1 Corinthians 12

CHAPTER 12

 

Spiritual gifts (12:1-11)

1 The Holy Spirit gives to believers two main kinds of blessings or gifts. First, the Holy Spirit causes His own fruit to grow within us—namely, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These fruits are to be manifest in the lives of all Christians at all times.

The second main kind of blessings that the Holy Spirit gives us are the special gifts of the Spirit. Paul describes these gifts in this section. These gifts are given to selected Christians at special times. They are given to meet some special need or to enable one to accomplish some special task.³⁶

2 Before the Corinthians had become Christians, they had been influenced and led astray to dumb idols. They had been led astray by false teachers and false prophets (see Ephesians 2:1-2; 4:17-18). An idol itself is nothing. But when the Corinthians worshiped an idol, they were in fact worshiping a false spirit, an evil spirit (1 Corinthians 10:19-20).

3 There is only one true Spirit, and that is the Holy Spirit. Only after receiving the Holy Spirit can a person know that Jesus is the Lord, the Son of God. if anyone is able to say from his heart, “Jesus is Lord,”³⁷ then it is certain that the Holy Spirit is in that person.

We must distinguish between false spirits and the Holy Spirit. A false or evil spirit says, “Jesus be cursed”; the Holy Spirit always honors Jesus (see John 16:13-14; 1 John 4:1-3 and comments).

4 The Holy Spirit gives the same fruits to all believers, but He gives different gifts to different believers. The Spirit gives one person one gift, and another person another gift. Nevertheless, these different gifts all come from one Spirit.

5 Each Christian has been given his own service, that is, his own work, his own responsibility. But these different kinds of “services” are all done for the same Lord.

6  There are different kinds of working. Here “working” means God’s own working—calling people to faith, healing the sick, establishing His church. God works by different means, but He is the same God.

Here in verses 4-6, Paul mentions the three aspects of the triune God: Spirit (verse 4), Lord (verse 5), and God (verse 6). These three together are one God, and everything they do they do together.

7 Each believer is given the manifestation of the Spirit; that is, each believer is given one or more of the gifts of the Spirit. Why does the Holy Spirit give these gifts? He gives them not for our own personal benefit but for the common good.

When Paul writes that to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given, what does he mean? Does he mean that every Christian is given one or more of the gifts of the Spirit? Some Bible scholars say “Yes,” and some say “No.” But whether Paul means that the gifts of the Spirit are given to “every” Christian or only to some, he at least means here that the Spirit gives gifts to each one of those He has chosen to give gifts to.

8 What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Here in verses 8-10, Paul gives nine examples of the Spirit’s gifts. Paul gives other examples in Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11.³⁸

The first gift Paul mentions here is the message of wisdom. This is not ordinary wisdom, which God gives to everyone who asks (James 1:5). The “message of wisdom” mentioned here is a special spiritual wisdom given by the Spirit in particular situations to solve special problems.

The second gift is the message of knowledge. This is special spiritual knowledge given about a particular matter. For example, when a person is sick, someone else may receive a “message of knowledge” from the Spirit about that person’s illness. Or, as another example, if some person secretly sins, someone else may find out about it through a special “message of knowledge” (see Acts 5:1-11).

9 The third gift, faith, is not the same as the faith in Christ through which we are saved. Rather, the faith mentioned here is a special kind of faith which is given in particular situations for some special work. For instance, if one believer has a special need for something—money, strength, health, etc.—some other believer may receive special faith to pray for that need. Such faith is usually given to us not for our own personal benefit, but for the benefit of someone else (see Mark 11:22-23 and comment).

The fourth example of the Spirit’s gifts are gifts of healing. These are gifts given for the purpose of healing those who are sick or injured. When one has this gift, medicine and doctors are not needed; the sick person will be healed by the power of the Holy Spirit alone. In some cases two gifts may be necessary to heal a person: first, the gift of faith that the person will be healed; and second, the gift of healing itself.

10 The fif th gift is the gift of miraculous powers. This is different from the gifts of healing. In the New Testament, these “miraculous powers” are of ten given in special situations to inflict harm on someone. For instance, they might be given to make someone blind, or even to strike someone dead (see Acts 5:5; 13:6-12). But these miraculous powers are also given to bring blessing. For instance, during Jesus’ ministry, such powers were used to turn water into wine and to feed the multitudes (Mark 6:30-44; John 2:1-11).

The next example of the Holy Spirit’s gifts is the gift of PROPHECY. This is the gift of speaking a special word that has come directly from God. This gift is also given to predict future events.

The next gift, the ability to distinguish between spirits, is needed in order to deliver people from evil spirits. Also this gift is used sometimes to detect and block some hidden work of Satan³⁹ (see Matthew 24:24; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 and comments).

The next gift is the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues—that is, the ability to speak in other languages (1 Corinthians 14:2). This gift has two forms. One form is the ability to speak in the languages of other countries (see Acts 2:4-12). The second form is the ability to speak in an unknown language, a language that is not spoken in any known country. Such a language is spiritual; it cannot be understood naturally (see Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:2,9,19). Whichever form of this gift a person receives, he is then able to speak in a language he has never learned; he speaks it not by his own understanding but by the power of the Spirit.

It is the Holy Spirit Himselfthat actually speaks through the mouth of the person who has the gift of speaking in tongues. But the person with the gift still has control over his own mouth; he can choose to open his mouth to speak, or choose not to open it. When a person speaks in a spiritual language, that person and those listening to him experience the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. Speaking in other tongues is not screaming, moaning, or babbling. Rather, it is speaking in a language that has been given by the Holy Spirit Himself.

The interpretation of tongues is the ninth and last gift Paul mentions in this section. Whenever one person speaks in another tongue, someone else needs to “interpret” what has been said, so that others in the church will understand what the Holy Spirit is saying. If there is no one to interpret, then the church cannot receive any benefit from what is said (1 Corinthians 14:5-6,13). Sometimes the person who has spoken in another tongue will himself be the one to give the interpretation. Speaking in another tongue and interpreting what is said, when joined together, are equivalent to prophecy (see 1 Corinthians 14:4-6,13 and comment).

11 All of these gifts are given by one Holy Spirit, and they are given to individual believers just as he (the Spirit) determines. Therefore, there must be no conflict between believers who receive different gifts. All of the Holy Spirit’s gifts are given for the purpose of building up the church and making its witness to the world more effective. If any believer uses a gift he has received in a way that divides the church, or in a way that puffs himself up and puts his brother down, then he is misusing that gift of the Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit must always be used in love and in unity with other believers.

But there is one great danger in using the gifts of the Spirit that all Christians must be aware of : Satan can mimic all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes a gift that is being misused is not a gift from the Holy Spirit at all, but a “gift” from Satan! Satan has the power to give men impressive gifts; and to those who are undiscerning, Satan’s gifts can seem at first to be just like the Holy Spirit’s gifts (see Mark 13:22 and comment). But, in the end, Satan’s gifts always result in spiritual harm, not blessing.

Usually a believer receives only one or two gifts of the Spirit. But the apostles each received many gifts; these gifts were a sign or proof of their apostleship (2 Corinthians 12:12). With the help of these gifts, the apostles were able to establish the church of Christ throughout the Roman Empire.

One Body, Many Parts (12:12-31)

12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts. … So it is with Christ—that is, so it is with Christ’s body, the church (verse 27). Christ’s body has many members (believers), but His body is one (Romans 12:4-5). The head of the body is Christ Himself (Ephesians 1:2223; 5:23).

13 How do we become members of Christ’s body? We become members of His body by being baptized … into one body—that is, by being baptized into Christ (see Galatians 3:26-27).

In this verse the word baptized means not only being baptized in water but also being “baptized” by⁴⁰ one Spirit, the Holy Spirit. When we believe in Christ, the Holy Spirit comes into our life; we can say that at that point Christ has “baptized” us with the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8).

Therefore, some Christians believe that the moment one puts faith in Christ he is spiritually “baptized”—that is, he receives the “baptism of the Holy Spirit”. But other Christians believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience which occurs some time after one has put faith in Christ (see General Article: Holy Spirit Baptism). This second group of Christians calls this experience “the second blessing”; they say it is the same as being “filled” with the Spirit (Acts 2:4; 9:17), or “receiving” the Spirit (Acts 8:15,19; 10:47).

Whether the so-called “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is something that happens the moment we believe or whether it happens sometime after, the most important thing is that the Holy Spirit comes into our lives when we believe.⁴¹ Because one thing is certain: if the Holy Spirit (Christ’s Spirit) is not in us, we do not belong to Christ (see Romans 8:9). Only when the Holy Spirit is in us do we become members of Christ’s body; it is the Spirit which makes us one body. The Holy Spirit is like blood; it circulates through every member of the body. Without blood, the body dies. Without the Holy Spirit, we also die—spiritually (see John 6:53).

Or, to use another illustration, the Holy Spirit is like living water, which we are invited to drink (see John 4:10,13-14). Here in verse 13, Paul writes that we were all given the one Spirit to drink (see John 7:37-39). When we drink of the Spirit’s living water, we receive the power to serve Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit is manifest in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23).

Whether we are Jews or Greeks, slave or free, through the Holy Spirit we are all one in Christ (see Galatians 3:28; Colos-sians 3:11 and comments).

14 See Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12,17-20 and comments.

15 Each believer is a distinct member of Christ’s body. Just as the foot does the foot’s work and the hand does the hand’s work, so each of us has his own work to do. We should not seek to do the work of another member. Suppose, for example, that the foot says: “I am not happy being a lowly foot; I want to be a hand instead. The hand has much more interesting and important work to do. If I can’t be a hand, I won’t be part of the body!” Do we talk like that sometimes? Have we not sometimes said: “If I can’t be on the church committee, I won’t work in the church”? Or, have we not sometimes said: “I’m just a lowly person; I have no great gift; I have no part in this church”? Let us not think such things. Rather, let us each humbly and thankfully do the work that Christ has given us to do in His church, His body.

16 Paul here repeats the thought of verse 15.

17-20 In these verses, Paul adds to the thought of verse 14.

21 Each member of the body is dependent on every other member. Some Christians think that they can do everyone else’s work, and that they don’t need any help from others. But what a mistake! Can the eye do the work of the hand?

22 The eye is one of the weaker members of the body; nevertheless, it is indispensable.

23 The less honorable and unpresentable parts of the body are the excretory and reproductive organs. By covering these parts, Paul says, we treat them with special honor.⁴²

In the same way, we should not despise the humble and less educated members of the church, but rather we should treat them with special honor. They are essential members of Christ’s body. The church needs them (see Romans 12:16).

24-25 Like members of a body, the members of a church should have equal concern for each other (verse 25). God has given honor to all members of the body. Therefore, so should we. Let us not look down on any member of God’s church.

26 If the foot is injured, the whole body suffers. If any member of the church suffers, the whole church shares in that member’s suffering.

If a man receives honor because of the works of his hands or the words of his mouth, that whole man receives the honor, not just his hands or his mouth. So it is with members of the church: if one is honored, all are honored; if one rejoices, all rejoice (see Roman 12:15).

27 In each location, the local church constitutes the body of Christ. Every believer is a member of Christ’s body, the local church. Let us examine ourselves. Are we behaving like members of Christ’s body? Are we obedient to the head of the body, which is Christ? Is our local church doing the work of Christ’s body—that is, the work that Christ Himself would do if He were here on earth? When non-believers look at our local church, do they see Christ working?

28 In this verse Paul gives some examples of different members of Christ’s body. The two most important members are apostles and PROPHETS (see Ephesians 2:19-20). Some Christians believe that there are no apostles and prophets today. They say that the foundation of the church has already been laid by the apostles and prophets of the New Testament, and that, therefore, there is no need for any new apostles and prophets.

However, other Christians disagree. They say that there are still apostles and prophets in the church today, though they are not equal in authority to the original writers of Scripture. Their purpose is not to lay new foundations, but to continue building the church on the foundation that has already been laid. It is not clear from the Bible which of these two opinions is correct.

Having mentioned the two most important positions in the church—apostles and prophets—Paul next mentions a third position, that of teachers. After teachers, Paul mentions five other kinds of people that are needed in every church. These last five are probably not listed in any particular order—they are all equally important.

The Holy Spirit gives the necessary gift or gifts to all these members to enable them to do their particular jobs. Notice that some members of the church have supernatural gifts, such as the gifts of healing and the ability to perform miracles (see verses 1012). Other members, however, have natural gifts, such as the gifts of administration and the ability to help others. Most members of the church have a combination of both natural and supernatural gifts. However, no matter what gifts one has been given, natural or supernatural, they all come from God’s Holy Spirit. And no matter what kind of work one has been given, it can only be done through the Holy Spirit’s power (verse 11).

Paul says at the beginning of this verse that God has appointed all these members to do their various jobs. God gives to each member different tasks and different responsibilities. We members do not choose our own work; our work is given to us by God. And whatever work God gives us to do, He will also give us the necessary strength and ability to do it. God will never order the hand to see, nor the eye to write.

All gifts are given for the upbuilding of the church, Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:26; Ephesians 4:12). They are not given for the personal benefit of the individual members receiving the gifts.

For further discussion on the subject of spiritual gifts, see Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:10-12; Ephesians 4:22 and comments; General Articles: Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Baptism.

29-30 if everyone in the church did the same work, who would do all the other necessary work? if everyone were a teacher, who would do the healing? What use would there be of a body made up only of eyes!

31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. It is good to desire spiritual gifts and to pray to receive them. However, the Holy Spirit will give His gifts according to His own plans and purposes (see verse 11).

What are the greater gifts? Bible scholars give different answers to this question. Some say that the greater gifts are the “gifts” of being apostles or prophets. Others say that the greater gifts are not the gifts listed in this chapter, but rather are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, and peace. And still others say that both of the above answers are correct. It’s not possible to be completely certain what Paul means by the term greater gifts.

The gift that the Corinthians desired above all others was the gift of speaking in other tongues. But this gift by itself does nothing to build up the church, because no one else can understand the other tongue. Therefore, the Corinthians needed also to pray for the gift of interpretation (see 1 Corinthians 14:12-13).

Up to this point, Paul has not mentioned the one “gift,” or way, which is the highest of all. Without it, all the other gifts are worthless. And this highest gift is the gift of love.⁴³ Love is the most excellent way. Paul describes this way of love in Chapter 13.

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