1 Corinthian (Class Version)

Chapter 12

4th main teaching – focusing on spiritual gifts

1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.

2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.

3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

What is the problem that Paul is hoping to address amongst the Corinthians?

Their ignorance concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Spiritual gifts are something that the Lord does not want Believers to be ignorant about – but strangely enough they are very commonly disagreed upon and their seems to be a lot of confusion about spiritual gifts

What does Paul bring up about the believers their in Corinth?

They used to be pagans that worshiped idols – why does Paul bring this up? What's the connection?

Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to remember that their past of pagan idolatry did not prepare them for an accurate understanding of spiritual gifts - He did not want them to be ignorant, but because they were pagans, they did come to the issue of spiritual gifts as ignorant

Because they are new to this subject Paul gives them a very basic guideline to apply to their thinking as they begin this studying of the gifts – what is it that he wants them to know about the Holy Spirit?

The HS will never do anything to curse or discredit the name of Jesus – so if someone is speaking this way you know that they are not speaking according to the Holy Spirit

In the same way, the one who is bringing glory to Jesus is speaking by the power of the HS

Jesus made it plain, saying that when the Holy Spirit would come, He will testify of Me (John 15:26), and He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you (John 16:14) - The ministry of the Holy Spirit is not to promote Himself or any man, but to glorify and represent Jesus

Paul begins by giving them a very basic and foundational way of discerning what is from the Spirit and what is not

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God at works all of them in all men.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.

8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,

10 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.

11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Notice – what does Paul say is different and what is the same?

Different gifts same Spirit, different service same Lord, different workings same God.

What does manifestation (v7) mean?

Demonstration or outworking – something that can be seen and experienced

Thus, the spiritual gifts are the demonstration and experience of the Holy Spirit within the Believer