Week 4 Day 1-Spiritual Gifts

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Day 1 – Spiritual Gifts – Part 1

Appreciating our design and differences in gifts (1 Corinthians 12:14-19)

¹⁴For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵If the foot should say, “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. ¹⁶And if the ear should say, “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. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. ¹⁹And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

     Verse 14-18. Addressing those who felt unappreciated, Paul emphasized that the church is made up of diverse and equally important parts. If one is not gifted with the more obvious gifts, he or she is still important to the cause of Christ.

     God places believers with their gifts within the church as He pleases. Each person is important to the functioning of the whole. We can seek the greater gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1), but not to the exclusion of the gifts which God has already bestowed on us. He is the source of every good gift for the church body.

     Verse 19. We must appreciate how God has gifted us individually! If one person is gifted in faith and effectively prays for hours a day, should others feel less a part of the church because they have never prayed that long? Absolutely not!       

Accepting diversity and distinctive gifts in others (1 Corinthians 12:20-25)

²⁰But now there are many members, but one body. ²¹And 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.” ²²One the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness. ²⁴whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, ²⁵that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

     Verse 20, 25. The emphasis switches from the believer’s self-view to the believer’s view of others. We must accept the diversity of gifts in others and appreciate one another without our diversity dividing us. We should want diversity without division. Our differences are necessary and healthy for the body. Failure to accept those differences will negatively affect the church.     

         Verse 21-24. Paul goes to the absurd in making his case to accept one another as distinctly individual. His absurdity is to shame those who have looked down on others within the church who were not as gifted as they were. He even deemed them weaker, yet necessary.

         If some church members think that those who are gifted with “lesser gifts” are less important, they are wrong. Christ taught that those who do not receive their visible recognition here on earth for their service to God will receive them in heaven.

         Here are the partial listings of the spiritual gifts.

1.  Ministerial Gifts (found in Ephesians)

      • Apostles         • Prophets         • Evangelists     • Pastors/Teachers

2.   Motivational Gifts (found listed in Romans 12 and 1 Peter 4)

      • Prophecy        • Service             • Teaching         • Exhortation

      • Giving            • Leadership       • Mercy             • Hospitality

                                • Speaking          • Suffering

3.   Manifestational Gifts (found in 1 Corinthians 12, 14)

      • Word of Wisdom                     • Faith               • Prophecy

      • Word of Knowledge                • Healing           • Miracles

      • Distinguishing of                     • Helps

         Spirits (Discernment)              • Administration

      • Tongues (Languages)               • Interpretation

         There is no single listing of all of the gifts in one place in the Bible, and there are other gifts listed in Scripture in addition to these listed above–(garment-making in Exodus 28:3, craftsmanship in Exodus 31:3, celibacy in Matthew 19:11 and 1 Corinthians 7:7, martyrdom in 1 Corinthians 13:3). All gifts are not for every church, nor is a church limited to these spiritual gifts alone. The emphasis should not be on the gifts, but on the Giver and on the edification of the entire church.

Day 2, Spiritual Gifts part 2