1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 12, Verses 1-11
“God’s Giftings To Men!”
[5-10-22]
Review: “Let’s Talk About The Communion Service!”
1 Corinthians 11:26) [NAS] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
NOTE: The apostle here refers to a custom used by the Jews in the night of the passover, to show forth the reason of their practice, and that institution to their children.
27) Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
28) But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29) For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.
QUESTION: What does “not judge the body rightly” mean?
ANSWER: 1) They did not understand the spiritual reverence to which they should be partaking of communion. Communion is not meant to be a time of feasting. It’s intended to be a time in which we reflect on the great cost of our salvation.
2) They did not understand the entire scope of redemption. God allowed those brutes to viciously “break the body of Christ” so that by those stripes we are healed.
30) For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
QUESTION: For what reason were “many among” them “weak and sick”?
ANSWER: They failed to discern that the brutal beating that Jesus endured in Pilate’s Judgment Hall paid for their physical healing.
31) But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged.
Matthew 7:1) Judge not, that ye be not judged.
QUESTION: What do these 2 verses teach us about judging?
ANSWER: We should judge ourselves, not others.
This Week’s Lesson: “God’s Giftings To Men!”
1 Corinthians 12:1-11) [NAS] Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.
2) You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led.
QUESTION: What does Paul tell his readers about the subject of spiritual gifts?
ANSWER: He doesn’t want his readers to remain “unaware” on this topic.
NOTE: “Unaware” simply means that they didn’t have proper information.
3) 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.
NOTE: No true Christian would ever suggest that “Jesus is accursed!” Only true Christians can utter the words “Jesus is Lord” with sincerity.
4) Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
QUESTION: What are the gifts of the Spirit?
ANSWER: See verses 8-10:
They are the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
5) And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.
QUESTION: What are the “ministries” Jesus gives to the church?
ANSWER: See Ephesians 4:11:
They are: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
6) And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
QUESTION: What are the “varieties of effects”?
ANSWER: See Romans 12:6-8:
They are: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling/governing, and mercy.
7) But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
QUESTION: Why does the Triune God give these gifts to us?
ANSWER: God deals out these gifts so that each of us can benefit the whole body/the church.
8) For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
9) to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10) 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.
QUESTION: How might we categorize these 9 gifts of the Spirit?
ANSWER: Please note:
3 knowledge gifts: 3 action gifts: 3 vocal gifts:
- wisdom 1. faith 1. prophecy
- knowledge 2. healings 2. tongues
- discerning spirits 3. miracles 3. interpretation of tongues
NOTE: Please note:
- The 3 knowledge gifts are given so that, when it’s God’s will, we can know what Jesus knows.
- The 3 action gifts are given so that, when it’s God’s will, we can do what Jesus would do.
- The 3 vocal gifts are given so that, when it’s God’s will, we can say what Jesus would say.
11) But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
QUESTION: Why does the Triune God give these gifts to us?
ANSWER: God deals out these gifts so that each of us can benefit the whole body/the church.
QUESTION: Does speaking in tongues, a language that no one understands, benefit the body?
ANSWER: No! That’s why the Holy Spirit gives some the gift of interpretation. Tongues, along with the gift of interpretation, equal the gift of prophecy.
Explaining the 9 Gifts of the Spirit:
- The word of wisdom: When this gift operates someone will explain to you what the wise course of action you should take in a certain situation.
- The word of knowledge: When this gift operates the individual who the Spirit is using will know something about you they wouldn’t ordinarily know.
- Faith: This is a special gift of faith. The one operating in this gift will be able to believe above his/her normal capacity to believe.
- The gifts of healing: When someone is operating in this gift people will be healed of their diseases.
- The working of miracles: This gift, when operated, would cause the miraculous to happen. Perhaps, someone with one leg would receive another.
- Prophecy: Someone who is operating in this gift will be enabled to speak the very word of God to you.
- The discerning of spirits: When this gift operates someone would be able to understand what spirit, the Holy Spirit or an evil spirit, is behind a thing.
- Divers kinds of tongues: The individual operating in this gift would be able to speak to the congregation in a language he/she doesn’t understand.
- The interpretation of tongues: The individual operating in this gift would be able to interpret the message in tongues that he, or someone else, delivered to the congregation.
1 CORINTHIANS
Chapter 12, Verses 12-13
“How Many Baptisms Are There?”
[5-15-22]
Review: “God’s Giftings To Men!”
1 Corinthians 11:11) [NAS] But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
QUESTION: Why does the Triune God give these gifts to us?
ANSWER: God deals out these gifts so that each of us can benefit the whole body/the church.
QUESTION: Does speaking in tongues, a language that no one understands, benefit the body?
**ANSWER: No! That’s why the Holy Spirit gives some the gift of interpretation. Tongues, along with the gift of interpretation, equal the gift of prophecy.
Explaining the 9 Gifts of the Spirit:
- The word of wisdom: When this gift operates someone will explain to you what the wise course of action you should take in a certain situation.
- The word of knowledge: When this gift operates the individual who the Spirit is using will know something about you they wouldn’t ordinarily know.
- Faith: This is a special gift of faith. The one operating in this gift will be able to believe above his/her normal capacity to believe.
- The gifts of healing: When someone is operating in this gift people will be healed of their diseases.
- The working of miracles: This gift, when operated, would cause the miraculous to happen. Perhaps, someone with one leg would receive another.
- Prophecy: Someone who is operating in this gift will be enabled to speak the very word of God to you.
- The discerning of spirits: When this gift operates someone would be able to understand what spirit, the Holy Spirit or an evil spirit, is behind a thing.
- Divers kinds of tongues: The individual operating in this gift would be able to speak to the congregation in a language he/she doesn’t understand.
- The interpretation of tongues: The individual operating in this gift would be able to interpret the message in tongues that he, or someone else, delivered to the congregation.
This Week’s Lesson: “How Many Baptisms Are There?”
1 Corinthians 12:12-13) [NAS] 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.
QUESTION: In what way are the members of the body of Christ; a.k.a., the Church, like the human body?
ANSWER: Every member of the human body is uniquely different from the other members, and the same can be said about every member of the Church.
“Unity, not unvarying uniformity, is the law of God in the world of grace, as in that of nature” [JFB].
QUESTION: What is the above commentator telling us?
ANSWER: What can be said about the members of the human body and the members of the Church can also be said about the unique members of nature, itself.
**INTERESTING NOTE: A man would drown if under water too long; a fish would suffocate if out of the water too long.
John 3:3) [KJV] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
QUESTION: How does an individual become a member of the body of Christ?
ANSWER: God’s children are the members of His body; so we must be born into the family of God.
1 Peter 1:23-25) [KJV] Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
24) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
IMPORTANT QUESTION: How are we born into the family of God?
ANSWER: According to Peter in the above verses we are born into the family of God by believing the Gospel message, and consequently, putting our faith in Christ.
13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
QUESTION: Do we have to be baptized to become God’s children?
ANSWER: No! The Holy Spirit baptizing us into the body of Christ has nothing to do with water baptism. They are two very different things. Please note:
Three Baptisms:
- 1 Corinthians 12:13) [NAS] For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
- Matthew 28:19-20) [NAS] “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20) teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- Matthew 3:11) [NAS] “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Three Distinct Baptisms:
The Individual Baptizing: The Agent Being Baptized Into: The One Being Baptized:
- The Holy Spirit The body of Christ/Jesus Repentant sinner
- The preacher water The Christian
- The Lord Jesus The Holy Spirit The Christian
NOTE: The first baptism is salvation. The second baptism is water baptism, which is a sign/symbol of the first baptism. The third baptism is the baptism into the Holy Spirit.
ANOTHER NOTE: You can’t have different individuals baptizing you into different agents [the body of Christ, water, or the Holy Spirit] and call it the same baptism. These are three distinct baptisms.
CONSIDER: If the Holy Spirit baptizing you into Jesus is the same thing as Jesus baptizing you into the Holy Spirit, then why can’t we say that the preacher baptizing you into the water is the same thing as the water baptizing you into the preacher? If “The water baptized me into the preacher!” is a ridiculous statement because I can’t substitute the individual doing the baptizing with the agent being baptized into, then why is it O.K. to make that substitution with either baptism one or three so that I can insist they are the same baptism? Again, these are three distinct baptisms.