Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit…
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
In chapter 1, Paul corrected the factionalism in Corinth that was based on people’s prizing some leaders over others based on eloquence of speech and other factors. Now, he deals with another propensity to value certain spiritual gifts than others, especially gifts exercised in public and with much acclaim, including the gifts of tongues. This problem led to the Corinthians’ determining the worth of individual believers to the church based on their spiritual gifts. Paul uses two ways to address the issue: 1-by pointing out that public displays of gifts are not sure evidence of true spirituality and 2-by stressing the importance of all the gifts. In our verses today, he uses the second way of confronting the Corinthians’ misuse and misunderstanding of the gifts is evident. Paul writes that although there are varieties of “gifts,” “service,” and “activities,” they come from the “same Holy Spirit,” “same Lord,” and “same God.” Paul highlights the sheer variety of ways that God grants gifts to His people for ministry and the list of gifts serves as a representative summary of the spiritual gifts in Christ’s church, not every single gift possible. Interestingly, Paul uses three designations for the Creator: “Spirit” for the Holy Spirit, “Lord” for God the Son, and “God” for God the Father. Paul assumes that the one God of Israel is three in person. Furthermore, while the spiritual gifts are particularly associated with the Holy Spirit, Paul ascribes to all three persons of the Trinity, showing that the Holy Spirit does not act alone in gifting God’s people. Since the one Almighty God is behind all the gifts, we should not think/believe any single gift is more important or necessary than another. Paul, also, makes it plain that the spiritual gifts are given not for our sake but for the sake of others. They are tools we must use to build up other believers in the faith. Spiritual gifts are bestowed, that men may with them profit the church and promote Christianity. They are not given for show, but for service; not for pomp and ostentation, but for edification; not to magnify those that have them, but to edify others. God has given one or more spiritual gifts to all His people, and we sin if we use a spiritual gift to promote ourselves and not to serve others and build them up in the faith.
Source: S C Ball November 6, 2023
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