Today's Scripture
God’ Gifts – 1 Corinthians 12:7-31
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.
One Body with Many Members
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, 25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
RJ's Devotion
What the passage says
V. 7-11 Paul describes the Spiritual gifts, which are; wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of the spirits, tounges, and interpretations of the tounges.
V. 12-13 Then he says that we are all included in the body of Christ, through the Spirit.
V. 14-26 In the body, there are many parts. As we are called to be a body of Christ, we need to work together with others and care for each other.
V. 27-31 Paul points out that one person cannot have all the gifts. There should be no lone ranger in the church. He then says, “And I will show you a still more excellent way” (v. 31 NRSV), which is a segway to talk about ‘love’ in 1 Corinthians 13.
What does the passage say to me/us?
We need to have a clear understanding Spiritual Gifts.
First, by the Spirit, we are invited into the body, and each particular gift has a unique purpose to edify the body. The spiritual gift should not be used for our own interest, but for the common good, of the body. That is why Paul says, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (v. 7 NRSV). This is how the Message version says, “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits.”
Second, we need to understand why Paul was writing about spiritual gifts. As the Spirit manifested, in the early church, there were people, who started to misuse the gifts. Some even considered themselves better than others, because of the gift they received. So Paul was trying to tell the church that 1) the gifts should only come from the Spirit, 2) the member of the body should recognize each unique gifts, 3) and work together for the kingdom, 4) through loving and cooperating with each other. That is why we talk about love, which lubricates and connects people with different gifts.
Why does it matter for us?
We tend to think that Spiritual gifts are a foreign concept, only applicable to the early church or some charismatic denominations. However, the Spirit is still active. Not only that the Spiritual gifts have some supernatural gifts, but we also see that wisdom, faith, and trust is a valuable gift (Paul puts them before the supernatural gifts).
When the Church becomes closed or ignorant to the work of the Spirit, it stops to function as a body of Christ. A spiritual gift is what makes us one, and what makes the body work for the Kingdom.
On top of that, for all parts to work together for the Kingdom, we need love.
Then the question is, do we have the Spirit and love, in our body (church)?
Do we actively ask and seek for the Spirit to work in our lives? Paul does say, “But strive for the greater gifts” (v.31 NRSV).
Prayer
Lord, we are thankful that you include us in your body, through the spirit. We are thankful for the gifts you pour out in the body of Christ, and the gifts you will pour out for us. Help us to love one another and work together for your kingdom. Help us to grow, in your Spirit, and share this good news with others.
In Christ name, we pray, AMEN
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