisdom (1 Cor. 1:20-25). When the gift of wisdom is properly manifested it accords with Scripture, and it edifies others because for them it has the ring of truth. Our church should apply the gift of wisdom when it comes to business meeting.

There is also the gift of the word of knowledge. The gift of the word of knowledge imparts the ability to perceive a fact as God sees it. Sometimes God gives the gifts of wisdom and knowledge to the same person, and the two often function in complimentary manner. Jesus exercised this gift during His conversation with the woman at the well. Jesus told her facts about her personal life that He had no way of knowing, except by divine insight (John 4:16-20). Peter demonstrated this gift when he made his great confession: You are the Christ the Son of the living God. Peter was able to see through the hypocrisy and dishonesty of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:9). From time to time, present day Christians also receive this spiritual gift. The true gift of the word of knowledge comes from God. But you are to be careful not to believe everything someone tells you about yourself. God never gives any special gift so that you can take advantage of another person or embarrass him/her. Any insight into the personal needs of others should be carefully used in a private context, never as a display or show. Flamboyant public uses of this gift have no place in Christian ministry. Christians who have this gift need to use it gratefully, always with humility and a desire to minister.

There is the gift of faith. To a certain degree, all Christians have faith. Paul wrote, For by grace you have been saved through faith (Eph. 2:8). Without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). While all Christians have the grace of faith, not all Christians possess the gift of faith. The gift of faith is given to some believers as a special ability to see the adequacy of God and to tap it for particular situations. This spiritual gift produces an extraordinary confidence in God—a confidence, which draws upon His divine resources. The Christian who possesses this gift of the Spirit has a supernatural conviction that God will reveal His power in response to the prayer of faith. The gift of faith takes hold of biblical principles and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit applies them to the current situation. The gift of faith enables you to believe God for mighty results. Faith is not limited to getting things from God. It extends to believing God even in the dark hours (illustration, George Muller).

          The Holy Spirit gives the gift of healing (literally the gift of cure). Many cases of healing appears in the OT (Naaman, Hezekiah) and certainly, the NT is replete with instances when Jesus and His disciples healed the sick. Throughout the history of the Christian Church countless instances of physical healing have been recorded. In recent times much attention has been focused on the Christian faith and physical healing. Yet, sickness and infirmity are part of life; no one can escape them at last. All people including the most famous faith healers get sick and eventually die. When it comes to death the statistics is hundred percent accurate. Unless Jesus comes all of us will die one day. Well-meaning but ill-informed Christians insist that God wills to heal all persons physically, and if one is not healed, he lacks faith or there must be some unconfessed sin in his life. That is such an unkind remarks to make to a person who is suffering from some debilitating physical illness. Kathryn Kuhlman, the famous faith healer and the Mentor of Benny Hinn died in early 1976. For years she suffered from a heart condition and later in 1975 underwent an open-heart surgery from which she never recovered. People were healed under her ministry. She was not. Sickness brought death to her at last. John Wimber, the founder of the Vineyard Church practiced healing services in his church and introduced Signs and Wonders course in Fuller Theological Seminary. The course created a great controversy in the Seminary they had to cancel it. In their book Power Evangelism, John Wimber and Kevin Springer give testimony upon testimony of healing. Several years ago, John Wimber suffered from brain aneurysm and died. He was about 69 years.

The gift of healing enables you to function as an instrument of God’s healing grace in the lives of others. However, this gift does not equip you to heal in every instance. Sickness, suffering, and death are a part of our human experience because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3). These enemies will completely pass away only when God establishes a new heaven and a new earth (Rev. 21:4). You need not feel that you have failed if your prayer and others prayers did not result in healing. Dr. Billy Graham tells a story about his friend who was struck with a deadly disease. The doctors knew there was no hope. He knew there was no hope. So he sent for one he knew to have the gift of healing. After prayer and spiritual counseling, the healer laid her hands on Dr. Graham’s friend. Immediately he felt what seemed to be an electric shock, and he was healed instantly. When doctors checked him all the evidence of the disease had disappeared. Overjoyed, he became enthusiastic advocate of the sign gifts: healing, miracles, speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues. He ignored the person and work of Christ. The fruit of the Spirit was not in evidence. Three years later the disease recurred with vengeance. This time God did not heal him. He died slowly, bitterly disillusioned, as if all the glory plus the Lord Himself were not awaiting him. There is a remarkable difference between prudence and presumption, and you need not tempt God. Frequently God works differently than we expect Him to work. God heals in five ways: (1) God heals instantly and directly (John 5: Mark 6). (2) God heals gradually through the processes of nature. The human body has the marvelous ability to heal itself through its remarkable recuperative powers. Many people who have corrected their lifestyle and have eliminated harmful habits have seen their physical condition improved dramatically. (3) God heals through medical sciences. Paul told Timothy to take some medicinal wine for his stomach problems (1 Tim. 5:23). Many Christians believe that Luke the physician who accompanied Paul in his missionary journeys provided him with medical care (Acts). (4) God gives grace to suffer redemptively by healing our attitudes. Paul prayed for physical healing but God did not heal him (2 Cor. 12:7-9). (5) God heals in the resurrection. When Christ returns and the dead in Christ are raised to reign with Him in His kingdom, they shall receive a glorified body that is immune and free from every sickness and disease. The Bible encourages you to place your faith in Christ’s ability to heal not His willingness to heal. Jesus never asked, “Do you believe that I am willing to heal you” (Mark 9:15-29)?

          Humans can perform surgery or administer wonder drugs and can pray and give spiritual help, but it is always God who heals. Nobody has the ability to heal. Healing comes from God. Jesus wants you to trust Him for what He is rather than for what He does. A Christian psychiatrist of impeccable record says that if people would let go bitterness, resentment, and unforgiving spirit many people would be healed of emotional, physical, mental, and even spiritual illnesses.  When the human mind is made well, the physical manifestations stemming from this functional situation disappear. The Romans had a famous saying: mens sana in corpore sano, “a sound mind in a sound body.” A diseased mind can produce disease in the body. A healthy mind can prevent the body from suffering from functional diseases that derive from the mind such as, some ulcers and other forms of stress related illnesses. These would be eliminated if Christians would renew our minds and let go of bitterness and unhealthy way of thinking.