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So last week we laid a foundation of information regarding spiritual gifts that Paul mentions in 1st Corinthians chapter 12-14.
This morning he will begin to give names to these gifts. So, let’s read from verse 7 through 11, remembering that we need to decide where we stand relative to their operations in the body today – are they in full operation, partial operation, or not in operation at all – recalling that there are good Christians, even scholars who differ in opinion on the matter.
We left off last week at verse 6 where Paul said
6 And there are differences of energao – workings of these gifts and services, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
Now at verse 7 he continues, and sort of stepping back to the gifts of the Spirit, says:
1st Corinthians 12.7-11
September 16th 2018
MILK
1st Corinthians 12:7 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.
Alright, back to verse 7 where Paul, returning to the topic of Spiritual gifts and leaving behind the fact that God is over all these differences as a means to be ALL IN ALL, says:
7 “But” (in other words, returning back to the topic of the gifts of the Spirit, he says) BUT . . . the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
In other words, while there are a number of expressions of the Spirit, and of servanthood in the body, of the works of God, and they all extend from Him . . .
“the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
I’m going to spend a minute on this VERY important biblical term, manifestation or manifest.
To begin with, as a Christian this is one of my favorite Biblical terms and I believe what it represents is one of the most important principles in the life of a Christian.
So . . the word “manifestation” (FAN-ER-OH-SIS) properly means “that which makes something plain, that which illustrates or reveals something obscured or hidden.
I LOVE this word – especially relative to scripture and rightly or wrongly, I see it as a key term relative to God.
In other words, I see God manifesting Himself in things – in many things – in most things – including His Only Son, Jesus of Nazareth and the Holy Spirit.
1st Timothy 3:16 says this plainly
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
Not only do I see God manifest in His Only Human Son but I see Him manifested in the birth of a child, in the morning light, and the face of the Wasatch mountains. He is manifesting in all of nature, in the love that is extended out into the world, in forgiveness, longsuffering, humility.
Love that word, FANER-OH-SIS – Manifest.
FANER-OH-SIS comes from Phaneroo, which means pretty much the same thing. But FANEROO comes from the root word FANEROSS – which means, “to shine or shining.”
Of course, when something shines, it is illuminated and it illuminates, therefore there is a revelation, as things are revealed, becoming clearer, more apparent, less obscured, and therefore, more true (or truly understood).
With God being light and a consuming fire, we are brought into a full circle aren’t we and learn in and through these principles how vital it is that as followers of Christ, the light of the World, that we too use our life-time to . . . illuminate!
Now stay with me. Since God is love – He does not have love but is love and since manifesting is synonymous with shining or revealing, I would strong suggest that one of the MOST important elements of Godly love is when people reveal a truth or more truth to others;
That to teach or share or manifest the Truth to another IS to LOVE them in one of the most meaningful ways.
Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
This suggests to us a model of “peace if possible, but truth always.”
Why? Because, like Jesus, who is Truth with a capital T, when people know the truth the truth will set them free.
In this world the truth – sharing it, preaching and teaching it – always comes with a very high price.
This world operates in the antithesis realm of shadows and obscurities – and just like Jesus, a light that came into His own but His own received Him not – the Truth, as a means to love others, will not be received readily.
And so in the end, to love others by manifesting the truth to them, is to willingly experience alienation, and rejection, and the ultimate loss of popularity – just look at the actual life of our King.
He entire mortal existence was to expose, reveal the truth at all costs, and manifest His father to the world.
God is a God of manifesting – His very nature reveals all things as in Him there is no shadow, no darkness – which are the products of all things antithetical to Him and His nature – lies, hiding, secrets, feigning, faking, false flattery, manipulations, disease, illness, darkness
Jesus said in Luke 8:17 “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.”
He also said in John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest (FANEROO), that they are wrought in God.
The writer of Hebrews said:
(4:13) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
And in John 14:21 Jesus also said, appealing to Faneroo:
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
We may recall Paul, speaking of the end trial of works by fire, said in 1st Corinthians 3:13
Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
And then speaking of the end of that Age, Paul added in chapter four of this book
4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
In chapter 14 of this book, when we will study about tongues, Paul will reference a person who comes to the truth by the Spirit and says:
1st Corinthians 14:25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
It is really important, that in the Spirit of truth and real love, that we deal with each other as a means to manifest – to help them better know God, better see Christ, better or more clearly see their hearts manifest – so that in contradistinction to the Holiness of God, they will break, and be converted, and embrace humility and contrition – and not the pride that keeps the secrets of our souls hidden and obscured.
Of course, there is an art to this and it does not include judgement, or condemnation, or ridicule – manifestation of light and truth itself will do that – our job is to love as the truth is made known.
I would suggest that all that we are in heart is manifest in what we say (and how we say it) and what we do (and how we do it).
This principle is foundational to the message of Jesus – that the words we speak and the actions we take reveal or MANIFEST the contents of our hearts.
I do not believe that the concepts of judgement at the Great White Throne are necessary any longer – that they had their place when God was establishing His new economy in and through the nation of Israel and their promised Messiah.
Once that administration was set in place, we will all manifest in ourselves, where are hearts are based:
Those who are His will live lives where they manifest the contents of their hearts with fruits of love, those who are not will manifest the contents of their hearts in fruits of self-love and will.
Paul wrote in Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Those who live by such things both manifest in the doing of them where their hearts and minds are AND manifest that they do not want, from the heart, to be participants in His Kingdom, described as the New Jerusalem in several places.
For this reason, in addressing first the New Jerusalem, John wrote in Revelation 22
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (or New Jerusalem – which is in heaven).
15 For without (meaning outside the city walls of the New Jerusalem) are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
These are those who manifested in their lives the contents of their hearts and minds – simple as that.
Similar to the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem as Paul wrote in 1st Timothy 5:25
“Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid.”
This simply means that those with God in them, by His Spirit, cannot help but manifest Him in word and deed – and by these loving manifestations will all men know that we are His disciples.
John puts it this way:
1st John 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
So, returning to our text, Paul, speaking of the Holy Spirit, has said:
12:7 But . . . the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
Young’s Literal Translation puts it this way:
“And to each hath been given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit.”
In other words, spiritual manifestations are given by God of the Spirit to assist and benefit (profit) people.
. . . to enhance their walk and lives, and therefore never to harm or hinder them.
Now on this point alone I have to stop and “manifest” something in love that I have observed – which is admittedly anything but an exhaustive analysis. But when I witness the lives and fruit of people – especially teens and young adults – who have been raised in what my be called hyper-charismatica – the hyper expressions of healing, snake handlings, miracles, name it and claim it, tongues and being slain in the Spirit, I typically see detriment to the Christian walk as a believer instead of profit.
I can’t really say why this but it seems that there is so much emphasis on spiritual manifestations (which are generally available within the four walls of the church that is pushing them) that the individuals develop a world view that relies on such things not only to be constantly present but increasing in wonder and power – and therefore unsustainable in this world.
Outside of Five Point Calvinism, I think hyper-Charismatica is more damaging to children, teens and people in general than Roman Catholicism or Mormonism.
However, and as we made mention last week, we are not talking about that here, but of true outpouring of the Spirit to aid the Church-bride.
And so Paul says that these spiritual gifts are profitable to every man – and of course context tells us that this letter was written to believers which should prevent us from assigning the term, “everyman” to all human beings.
Of course spiritual gifts, if perceived and appreciated by every man, would be profitable to them – but this is not the context of the epistle so conjecture is unnecessary.
At this point Paul speaks to the gifts themselves, and delivers the first two in verse eight.
Now, generally speaking, when it comes to lists in scripture, there is a built-in hierarchy at work meaning the very first item in a list is of most import and those what are named last are least.
I doubt that this is a hard and fast rule, but there are a number of places where it is obvious.
Now, I have written out the spiritual gifts Paul names here on the board – in the order that they are named:
the word of wisdom;
the word of knowledge
faith
the gifts of healing
the working of miracles
to another prophecy
to another discerning of spirits
to another divers kinds of tongues
to another the interpretation of tongues:
This is the list given in 1st Corinthians 12.
Why say this. Because there are actually three New Testament lists of the “gifts of the Spirit,” (or spiritual gifts).
The three main passages describing the spiritual gifts are
Romans 12:6–8;
1st Corinthians 12:4–11;
1st Corinthians 12:28.
Some try and include Ephesians 4:11 as spiritual gifts, but that is a list of offices within the church, not spiritual gifts.
The spiritual gifts identified in Romans 12 are prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy.
The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues.
The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Put them all together and removing any redundancies and we end up with the stated New Testament spiritual gifts being:
* healings
(ee-am-a) cure
* diversities of or speaking in tongues
(hetero genos glossa)
* interpretation of tongues
(allos hermenia glossa)
* the word of wisdom
(Sophia)
* the word of knowledge
(Gnosis)
* faith
(Pistis)
* miraculous powers
(ener-agmay dunamis)
* prophecy
(profay-tee-a) to speak
* teaching
(didaskalos) to instruct
* distinguishing between spirits
(dee-ah-kree-sis pneuma) Discernment of Spirits
* serving
(diakonia) to serve
* encouraging
(Paraklaysis) to call over
* giving
(met-add-id-om-ee) Sharing
* mercy
(el-aye-aye-oh) Compassion
* helps
(antil-ape-sis) relief
* governments
(kuber-nay-sis) Direction
* leadership
(Pro-is-tay-mee) Leadership
Seventeen total – but there are debates on the meaning of a couple of these – for instance are “Diversity of Tongues and Speaking in Tongues” the same? Or are “Prophecy and Teaching” the same things?
Because they are all different Greek terms I stand by there being seventeen in total.
And of course, there are debates on this (of course). Let’s speak to each of these in summary.
Prophecy – The Greek word translated “prophecy” in both sets of passages properly means “a speaking forth.”
According to Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, the word refers to “discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; especially by foretelling future events.”
To prophesy is to declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God that is designed to influence people.
Now, teaching is very similar to these descriptions – which is why there are some who believe that the best description of prophesy in the NT is teaching – but I tend to think that this is a massaging of the text because some people don’t want to admit, for some reason, that there were prophets in post ascension era.
But there were – and we know this from the Book of Acts. So I would suggest that BOTH prophesy and teaching (two separate Greek terms applied here mean different things) though one seems to be more related to a thus saith the Lord this will come to pass” type of thing, and the other is an actual teacher (DIDASKALOS) who provides
“discourses emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; and declare the divine will, and interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God that is designed to influence people.”
Okay, “serving” – which we learned last week also means “ministering,” and comes from the Greek word diakonian, from which we get the English “deacon.”
I can tell you right now that volunteers at CAMPUS have the Spiritual Gifts of diakonia.
Encouraging – Also called “exhortation,” this gift is evident in those who consistently call upon others to heed and follow God’s truth, which may involve correction or building others up by strengthening weak faith and/or comforting them in their trials.
Giving – Gifted givers are those who joyfully share what they have with others, whether it is financial, material, or the giving of personal time and attention. The giver is concerned for the needs of others and seeks opportunities to share goods, money and time with them as needs arise.
Leadership – The gifted leader is one who rules, presides over or has the management of other people in the church. The word literally means “guide” and carries with it the idea of one who steers a ship. One with the gift of leadership rules with wisdom and grace and exhibits the fruit of the Spirit in his life as he leads by example.
Mercy – Closely linked with the gift of encouragement, the gift of mercy is obvious in those who are compassionate toward others who are in distress, showing sympathy and sensitivity coupled with a desire and the resources to lessen their suffering in a kind and cheerful manner.
Word of wisdom – The fact that this gift is described as the “word” of wisdom indicates that it is one of the speaking gifts. This gift describes someone who can understand and speak forth biblical wisdom in such a way as to skillfully apply it to life situations with all discernment.
Word of knowledge – This is another speaking gift that involves understanding truth with an insight that only comes by revelation from God. Those with the gift of knowledge understand the deep things of God and the mysteries of His Word.
I have heard this expressed in other ways but it seems that the Spiritual gift of Word of Knowledge is tied to biblical interpretations.
Faith – All believers possess faith in some measure because it is one of the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on all who come to Christ in faith (Galatians 5:22-23).
The spiritual gift of faith is exhibited by one with a strong and unshakeable confidence in God, His Word, His promises, and the power of prayer.
Healing – it means cure.
Miraculous powers – Also known as the working of miracles, this is another temporary sign gift which involved performing supernatural events that could only be attributed to the power of God (Acts 2:22).
This gift was exhibited by Paul (Acts 19:11-12), Peter (Acts 3:6), Stephen (Acts 6:8), and Phillip (Acts 8:6-7), among others.
Distinguishing (discerning) of spirits – Certain individuals possess the unique ability to determine the true message of God from that of the deceiver, Satan, whose methods include purveying deceptive and erroneous doctrine. Jesus said many would come in His name and would deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5), but the gift of discerning spirits is given to the Church to protect it from such as these.
Speaking in tongues – The gift of tongues is one of the temporary “sign gifts” given to the early Church to enable the gospel to be preached throughout the world to all nations and in all known languages.
It involved the divine ability to speak in languages previously unknown to the speaker. This gift authenticated the message of the gospel and those who preached it as coming from God. The phrase “diversity of tongues” (KJV) or “different kinds of tongues” (NIV) effectively eliminates the idea of a “personal prayer language” as a spiritual gift.
Interpretation of tongues – A person with the gift of interpreting tongues could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues speaker to everyone else, so all could understand.
Helps – Closely related to the gift of mercy is the gift of helps. It is also related to service and giving but it seems to relate most to those who render assistance to others in the church with compassion and grace as it lends to spiritual issues. Nevertheless it has a broad range of possibilities for application.
But perhaps most importantly, this is the unique ability to identify those who are struggling with doubt, fears, and other spiritual battles; to move toward those in spiritual need with a kind word, an understanding and compassionate demeanor; and to speak scriptural truth that is both convicting and loving.
So there they are. Almost. There is one that is not mentioned here that should be. Any ideas?
Let me first say most do not call this a spiritual gift but I tend to think it is the most powerful spiritual gift we can possess?
That’s right – Love. And we will cover this spiritual gift at length when we get to our next chapter.
At this point Paul reminds us of something he has said a number of times relative to these gifts, saying:
11 But all these (Everyone of these spiritual gifts I have mentioned here and I would add, that he has mentioned in other places) worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
All these gifts can be trraced back directly to the Holy Spirit, or what Paul calls the Self-Same Spirit which
“Divides to every man severally.”
Which confers on each person as it pleases or “as he will.”
A couple things. First of all there is no masculine in the Greek relative to the Spirit so he is just used for simplicity.
However , the Greek also seems to suggest that the Spirit acts as its own sovereign, doing and determining what it wants.
This value makes many say that the Holy Spirit is its own personage who distributes favors and empowers others according to the dictates of his individual mind.
I don’t know if I agree with this entirely. But it is admittedly really hard to know perfectly.
To me just as Gods words are NOT like our words, and might have a power in them that when in a human give that human individual existence, perhaps God’s Spirit, roaming about the earth, when in this realm has its own person that is utterly and absolutely one with its originator – can’t say!
Trinitarians separate the Holy Ghost out from the Father and the Son and I tend to see it as a manifestation of the invisible God – but there are passages that lend to a different view.
Make sure those are taken into consideration as you study this out for yourself.
Another factor is it seems that the Holy Spirit operates on its own as a sovereign but we really don’t know how much the Holy Spirit is just an operative Spirit of God here on earth.
The bottom line is, however relative to spiritual gifts is that is what they are – gifts – from the Holy Spirit, and possession of them ought to result in humility, never pride and aiming them at blessing others with greater strength in Jesus while here on earth.
We do read in scripture that people ought to seek to have and possess these spiritual gifts.
I am of the opinion that while they may have different applications and even expressions today in the Body, people can possess more than one – perhaps some can even have them all – which would be a wonderful blessing to those around them.
One final Comment – ask for these gifts you might desire. Because when you do, you will receive. I can bear witness of this.
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