1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 28-30

Let us review.  The spirituals Paul is concerned about (v1) are:

·        Spiritual gifts, v4.  The term is charismata and means gifts of grace.  Through these gifts we are household servants (stewards) giving God’s grace to the family of God.  1 Peter 4:9-10 says we are stewards of the manifold grace of God.  Rom. 12:6 says we have gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.  God gives us His grace, through these gifts, so we can minister to the Body of Christ.

·        Spiritual ministries, v5.  The ministries (diakonian) are the positions which God has appointed in which we use our gift.  The list in 1 Cor. 12:28-30 is a list of these ministries.  These are not spiritual gifts but rather spiritual ministries.  When we say spiritual we mean a couple of things.  First, these are not jobs or careers; they are ministries.  It is service for God to the Body of Christ.  And second, these are positions unique to the Church; these are not positions you would expect to find in the workplace.  God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, places us in the body as He sees fit; He is Head of the Church!

·        Spiritual outworkings, v6.  In the workplace people look for outworkings such as a profit, increased sales and exposure and so forth.  But the works accomplished as the gifts are used in the ministries are spiritual in nature.  The list in 1 Cor. 12:7-11 reveals this.  This list is first called the manifestation of the Spirit (v7) so you may think it is a list of gifts of the Spirit.  But manifestation simply means something visible, something the Spirit produces in the Body that can be seen.  In v11 it says one and the same Spirit works all these things; the term works is the same as in v6.  These are the differing activities produced by the same God who works all in all.  

We have noted the two lists in 1 Cor. 12 and have said that neither is a list of the gifts of the Spirit or spiritual gifts.  Where is there such a list?  The only place we know of in Scripture is in Rom. 12:6-8.  These seven items are specifically said to be gifts (charismata, v6).  These gifts are not magic abilities given to believers.  Rather they are deep motivations, things that drive each believer.  And you will note that while one has a gift of giving all are called to give.  The same is true of each gift; even the gift of prophecy involves an abhorrence of sin and call to repentance that should be part of each believer’s life.  And this is the point: God puts in the Body those whose gifts encourage us all in putting on the full life of Christ.  (Cf. our blog at http://ronandcindy.blogspot.co.il/ on the dates Dec. 10-11, 2015 for more on the Romans passage.)

We hope this study is helpful.  We do not limit the Spirit of God.  We seek rather to understand what the Spirit is saying, believing every word in the Word of God is precious.  We encourage you to study these things for yourself.  All Scripture is profitable and will built us up (2 Tim. 3:16-17).