SPIRITUAL GIFTS: Words and Implications

Memorial Drive 1/19/20 SPIRITUAL GIFTS: Words and Implications I Corinthians 12:1-12 Intro – Having laid the foundation for the study of spiritual gifts in a number of previous messages, we’ve now come to what we might call the “nuts and bolts” of the gifts. While there are any number of texts that we need to and will consider, perhaps the most important of the texts is found in Paul’s letter to believers in Corinth. While he mentions the fact that these believers are “rich” in the gifts in chapter 1, he deals extensively with the gifts and their use in an extended portion of his letter that takes up the whole of chapters 12, 13, and 14. -This morning I want to direct your attention to I Cor. 12 verses 1-12 so please open your Bibles to chapter 12. -As you turn there let me point out that there are a number of critically important truths in these first 12 verses that we’ll not be able to address this morning. I simply want you to be aware that they are there. For example … • Paul begins this portion of his letter by expressing a deep concern that I believe every church that claims to be a biblical or “Bible-practicing- church needs to take to heart! Paul begins, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be UNAWARE.” The word he uses here is “agnŏĕō” from which we get the word “agnostic” and in this context is simply means that the Apostle is deeply concerned about their “NOT knowing” about spiritual gifts and their proper use. The word has a range of meaning from “not knowing through LACK OF INFORMATION.” For churches in our day perhaps it’s because the gifts haven’t been properly addressed. Another possible meaning is “not knowing BY IGNORING something.” Why? Because we’re simply not inclined to pursue and understand the topic. So Paul begins by saying to believers: “I’m very concerned that you NOT be ignorant about spiritual gifts!” • Paul also addresses the fact that the previous religious experiences of these now-followers of Christ could quite readily impact their understanding and use of the spiritual gifts that were so richly distributed among them: They were “pagans … led astray to mute idols …” that in a significant way had spiritually “led” them in particular directions. • Another critical truth is that just as Christ Himself is “one” and not divided, so too His Body is “one” though comprised of many members, and it too ought to live out that “oneness” in the way we live with one another. • There are a number of other key truths and I’ve decided to address some of these truths by considering the WORDS that Paul uses to refer to these gifts and the IMPLICATIONS of the words that the Spirit of God leads him to use. … OUR TEXT “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.” (I Cor. 12:1-12) … SPIRITUAL GIFTS: The Words Used and Their Implications -As we begin I want to remind you that the Holy Spirit is prompting Paul to write as he does and when God the Spirit speaks, or causes something to be written, He is not careless with His words. In another of Paul’s letters, for example, Galatians, he refers to God’s promise to “bless all nations” through “the seed of Abraham” and then makes it clear that this “seed” (singular, not plural) isn’t Israel in general, but specifically Jesus Christ, the “seed” of Abraham. So when God prompts the prophets and apostles to “write” Scripture, He is very careful with His words. -So as we begin to look at the spiritual gifts given for the building up of the body of Christ we need to begin at the beginning. We need to understand that there are a number of words used to speak of these gifts or that are closely associated with the gifts and each word comes with significant implications as to the nature and use of the gifts. • “CHARISMA/CHARISMATA” – Based on the word “charis” or “grace” -The most common word used to speak of the spiritual gifts is the Greek “charisma” or in its plural form, “charismata.” Both words are based on the original-language-root-word “charis” which simply means “grace” and so as Paul writes, God wants us to understand something about the NATURE of these “gifts” called “spiritual gifts.” -Paul uses this root word “charisma” or it’s plural, “charismata” in I Cor. 12:4, for example, where we read “Now there are varieties of GIFTS (“charismata”) but the same Spirit.” (I Cor. 12:4) -Here’s what important to understand. When Paul uses the words “charisma/charismata” -- based upon the word “charis/grace” -- he’s speaking of the basic nature of the gifts. He’s telling us that these gifts are first and foremost “GRACIOUS WORKS of God extended TO and THROUGH a believer by the GRACE of God.” In other words, they’re building-tools “given by God’s grace.” This becomes incredibly significant when we understand that “charis/grace” refers to “FAVOR that is extended or given that is NOT based on personal merit of any kind.” -Now there are very serious implications to the truth that spiritual gifts are a matter not of merit but of favor and that, by nature they are based simply upon the gracious heart of God! First … ◦ Every Believer Is GIFTED (“graced”) and Able to Be a Significant Part of the Building Up of the body of Christ -Because “gifts” are of grace and not any kind of spiritual merit, Paul can write in I Cor. 12:7: “But to EACH ONE (that is, to EVERY BELIEVER, regardless of personal merit) is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (I Cor. 12:7) and in Rom. 12:6: “Since we have GIFTS (“charismata”) that differ according to the GRACE (“charis”) given to us, EACH OF US is to exercise them accordingly …” (Rom. 12:6) No believer is left out when it comes to being significantly used in the building up of other believers! -To put this another way, no believer should ever feel that because they have not arrived at some higher level of spiritual maturity they have somehow been left out when it comes to gifts! No believer, at whatever stage they are in their spiritual journey, is somehow unable to have a significant part in the building up and growth of fellow-believers and the Body of Christ. -A second implication of the fact that gifts are a matter of grace and not merit is that … ◦ No Gift Can Be Held As a Sign of Either Lesser or Greater Spiritual Maturity or of Lesser or Greater Value In the Body of Christ -The “grace origin” of the gifts means that we cannot DISCOUNT our own gifts and their importance in the body. My use of my gift is not less important than another’s use of theirs! Paul makes this point through his illustration of a physical body in I Cor. 12:15-16. He writes: “If the foot says, Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,’ it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,’ it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.” (I Cor. 12:15-16) -See, God knows that some within the church will feel that their gift and their work toward the growth of the body is somehow of less value than the gifts and work of others! But believing this doesn’t make it so! God simply tells that a body needs ALL its parts! -The opposite is true as well. We can find ourselves holding up our own gift as somehow an indication of greater importance and value than others and their giftings. Using the same metaphor, Paul writes in 1 Cor. 12:20-21: “… there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; or again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’” (I Cor. 12:20-21) -Paul shares this same truth in Rom. 12:3-5: “For through the grace (“charis”) given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. FOR JUST AS WE HAVE MANY MEMBERS IN ONE BODY AND ALL THE MEMBERS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, SO WE, WHO ARE MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER.” (Rom. 12:3-5) -The fact that we receive the gifts through God’s unmerited, unearned favor means then that just as we cannot DISCOUNT our own gifts and their importance in the body, neither can we ELEVATE the importance of either ourselves or our gifts over others and their gifts! We can do neither for our gift/s have come to use by God’s favor and not by our own merit, worth, or spiritual attainments. Let me share a third very important IMPLICATION of Paul’s use this particular word to speak of the gifts. ◦ Since Spiritual Gifts Are An Expression of the Very Grace of God, to Either Neglect or Misuse the Gifts Is Nothing Less Than the Expression of a Callous Ingratitude Toward God Himself -No wonder Paul is deeply concerned that believers neither maintain ignorance of the gifts or misuse or abuse the gifts! Trampling on the grace of God is a serious matter! -So the words “Charism/charismata” have a profound importance to us as we look at the gifts, and in fact, failure to understand and practice this truth has led to significant heartache in some churches and to outright avoidance of the gifts in others. -Let’s consider a 2nd word that Paul uses to speak of the gifts. The word is “pneumatikõn” and it’s the word Paul uses for the gifts as he first begins by expressing his concern for their understanding and therefore proper use of gifts. • “PNEUMATIKÕN” – Based on the root word “pneuma/spirit” “Now concerning spiritual gifts (“pneumatikõn” – “spirituals”), brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.” (I Cor. 12:1) -You might notice that the fourth word “gifts” is in italics. This is because the word “gifts” is added for clarity. What Paul speaks of here are clearly the same gifts that he is speaking of throughout chapters 12-14 so the translators add the word “gifts” to make that clear but the word the Spirit prompts Paul to use is simply the word “pneumatikõn” or “spirituals.” -Paul’s point is that just as he speaks of the NATURE of the gifts as “grace-given” and “grace-driven” he also wants us to understand the ORIGIN of the gifts. They are “PNEUMA-tikõn/spirituals” because they are given by the “PNEUMA” or “spirit” and as will be made clear, not just ANY “spirit” but “the HOLY Spirit of God!” They are both THE PRODUCT of God’s Spirit as well as EMPOWERED by God’s Spirit. -So note vs. 3. When it comes to use in general, for example, to any “testimony” of either opposition or faith, and specifically when it comes to the so-called “revelatory” gifts “… no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus is accursed’; and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (I Cor. 12:3) Why? Because the gifts are ““PNEUMA-tikõn/spirituals” because they are given by the “PNEUMA”, the “Spirit of God.” -Again, there are a number of very powerful implications in Paul’s use of this word. ◦ The “Spirituals” Are Manifestations of the Presence and Power of the Spirit Himself When Properly Exercised -Perhaps we could illustrate this by thinking of a hose. The value of a hose is that it connects a “source” to a “purpose” or some kind of work. The hose has little value if there’s either no source to draw from or no work to be accomplished! -So a building is ablaze in a raging fire. Just outside there’s a hydrant with abundant water available at significant pressure. The value of the hose then is to DRAW from the source and DIRECT it where it needs to go. The hose has no ability to do anything in and of itself, but significant value when it connects a source to a work! So what happens if the fire truck has inadvertently stopped with one of its wheels on the hose? The building burns to the ground. -Spiritual gifts, “spirituals”, are the “MEANS” by which God chooses to direct His grace toward the building up of the church! Gifts are the “MEANS” by which the Holy Spirit manifests Himself and His power in this building up process. Gifts, properly exercised by God’s people, CONNECT the POWER of the Spirit to the WORK of the Spirit! -This is important to understand because if the gifts are not DIRECTED and EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit, they, and we, have little ability to accomplish the Spirit’s purpose! We can’t “produce” anything in and of ourselves when it comes to genuine upbuilding of the Body of Christ. We may be able to give what seems to be a fairly good IMITATION of what the Spirit can do, but it will not really accomplish God’s work. Are the gifts an important “means” through which God does His work? Absolutely, in fact (a third implication) … Once again, it’s probably not too much to insist that … ◦ To Ignore or Abuse the Gifts Is An Attack Upon the Holy Spirit and the Purposes For Which He Has Given the Gifts -Just as neglect or abuse of the gifts is an attack UPON or an abuse OF the very grace of God, so too, to ignore or abuse the gifts is a strike against the very Spirit of God from whom they came and against the very purposes He desires to accomplish through them. -The Apostle affirms this very truth in vs. 7 when he writes: “… to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (I Cor. 12:7) How is it that we can “see” and “experience” the presence and power of the Holy Spirit? Many ways! One is … as the Spirit’s gifts are properly exercised in the Body of Christ. -Again, no wonder Paul is deeply concerned about misunderstanding and misuse or even neglect of the gifts! A church that chooses to simply ignore the spiritual gifts is like parking a fire-engine on top of a hose! It trifles with God’s means and methods of building up His church! If we understand this word “pneumatikõn” I don’t see how we can arrive at any other conclusion. A final implication … ◦ Grieving the Spirit of God Will Undercut His Gifts and Purposes -We don’t need to say a lot here other than to acknowledge that to “grieve the Spirit” is surely a way of undermining the Spirit’s gifts and His purposes through them. It’s just another means of parking a vehicle on top of the hose, so Paul warns Christians not to “grieve the Spirit by whom you were sealed.” (Eph. 4:30) There are many serious consequences of grieving the Spirit. One of them is loss of the sense of your salvation. It’s a way of throttling our experiencing of the “love of God” which has been “poured out in our hearts” through the presence of the Holy Spirit. There are other consequences as well, but the undermining of His work through the gifts is certainly one. There’s a third word that Paul uses that is NOT translated “gifts” but that is CLOSELY RELATED to the gifts. • “DIAKONIA” – Based on the root word translated “ministries” -We find this word in vs. 5 where Paul writes of the gifts that just as there are a “variety of gifts” from the one Spirit, so too, closely related, there are “variety of ministries” that come from One Lord. Just as Paul has addressed both the NATURE and the ORIGIN of the spiritual gifts, so too he addresses the PURPOSE of the spiritual gifts. They are always for MINISTRY! Always used to MINISTER BY SERVING those within the body of Christ. As a side-note, this root word is the word from which the word “deacon” comes. -The Apostle Peter uses the same root word twice when he speaks of the gifts in I Peter 4:10-11: “As each one has received a special gift, EMPLOY IT IN SERVING (There’s the root word!) one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever SERVES is to do so as one who is SERVING by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 4:10-11) So Peter uses the same root word three times to speak of the PURPOSE of the spiritual gifts! They are Spirit-given endowments that are supernaturally-empowered enablements or abilities to provide service to the Body of Christ in building it up! -In the case of each different word used, God provides for us certain implications or conclusions that we can draw from the very word used. So are there any implications or conclusions that we can draw about the spiritual gifts as “ministries of service?” (Let me share one. The very use of this particular word demonstrates that … ◦ Spiritual Gifts By Their Very Nature Are NOT Privileges But Rather Responsibilities, NOT Self-Centered But For the Service of Others -Again, the meaning of the word demonstrates a truth that is fleshed out in texts we have already read. Let me read one again: “As each one has received a special gift, EMPLOY IT IN SERVING one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (I Peter 4:10) -Peter isn’t suggesting, he’s commanding! And as he does so, he makes it very clear that it’s quite possible for a believer to FAIL to be a good steward of the gift entrusted to him or her, and therefore, since the stewardship is of nothing less than the incredible “manifold” or “many-faceted” grace of God, its possible to literally hinder or “step on the hose” such that we limit God’s ability to extend His grace in a variety of circumstances! I wonder if we really get this? To fail to use our spiritual gifts LIMITS God’s ability to show the majesty of His grace IN the lives of His people and THROUGH the lives of His people! -The fact that God’s grace is “many-faceted” also helps us appreciate that variety of the gifts that God has given. No one, and no gift, is unnecessary! ALL are necessary because God’s grace is designed to be expressed in a wide variety of ways! -Finally, the Apostles use of this particular word to speak of the gifts reveals that, as Pastor Sam Storms writes: “Gifts are not for personal adornment, status, power, or popularity.” (Beginner’s Guide To Spiritual Gifts, 20, Storms) One final word closely related to spiritual gifts. • “ENERGEMA” – Based on a root word meaning “effects, operation, works” -Paul uses this 4th word in our text in chapter 12. Please note vs. 6: “There are varieties of effects (“energema”) but the same God who works (“energeo”) all things in all persons.” (I Cor. 12:6) -The word is where the word “energy” comes from, so Paul’s use of the word paints gifts as the expression of the very “energy” or “working” of God’s divine power through His people! So Paul is speaking about the IMPACT of the gifts now. Gifts are the effect or fruit or product of divine power! (Isn’t that amazing?!! What a responsibility!) -I like the way Pastor Storms puts it: “Gifts are the concrete operations of divine energy through individual believers” (ibid, 20). -So are there IMPLICATIONS of Paul’s use of this word? ◦ We Get To Be Conduits of God’s Divine Energy Into the Lives of Others -Since they are expressions of the work and will of God, Storms goes on to make a helpful point: “If the Holy Spirit is sovereign in giving gifts, He is also sovereign in withholding them. All is dependent upon what God desires for that moment in His church.” (ibid, 21) Conclusion – Well, we’ve looked at 4 words that can be translated “gifts” or that are very closely related to them. I will close with another quote from Dr. Storms: “We may define a spiritual gift as a God-given and therefore gracious capacity to serve the Body of Christ. It is a divinely empowered or spiritually energized potential to minister to the Body of Christ by communicating the knowledge, power, and love of Jesus Christ.” (ibid, 21) When God speaks, He speaks carefully and purposefully! Will we “steward” the gift or gifts that He has given to manifest the power and presence of His Spirit and the knowledge, power, and love of Jesus?