'1Cor 12:1-11

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1Co 12:1-14:40 SPIRITUAL GIFTS IN THE CHURCH

The variety of gifts (1Co 12:1-11)

Some unusual spiritual gifts operated in the early church. One of these caused people to speak with strange sounds (commonly referred to as ‘tongues’) that neither they nor the hearers understood unless someone interpreted them. Some at Corinth, still influenced by attitudes from former idolatrous days, were impressed by such things and considered those who so spoke to be spiritually superior. However, the situation got out of control and people said things that were wrong, such as ‘Jesus be cursed!’ This shows, says Paul, that speaking in tongues is not necessarily speaking by the Holy Spirit (1Co 12:1-3).

Different gifts and different types of service do not indicate different levels of spirituality. Nor should they produce competition or jealousy, for the same triune God works through a variety of people for the spiritual development of all (1Co 12:4-7).

Whatever the gifts, they are all given by the Spirit of God. Some people have gifts of wisdom and knowledge (1Co 12:8).

Others have unusual abilities, such as faith to do the apparently impossible and power to heal sickness and disease (1Co 12:9).

Further gifts enable various people to work miracles, to speak words from God, to tell the difference between those gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not, to speak in tongues, and to interpret tongues so that they become understandable to the hearers (1Co 12:10).

The one God gives all these gifts, and he gives them according to his will (1Co 12:11).