1 Corinthians 12 (2)

Pray Psalm 103.1-6.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.

Sing Psalm 103.1-6.
(Old 100^th: All Creatures that on Earth Do Dwell)
O my soul, bless the LORD’s great Name! His many benefits proclaim:
He pardons sins and heals disease, and from the pit grants us release.

With mercy rich and steadfast love He satisfies us from above,
revives our youth, works righteousness, and justice serves for the oppressed.

Read 1 Corinthians 12.1-10; meditate on verses 4-10.

Preparation
1. What does God give His people?

2. Why does He give these?

Meditation
The Corinthians failed to understand how God works within His Church. They were vaunting themselves over their brethren rather than loving and edifying them. They were not practicing the fellowship of Jesus but were dividing the Body of Christ by attaching more to men than to the Lord. Paul’s burden was to refocus their priorities so that they could realize God’s purpose for His Church.

He turned now to address the matter of spiritual gifts, endowments of grace which God intends to be used “for the profit of all” (v. 7). The Spirit gives these gifts (v. 4); that is, He both instructs us in them and empowers their use. The Lord Jesus oversees the use of gifts (v. 5), to ensure that they are contributing to His agenda, which is to build His Church and advance His Kingdom. And all the use of gifts are to be unto the glory of God, Who works in us all (v. 6).

Everyone has gifts, since everyone who believes has the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts are the ways the Spirit makes Himself known (v. 7). There are many gifts, because the Body of Christ requires all its members to labor in ministry together and for one another to build up the Church in Jesus (Eph. 4.1-16).

Paul’s introductory list of gifts is merely suggestive (vv. 8-10; he’ll add to this list later). The Corinthians would have been perhaps most familiar with these first ones mentioned, so that their response would have been, “Oh, OK, now I know what you’re talking about.” He’ll have more to say about these gifts before, in chapter 13, qualifying how all spiritual gifts must be used.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162.
“The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church” (1 Cor. 12.7 TLB).

Jesus comforted His disciples with the knowledge that the Holy Spirit would be sent to each of them, and to all believers, to fill the coming void when He would ascend back into heaven. “But now I go away to Him Who sent Me, and…sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you…When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come; He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (Jn. 16.5, 6, 7, 13, 14). And He will give you gifts!

All good and perfect gifts are from God (Jms. 1.17) and are meant to be used for the edification of others.
As Paul wrote: There are diversities of gifts, differences of ministries, and diversities of activities, but all emanate from the same God Who works all in all (1 Cor. 12.4-6). Gifts to cover all the needs of the church.

And these gifts are to be enjoyed, appreciated, and honored among believers. We are to be happy with the things we have been given and thrilled with the things given to others. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13.5, 6).

We needn’t fear how others either accept or reject us or our gifts, because everything we have is from God, to be used for His honor and glory and within His Kingdom. Our job is to faithfully do what we have been called to do. And if we are doing that, we know His pleasure and His delight. And in that we can rejoice. “I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices…You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Ps. 16.8, 9, 11). 

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (1 Cor. 2.12). Manifestation for edification.

All for Jesus! All for Jesus! All my being’s ransomed powers;
All my thoughts and words and doings, all my days and all my hours.

Let my hands perform His bidding, let my feet run in His ways;
Let my eyes see Jesus only, let my lips speak forth His praise.
(Mary D. James, 1889)

For reflection
1. What spiritual gifts do you think the Spirit of God has given to you?

2. Are you making good use of those gifts? In what ways?

3. How can you see that spiritual gifts can help bring unity and edification to a local church?

There are various gifts, and various offices to perform, but all proceed from one God, one Lord, one Spirit; that is, from the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the origin of all spiritual blessings. No man has them merely for himself. The more he profits others, the more will they turn to his own account. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on the 1 Corinthians 12.1-11

Pray Psalm 103.17-22.
Thank and praise the Lord for His abundant mercy and for the gifts He has given you for serving Him. Call on Him for grace to help you in serving others today.

Sing Psalm 103.17-22.
(Old 100^th: All Creatures that on Earth Do Dwell)
But evermore to those who fear the LORD brings lovingkindness near;
His righteousness to them extends and to their children without end.

He rules upon His throne in heav’n; His sovereign rule o’er all is giv’n.
You angels, bless the LORD, rejoice, who live in strength to heed His voice.

All you who serve Him, bless the LORD, all you who heed His righteous Word!
Let all throughout the cosmos whole unite to praise Him, with my soul!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.