Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

• 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Noted Biblical Scholars, Teachers, and Preachers Comments

1 Corinthians 12:1 ‘Spiritualities’: ”Beginning with chapter 12, Paul deals with the great spiritualities, which are the correction to the problems at Corinth. These problems could not be corrected by human effort, but must begin with recognition of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. Notice that chapter 12 begins with that very word, spiritualities: …
The English translation here uses two words, ‘spiritual gifts;’ but in the original Greek language, there is only one word here, and it is a word that might literally be interpreted ‘spiritualities.’ Paul says he does not want the Corinthians to be uninformed concerning the spiritualities. Why not? Well, because the spiritual realm, even though invisible, is the realm of ultimate reality. The spiritualities make all other realms of life work. It is the presence of the Spirit that makes Christ real to us, and the gifts of the Spirit-the spiritualities-are designed to make the body of Christ function effectively. “

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

1 Corinthians 12:2 ‘Gentiles’: ”That is, non-Christian pagans (1 Thess. 4:5; 1 Pet. 2:12). carried away. Incredibly, some church members were mimicking certain dramatic and bizarre practices of the mystery religions in which they had been formerly involved. The practice of ecstasy, considered to be the highest expression of religious experience, involved supposed supernatural interaction with a deity, induced through frenzied hypnotic chants and ceremonies. The practice frequently included drunkenness (cf. Eph. 5:18) and sexual orgies, to which the devotees willfully yielded themselves to be led into gross sin.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:3 ‘Jesus is Lord.’: “The title Lord (Gk. kurios), a term of respect for people of high rank or distinction, was also used in a unique way to refer to God. Confessing Jesus as Lord was understood as confessing Jesus as God. Whether or not the Spirit of God was guiding someone was determined by whether or not that person would confess ‘Jesus is Lord.’”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

1 Corinthians 12:4 ‘gifts’: “These categories of giftedness are not natural talents, skills, or abilities, such as are possessed by believers and unbelievers alike. They are sovereignly and supernaturally bestowed by the Holy Spirit on all believers (vv. 7, 11), enabling them to spiritually edify each other effectively and thus honor the Lord. The varieties of gifts fall into two general types, speaking and serving (see vv. 8-10; cf. Rom. 12:6–8; 1 Pet. 4:10, 11). The speaking, or verbal, gifts (prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, teaching, and exhortation) and the serving, nonverbal gifts (leadership, helps, giving, mercy, faith, and discernment) are all permanent gifts that will operate throughout the church age. Their purpose is to edify the church and glorify God. The list here and in Rom. 12:3–8 is best seen as representative of categories of giftedness which the Holy Spirit draws from to give each believer whatever kind or combination of kinds He chooses (v. 11). Some believers may be gifted categorically similar to others but are personally unique as the Spirit suits each grace gift to the individual. Miracles, healing, languages, and the interpretation of languages were temporary sign gifts limited to the apostolic age and have, therefore, ceased. Their purpose was to authenticate the apostles and their message as the true Word of God, until God’s written Word was completed and became self-authenticating. See … vv. 9, 10.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:5-6 ‘differences of ministries … diversities of activities’: “The Lord gives believers unique ministry arenas in which to fulfill their giftedness, and provides varieties of power to energize and accomplish them (cf. Rom. 12:6).”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:7 ‘The Spirit bearing gifts’: “When you place your trust in Christ, he places his Spirit in you. And when the Spirit comes, he brings gifts, housewarming gifts of sorts. ‘Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good’ (1 Corinthians 12:7). Remember, God prepacked you with strengths. When you become a child of God, the Holy Spirit requisitions your abilities for the expansion of God’s kingdom, and they become spiritual gifts.  The Holy Spirit may add other gifts according to his plan. But no one is gift deprived.
“Lonely? God is with you.
“Depleted? He funds the overdrawn.
“Weary of an ordinary existence? Your spiritual adventure awaits. The cure for the common life begins and ends with God. “

• Max Lucado, Come Thirsty

1 Corinthians 12:8 ‘the word of wisdom’: “’Word’ indicates a speaking gift (see note on v. 4; cf. 1 Pet. 4:11). In the NT, ‘wisdom’ is most often used of the ability to understand God’s Word and His will, and to skillfully apply that understanding to life (cf. Matt. 11:19; 13:54; Mark 6:2; Luke 7:35; Acts 6:10; James 1:5; 3:13, 17; 2 Pet. 3:15). the word of knowledge. This gift may have been revelatory in the first century, but it is today the ability to understand and speak God’s truth, with insight into the mysteries of His Word, that cannot be known apart from God’s revelation (Rom. 16:25; Eph. 3:3; Col. 1:26; 2:2; 4:3; cf. 13:2). Knowledge majors on grasping the meaning of the truth; wisdom emphasizes the practical conviction and conduct that applies it.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:12 ‘parts of the body’: “So precious is the Church in the eyes of God that it is scarcely possible it should ever become too precious in the eyes of men. ‘I love Thy Church, O God,’ should be next after ‘I love Thee, O Lord.’
“The Church is the temple in which the Spirit of Christ dwells, the body of which Christ is the Head, the medium through which He works for the reclamation of mankind. Individual members of the Church working in harmony with each other are the lips and hands and feet of the in-living Christ. The Church is the true Shekinah, the visible habitation of the invisible God, the Bride of Christ, destined to share forever the love of His heart and the privileges of His-throne.
“It is, of course, not possible, at this time to have the whole together again ‘all with one accord in one place’ (Acts 2:1). Some of her members have gone to join the Church of the Firstborn in-heaven and now mingle with the spirits of just men made perfect. And they who still remain on earth form a company too vast ever to assemble in one building. The gathering of the whole Church in one place must wait the consummation. Only the city four-square will provide sufficient room for such a joyous assembly.
“While the whole Church cannot come together on earth, God has ordered it so that the same thing can be realized on a limited scale by the gathering together of small groups of believers in the fellowship of worship and prayer. Any assembly of true Christians is a church. ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Matthew 18:20). The name and the Presence are indispensable to a local church. A group of sacred persons, however small, who meet in Christ’s name and recognize His Presence, form a true cell in His body and enjoy the full power and authority of Christ Himself.
“Because this is true the whole Christian psychology should be tuned to Christ and the Church.  Every worshiper should keep before him the thought of Christ and His Church. However humble the external circumstances, if Christ is present the place is a holy temple and every believer a priest before the altar. Each single cell is an organic-part of the larger body and is joined to the whole and to the Lord who indwells it by the life of the in-living Spirit.”

• A. W. Tozer, The Price of Neglect

1 Corinthians 12:13 ‘All Christians with one baptism’: “All Christians, regardless of race, social standing or gender, are baptized into Christ’s body and receive Christ’s Spirit (Gal 3:28). The implication is not that social, cultural or gender differences should be obliterated but rather that these differences are of no consequence with regard to one’s access to God.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

1 Corinthians 12:17-20 ‘no favorites’: “No single person in the church is more valuable than any other. After all, Paul asks, If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? (12:17). We must not expect everyone to be exactly like us. Without the multiplicity of spiritual gifts operating within the church, we lose out on essential functions. No single body part is more important than all the rest. But while you are a critical part of the body of Christ, you are only one part. You’re not the whole thing; it’s not all about you. Nor should you expect everyone to be just like you. If every part of the body were the same, it would cease to be a body (12:19)!
“In the same way that God designed the human body with each part functioning exactly as he intended, so also God has arranged each part of the body of Christ just as he wanted (12:18). The one who created you gave you the spiritual gift that he wanted you to have. To insist that you want to serve the church in a different capacity than what God intended is like an ear insisting on being an eye. Not only is such a stance futile, but it is also a prideful rejection of your King’s wise and perfect plan for you.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:18-25 ‘many indispensable parts’: ”Chapter 12 is a beautiful chapter, clearly showing us that we must not despise or offend one another because of a difference in gifts. One of the most beautiful-and convicting-passages in this chapter is the passage that clearly defines the church as a body made up of many indispensable parts.“

• Ray C. Stedman, Adventuring Through the Bible

1 Corinthians 12:21-22 ‘Every part is necessary’: “No part of the body can say to another part, I don’t need you! (12:21). Every part is necessary. We may not always be aware of how a certain part is contributing or visibly observe its contribution, but that doesn’t mean it’s pointless. As Paul says, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable (10:22). For instance, the internal parts of our bodies that we cannot see are incredibly significant! Without their functions, the external parts could not function.
“Often we place too much emphasis on members and ministries that are visible. But this wrongly equates visibility with value. Not every member has the same gift, the same role, or the same level of responsibility. But every member matters. Those whose ministries go on behind the scenes are vital to the health of the church.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:23-24 ‘treating parts with improper honor’: “Paul notes that we give greater honor to the less honorable parts of our bodies (that is, our private parts). We treat unrespectable parts … with greater respect (12:23). Though they are not displayed for the world to see, they perform indispensable functions. So it is in the body of Christ.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:25 ‘favoring one part over another leads to dysfunction’: “In light of the necessity of every body part, there should be no division in the church so that every member has the same concern for each other. If every member is needed, then we ought to be concerned if any one member is suffering or experiencing dysfunction. This, in fact, is why Scripture places such emphasis on caring for one another (see, e.g., John 15:12; Gal 6:2; Eph 4:32; 1 Thess 5:11). We are responsible to and accountable for one another because we all share in the same body.”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:26 ‘one hurting part and the whole hurts’: “A little toe may seem fairly insignificant. But if you stub yours, it will shut you down! The pain affects the whole body. In-deed, if one member of the body suffers, all the members suffer with it. Therefore, don’t be concerned only for your own needs within Christ’s body. As Paul says elsewhere, ‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep’ (Rom 12:15). This is simply an application of the second greatest commandment: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Matt 22:39).”

• Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:27 ‘We are not all the same … on purpose’: “Have you ever noticed how uniquely adapted each animal is to its environment and its way of life? On land, a duck waddles along ungainly on its webbed feet. In the water, it glides along smooth as glass. The rabbit runs with ease and great bursts of speed, but I’ve never seen one swimming laps. The squirrel climbs anything in sight but cannot fly, while the eagle soars to the mountaintops.
“What’s true of creatures in the forest is true of Christians in the family. God has not made us all the same. He never intended to.”

• Charles R. Swindoll, Bedside Blessing

1 Corinthians 12:28 ‘apostles … prophets’: “See … Eph. 4:11. Their purpose was: 1) to lay the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20); 2) to receive and declare the revelation of God’s Word (Acts 11:28; 21:10, 11; Eph. 3:5); and 3) to give confirmation of that Word through signs, wonders, and miracles (2 Cor. 12:12; cf. Acts 8:6, 7; Heb. 2:3, 4). ‘Apostles’ refers, primarily, to those 12 chosen by our Lord plus Paul and Matthias (Acts 1:26). See … Rom. 1:1. In a secondary sense, others served as messengers of the church: Barnabas (Acts 14:14), Silas and Timothy (1 Thess. 2:6), and others (Rom. 16:7; 2 Cor. 8:23; Phil. 2:25). Apostles of Christ were the source of the church’s doctrine (Acts 2:42); apostles of the church (2 Cor. 8:23) were its early leaders. ‘Prophets’ were especially gifted men in the local churches, who preached God’s Word (Acts 11:21–28, 13:1). Any message preached by a prophet had to be judged by the word of the apostles (see … 14:36, 37). teachers. Could be the same as pastor-teachers (see … Eph. 4:11), but probably should be broadened to include all who are gifted for teaching in the church, whether they have the office of pastor or not. Miracles … healings … tongues. See … vv. 9, 10. helps, administrations. These less public gifts are mingled with the more public manifestations of the Spirit to show their vital necessity (v. 22). ‘Helps’ is an ability for service; in fact, the gift of ministry (‘service’) in Rom. 12:7 is in the same category. ‘Administration’ is leadership. The word comes from the Gr., meaning ‘to pilot a ship’ (Acts 27:11) and speaks of one who can lead ministries of the church efficiently and effectively.”

• John MacArthur, John MacArthur Commentary (quoted Scripture without bold/italics)

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:1 ‘love is better than gifts’: “Two things are in the text. There is, first, a good way. And, second, there is ‘an even better way:’ First, the good way is for each individual Christian to ‘desire the great-er gifts.’ Paul was referring to spiritual gifts-gifts we ask God for, gifts we may expect the Spirit of God to bestow on us, gifts that can be used in the church of Christ, gifts we desire to possess that we may use them to the glory of God.
“A certain way may be good, but another way may be even better. Gifts are good, but love is better. We should desire spiritual gifts, but above all we should seek love-the best love, the noblest love, the greatest love-that is, love to God, love to fellow believers, and love to the church of God. This is ‘an even better way.’ We should seek this love, first, because we need it. I do not know if we need all the gifts, but I am sure we need this love. Next, we should seek this love because we can have it. There is no limit to God’s love. Perhaps though we covet earnestly the greater gifts, there may be some gifts we will never receive. But all can have love. We need to get more love, also, because we will then be more useful. I am not sure any of us would be more useful if we had more gifts. Not every gift makes a person useful, but I am sure divine love makes us useful. A gift is often barren, but love is always fruitful. We need to get more love so we will glorify God. How little glory God often gets out of great gifts! Gifts may be prostituted to the vilest purposes, but love always brings glory to God’s holy name. Remember, also, that though we are to desire great gifts, we will lose them one day. But if we have this love, we will keep it, and it will keep us. This divine love gives us the foretaste and pledge of glory. The person who is full of the majestic grace of divine love truly is blessed.“

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

1 Corinthians 12:31 ‘Pride focused on gifts – God on love’: “The Corinthians were preoccupied with who was wiser, more spiritual, more liberated, or more important. Therefore, they desired to have what they viewed as the best spiritual gift—speaking in tongues. Paul did not rebuke them for seeking ‘that gift’ but pointed out that their assessment of the value of tongues was erroneous. The best gift, he argued, was not the flashy outward one but rather a gift such as prophecy, which edified the whole church (1Co 14:12). Paul wanted them to use their gifts in ‘the most excellent way’—the way of love.”

• Dorothy Kelley Patterson, General Editor, NIV Woman’s Study Bible (Patty Comber, Pauline Epistles contributor)

1 Corinthians 12 ‘Summary’: ”One of the issues people have with Paul’s teaching on the gifts of the Spirit is the ‘specialist problem.’ In other words, once we identify our spiritual gift, we think we do not have to do anything that is not in our area-like evangelism, or teaching, or serving. However, the Bible is clear that even though we may be uniquely gifted in certain areas of ministry, that does not disqualify us or excuse us from fulfilling our responsibilities in other areas.
“For instance, the greatest need in the body of Christ today is personnel. A football coach once said that the greatest problem in the church is the same problem in a football game: you have twenty-two people on the field who desperately need rest and 22,000 people in the stands who desperately need exercise. In most churches today, you will find a few people who are running around trying to cover all the bases. They are doing the things they are gifted to do-and they are also doing the other things other people are gifted to do but are not doing. These servants are worn out and don’t even have time for their families.
“The church suffers when we as believers fail to recognize that the gifts God provides are not for our benefit alone. When we do not exercise our spiritual gifts, we are cheating others out of a blessing. As Paul states, the body of Christ is made up of many members. If one member hurts, the whole body hurts. If one member doesn’t function, the whole body is deprived. So, it is not just a matter of ‘figuring out’ what we are good at doing so we can find satisfaction in doing it. It is also a matter of recognizing that the church cannot be all that God wants it to be until every member is doing what God equipped him or her to do.
“Let us pray that God would lay it on our hearts to get out of the stands, get down on the field, and get involved in the game. There are too many Christians today who are on the verge of burnout in the church because others are not doing their part. So today, honestly seek the Lord to determine what He is asking you to do to serve … and then step up and do it.”

• David Jeremiah, 1 Corinthians (Jeremiah Bible Study Series)

1 Corinthians 12 ‘Challenge’: “Conservative Christians in this day are stumbling over this truth. We need to reexamine the whole thing. We need to learn that truth consists not in correct doctrine, but in correct doctrine plus the inward enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. We must declare again the mystery of wisdom from above. A repreachment of this vital truth could result in a fresh breath from God upon a stale and suffocating orthodoxy.”

• A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of Man

My Thoughts

It is odd that Paul tries to clarify something specific for the Corinthians, and it creates confusion and division nearly two thousand years later.

The Corinthians, many of them anyway, were still participating in pagan rituals and while under the control of a demon they could say all kinds of things, but they could only say, “Jesus is Lord” under the Holy Spirit.  But the words ‘Jesus’ and ‘Lord’ are so watered down now that do the words mean anything to most people these days?  Both are used in curse expressions or just as an ejaculation, a one-word curse.

But I have known pastors who use 1 Corinthians 12:3 as a statement of salvation assurance.  God would never bar entry into heaven if you said the words, “Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.”  Really?!  Paul is not talking about magic here.  This is not a “Get-Out-of-Hell” card, by saying words that you really do not know the meaning of.  These days, people swear oaths of all kinds just to get what they want.  But saying Jesus is “Lord” means that you surrender your life to Him.  “Christ” means the Messiah, the promised One.  So, in saying Jesus and then adding Christ, you are lifting Jesus above all else, including yourself.  But I have known far too many people who believe they are going to heaven because they said those words back when they were too young to understand the meaning, even if the definitions were part of the class that they took.  And far too many never took such a class.  When the walk does not match the talk, the words mean, or meant, nothing.

But when in the Spirit, we cannot curse God and saying that Jesus is Lord is absolutely a true statement.  Thus, we must consider the heart when the words are said.

I like the Lucado quote, here is a Spirit bearing gifts.  God grants us Mercy, in that we do not get the punishment we deserve.  But God also gives us Heaven by His Grace.  But the Grace extends to the here and now.  These gifts are knowledge and understanding, wisdom, faith, healing, miraculous powers, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.  Maybe I left something out, and the different lists throughout the New Testament are slightly different.

I heard Charles Stanley speak one time about the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  He was at a conference and a woman said that she had all the gifts except for one and by the end of the conference, she was certain she would have that one.  Rev. Stanley walked away thinking that she had none of the gifts at all.  When you brag about it, and make such claims, you bring glory upon yourself.  The gifts are so that we might bring glory to God.

And starting in verse 12, Paul goes into the fact that we are not intended to have all these gifts.  Each should use the gifts that are given to glorify God and at various times, all these gifts can come in handy.  So, if you have one gift and another person has another, you complement each other so that the church can grow in the process.  Battling to get the upper hand in one gift or attain another gift that the Holy Spirit did not give you is contrary to the unity of the church.  It creates jealousy and division.

Paul illustrates by saying that we cannot all be a hand if the church is to have a church body that functions properly.  We cannot all be an eye.  If the church was one giant eye, how could the church hear?

In a lot of our churches, we have this problem.  The “hand” churches help the poor, but they do not hear God speak to them.  They cannot see what harm that they do to those around them and to themselves.  But the “eye” church sees all the sin around them.  They see the trouble that the sin has caused, but they only take that information in, without doing anything (due to no hands) or saying anything (due to no mouth).

And is God being glorified simply by feeding a bunch of people?  A group of atheists could do that.

But when the eye sees the trouble, and there is no brain to shout an alarm to the mouth so that we speak, then the information does not get transferred.  Thus, all the body parts must work together.

Having gifts of the Holy Spirit is a wonderful thing, but there is one thing that is greater.

The cliffhanger at the end of this chapter sets up the next chapter.

Some Serendipitous Reflections

1 Corinthians 12 1. Regardless of your church’s official doctrinal position, what attitudes toward spiritual gilts dominate: (a) For pastors only? (b) For all believers? (c) For the good of others? (d) For the first-century church only? (e) For believers who have a post-conversion experience? {f) More spiritual gifts for the more spiritually mature?
“2. How do such attitudes affect the church at large? The church where you worship?
“3. Of the gilts listed here, do any have your name on it? How so?
“4. Take time to go around the group affirming the strengths and gilts you see in one another. Take turns having one person sit in silence while the others affirm his or her strengths.”

• Lyman Coleman, et al, The NIV Serendipity Bible for Study Groups

First Corinthians 12 has one set of questions.

Substitute whatever group for any reference to a small group or ask who could come to your aid.

If you like these Thursday morning Bible studies, but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Thursday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.