1 Corinthians, Chapter 12
© Copyright 2002 Darroll Evans, all rights reserved

1 Corinthians 12:1-3
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

In the entire Bible, this chapter seems to cause more controversy among Christians than all others combined.

Jesus is a stumbling block among heathen.

The Holy Spirit is a stumbling block among Christians.

If you have a KJV Bible, you will notice that the word "gifts" is in italics. That means it does not appear in the Greek text, but has been added by the KJV translators.

The Literal translation would be "About the spirituals."

It is concerning those things that are spiritual that Paul does not want us to be ignorant.

Paul does not want us to sin due to mistakes in this matter.

Paul begins by saying something many do not understand.

He says, "ye (y’all/plural-southern Israeli dialect) were Gentiles."

What does that mean?

When we acknowledge Christ as Lord, we pass from death to life.

Prior to that we were spiritual Gentiles, unbelievers.

At conversion we become part of the Vine which is Christ.

We do not become Jews or Israelis, but we become Hebrews.

The root of the Hebrew word for Hebrew may be translated "those that crossed over."

As Christians, we have crossed over!

We have changed! We have taken off the old Gentile man, and put on the new righteous man (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10).

As Gentiles we were carried away from Christ by worshipping "dumb" (speechless) idols.

Oh, but we are 21st Century people, we do not have idols. Oh, really?

Many worship at the altar of money.

Others worship at nature’s altar.

Most worship at the altar of religion.

No man that is led by the Holy Spirit can (of the Spirit) speak against Christ Jesus.  

Do you understand that none of us may declare “Jesus is Lord” unless it is by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 

That does not mean the words may not be spoken, but they cannot be spoken with joyful confidence unless the Holy Spirit leads us to do so.

Do you understand that Verse 3 invalidates the teaching of freewill?

No person can confess, “Jesus is Lord,” unless led to do so by the Holy Spirit.  You cannot be led to confess Christ as Lord by your freewill.  Salvation is a God initiated condition.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Self-proclaimed salvation is not a godly concept!

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

There is a variety of gifts, and sub-varieties within those groups. However, there is only one Spirit that supervises those gifts.

There are varieties of ministries, and sub-varieties within those groups. However, the one Lord gives them all.

There are varieties of operations of those gifts, and sub-varieties within those groups. However, it is only One God that works "all in all."

Each follower of Christ has been given a manifestation of the Holy Spirit to be utilized for the benefit of all.

Paul lists a few of God’s gifts to the Church.

Some say that a few of these gifts have been voided.

1 Corinthians 13:10--- But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (NKJV)

Using that verse out of context, they say that the perfect King James Version has come so those things that are giving in part have been voided.

Which King James Version is perfect?

FYI-the current King James Version is not the 1611 version. It was revised multiple times in the first few years of its existence.

The gifts of the Spirit are still in existence, and still used by the Holy Spirit to achieve certain goals within the Church.

One person is given the word of wisdom.

One is given the word of knowledge.

You may be given the word of wisdom or word of knowledge.

One is given faith, and another gifts of healings (plural).

The gifts of healings had more than one manifestation.

The faith that is mentioned in verse nine is a supernatural faith.

Doctors work in the gifts of healings, and so do those that pray and speak healing.

If God had gone out of the healing business, there would be no salvation.

Salvation is the greatest act of healing.

It is true that many false healers are at work, but that does not invalidate the gift.

The same folks that speak against the gifts of healing, and yet they go to doctors, even though, there are men who practice medicine without a license.

Do they speak against medical science because there are frauds?

Definitely not!

Their reasoning comes from ignorance!

Verse ten deals with miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues.

The gift of miracles is often confused with the gifts of healings.

While some preaching may be prophetic, the gift of prophecy is not just preaching.

Preaching was meant to bring people the gospel. Most of what passes for preaching today is psychology dressed up in biblical garb.

True New Testament prophecy is unveiling what shall happen in order to comfort others.

Discerning of spirits is an interesting gift. Spirits may cause certain illnesses. This gift may also be used to “discern” the spirits of men, be they godly or demonic.  However, many who “discern” do not do it by the power of God.

Now, let’s go to "Tongues." It is the biggie, the most controversial gift!

Most people think that speaking in an unknown tongue is evidence that we are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

That is incorrect!

Let me point to one obscure portion of scripture, verse 11—I will come back to verse ten.

Verse eleven says that all these gifts work through the One Holy Spirit, and He gives to each of us as He decides.

Now, this is not the only list given in the Bible, and I am sure that the other gifts operate on the same principle.

Read Romans 12 closely, it will help in other studies.

If there are no gifts, there are no Pastors or Evangelists!

Your Pastor is a gift to the Church!

My point is this, there are no non-charismatic Christians!

There is a great debate about these tongues.

Now, back to tongues (Gr. glossa/glossa), or glossolalia literally means "speaking in tongues."

"At Pentecost the gift was given to allow those present to hear the gospel in their native language (Acts 2:6); in Corinth, the gift was an ecstatic utterance (a Cor. 14:2). The Apostle warns against too much emphasis this experience…" (Greek Orthodox Study Bible, page 799).

Any Pentecostal or Charismatic minister will agree that it is the Spirit and not the gift that is important.

Now, let’s go to "interpretation of tongues."

If the tongues are human languages, why give a message in French to an English-speaking congregation?

If it is an unknown language, interpretation is necessary.

Things of the Spirit seldom make sense to the human mind!  

1 Corinthians 12:12-19
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?

There many Churches, but there is only one body of Christ. 

We are baptized by one Spirit into one body.

What would happen if the body of Christ was just one big toe.

There could be no message of salvation, because that requires a mouth and speech.

All of us are not called to do the same thing. Each of us has an individual job to do. 

1 Corinthians 12:20-26
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

In this section, Paul stresses the need for each other. 

Paul points out that our human flaws often color Human evaluation of the gifts.

As members of the body we are symbiotic. Anything that hurts one hurts all, and if one rejoices we all should rejoice.  

1 Corinthians 12:27-31
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

We are individual and corporate members of Christ’s body. We act and react individually and corporately.

Verse 28 brings us another list of Gifts.

Paul points to the servant gifts by asking do we all have all these gifts?

The answer is no, but some do!  

No one gift takes precedence over the others. Each is used for its special purpose.

Paul closes this section by telling us to covet the best gifts, but he does not tell us which gifts are best.

Then, he adds mystery by saying that there is a more excellent way. 

Chapter 13 
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