1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the 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 gives them to each one, just as he determines.
Christians are alive to God through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus, our only avenue for perfection, makes us righteous, right with God. We must depend entirely on the work of the cross for our holiness and faultless position before God. Because of Christ's mighty cleansing work, we are temples of the Holy Spirit. Rather than merely knowing and discerning life through our natural human senses, Christians experience real life, eternal life, as the abiding Spirit of God leads us into all truth. The Spirit of God that occupies every born again believer is the breath of God that keeps us alive in Christ. Our physical breath will cease someday, but our eternal, spiritual breath will go on forever. Paul says, Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
(1 Corinthians 3:16) This Spirit within us changes our perspective of life, the reason we live in this body on this earth. The Spirit motivates the way we think
and act. We change from people walking in the dark under a burden of sin. John wrote,
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:7) We know we are free from the eternal consequences of sin, and we are free to be his representatives to others on Earth. In today's focus, we see that God dwells in us individually through his Spirit at the same time He works in the combined church. We should individually image Jesus in all we do, while remaining aware of the powerful impact of the corporate image of Christ on the world. As the body of Christ on Earth, we must bear and display the light and love of God. Christians should show forth the works of God when they are alone and when they gather as the body of Christ. Paul instructs the Corinthians on the manifestations of the Holy Spirit to the different members of the body of Christ. Each member has been given special gifts by the Holy Spirit to facilitate the perfection of the body and to allow the body to function as light in this world. A healthy, Spirit-filled church will reveal God in bright technicolor to a world in darkness and sin, causing a contrast that will lead people to Christ.
Christians have the Spirit of Christ within them. Paul made this clear when he wrote, However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Romans 8:9) The Spirit of God comes to us because of our faith in Jesus Christ and his work. Jesus made this clear: Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-16) Eternal life comes to us through accepting Christ's sacrifice and receiving the embedding of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The church in Acts learned quickly that faith in Christ brought the Holy Spirit into their midst. When Peter dealt with Ananias and Sapphira's duplicity, he said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?" (Acts 5:3) Peter revealed their lie to the Holy Spirit. This revelation of the ever-present Spirit of God brought great fear upon the church. No longer could they choose to be honest with God only in holy places such as the temple; now they must be honest and faithful to God at all times. Of course, we have had many people since that time openly lie in the church, but that incident, recorded in Acts, revealed that God is always present with us through the abiding Holy Spirit. Knowing God was with them at all times, Paul and the disciples listened carefully to the Holy Spirit's directions in their lives. By the leading of the Holy Spirit, Peter went to Cornelius' house; Paul went into Macedonia; Paul and Barnabas were joined together as a team. Timothy is an example of someone receiving a prophetic word: Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. (1 Timothy 18-19) Without the Spirit's guidance, these men of God knew they were lost in their own knowledge and wisdom, which is foolishness to God. Consequently, they hearkened to the voice of the Spirit, acted according to his direction and help. We who love Christ should fulfill our responsibilities to God and others by developing a sensitivity to God's authoritative voice, living our lives according to his will and not our own.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. In serving God, the Holy Spirit expects us to use our talents or spiritual gifts for the health of the body of Christ. We do not just to take up a pew; we are to be vibrant, active members of the church. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the 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. If these gifts seem intimidating because they are quite visible or maybe too spiritual for us, we should seek places to use our gifts that are behind the scenes where we feel more comfortable. Sometimes, people catagorize activities within the body of Christ as important or less important, essential or nonessential. But Paul indicates that all gifts are important, all are essential to a healthy church. Paul goes on in this chapter and says this about gifts, 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. (1 Corinthians 12:22-23) As with the internal organs of the physical body that we do not see, everything is INDISPENSABLE. That is also true of the body of Christ. The people who clean the church, the lavatories and everything else, are essential in a healthy church. The question is: how do we know our gifts or what the Spirit wants us to do within the body of Christ. Of course, we all have basic obligations to the church of God: display the fruit of the Spirit, pray for the church, live in harmony, bring people to church, and the like. However, the gifts are specific to us. We receive gifts because of our relationship with God and his desire to bless us. As believers we pray constantly and read the Word, desiring to hear his voice. We do not seek gifts for recognition but to please God and to serve him and his church. As this desire increases, we will become aware of the gifts we have. If you are a teacher, the Word will burn in your heart as you want to share what God tells you. If you have the gift of healing, you will desire to pray for the sick. With the gift of wisdom or knowledge, you may want to help in administration or with encouragement. Your gift will bring peace and harmony as it reinforces scripture and the image of Christ to others. It should not bring discord or division to the church. Walking by faith as a servant is not always easy. Sometimes you will want more help from others, but remember to seek the Lord for strength and courage. Jesus said: when the servant comes into the house from working in the field, tired and dirty from the day's work, the servant does not go to his quarters and rest, he goes to the master and asks him if there is anything else he should do. With such an attitude, we will continue to work for the Master.
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