The Sign Gifts Enumerated (I Corinthians 12)

(Class Notes)

• Salvation: First Gift (I Corinthians 12:1-3)
  • Spiritual Gifts (I Corinthians 12:1)
    • In Greek, the noun is often implied to emphasize the adjective which describes it
      • The context indicates gifts (I Corinthians 12:4)
    • Spiritual gifts are NOT natural talents (e.g., Esau, a cunning hunter - Genesis 25:27)
    • Natural talents may be spiritually heightened as in the case of the builders of the tabernacle (Exodus 31:1-7)
    • Spiritual gifts are spiritual enablements of grace to perform a spiritual office within a spiritual body (Romans 12:3,6 cf. Ephesians 4:7-8)
  • Life before Salvation (I Corinthians 12:2)
    • The Gentiles were like their dumb idols (Psalms 135:15-18)
    • The spirit behind the dumb idols was Satan (Colossians 3:5 cf. Ephesians 2:2-3)
  • Salvarion and its Result (I Corinthians 12:3)
    • Salvation occurs by the Spirit's breaking forth the power of the gospel, so that it can be received by faith (I Thessalonians 1:5-6 ; I Thessalonians 2:13 cf. II Thessalonians 2:13-14)
    • Salvation yields an acknowledgement of the Lordship of Christ over ALL
      • Israel (Acts 2:30,33,36 cf. Romans 10:9-10)
      • Church (Ephesians 1:19-23; Ephesians 2:4-7; Colossians 3:1-4)

• One Spirit, Many Gifts (I Corinthians 12:4-11)
  • One Spirit, but many kinds of gifts (I Corinthians 12:4 cf. I Corinthians 12:7-11)
    • The Spirit distributes the gifts (I Corinthians 12:11)
  • One Lord, but many ministries (I Corinthians 12:5 cf. I Corinthians 12:12-27)
    • The Lord coordinates the members within the Body (Ephesians 4:15-16 cf. Colossians 2:19)
  • One God, but many operations (I Corinthians 12:6 cf. I Corinthians 12:28-31)
    • It is God Who energizes ALL the gifts (Philippians 2:13)
  • The Manifestation of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:7)
    • Each individual manifestation is for the profit of the whole (I Corinthians 14:12,26,40)
  • The Gifts of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:8-10)
    • Word of Wisdom is the speaking of Divine wisdom to answer human accusations
      • Stephen (Acts 6:8-10)
      • Tribulation saints (Luke 21:14-15)
    • Word of Knowledge is the utterance of facts which can ONLY be known by Divine revelation
      • Peter (Acts 5:1-11)
    • Faith is that which causes a visible answer to prayer (e.g., faith that can remove mountains - I Corinthians 13:2 cf. Matthew 21:21-22)
    • Gifts of healing to miraculously cure physical diseases were part of the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35)
    • Working of miracles was used to exercise power over the elements and demons
      • The Seventy over the demons (Luke 10:17)
      • The Two Witnesses over the elements (Revelation 11:3,6)
    • Prophecy is the declaration of the Word of God ("Thus saith the Lord" occurs 415 times in the OT)
      • Moses - Israel's greatest prophet (Exodus 4:21-23 cf. Deuteronomy 34:10-12)
    • Discerning of spirits is the detection of evil spirits
      • Spirit of Antichrist (I John 4:1-3)
    • Diverse kinds of tongues such as at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)
    • Interpretation of tongues was NOT needed for Israel (Acts 2:5-8 cf. Zephaniah 3:8-9)
  • The Distribution of the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:11)
    • Each individual believer is made to drink that which the Spirit supplies (I Corinthians 12:13)

• One Body, Many Members (I Corinthians 12:12-27)
  • One Body, Many Members (I Corinthians 12:12)
    • The Christ is a unique Pauline expression which refers to the Body of Christ as a whole
      • The Head and its members (I Corinthians 12:27 cf. Ephesians 4:15-16)
  • One Body, One Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13)
    • Each member is identified (baptized) with the one Body by the one Spirit
      • The baptism is an identification with Christ the Head in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4)
      • Israel was identified (baptized) unto Moses when he led them down through the Red Sea and up again (I Corinthians 10:1-2) - a type of death and resurrection
    • Each member is called upon to be zealous for experiencing the oneness with the other members which the Spirit has made and preserved
      • This is only made possible by ALL members sharing in the mind (attitude) of Christ the Head (Ephesians 4:1-3 cf. Philippians 2:3-8; II Corinthians 8:9)
  • The Body - NOT one member, BUT many members (I Corinthians 12:14-19)
    • NOT every member of the Body can hold the SAME position (I Corinthians 12:14-17 cf. Romans 12:4)
    • God arranged the members of the Body uniquely according to His own design and NOT ours (I Corinthians 12:18-19 cf. Romans 12:1-3)
  • The Body - many members, BUT one body (I Corinthians 12:20-26)
    • Each member of the Body has a relationship to the other members (I Corinthians 12:20-23 cf.
      Romans 12:5)
    • God designed the members of the Body to work together as one in unison with its Head (I Corinthians 12:24-26 cf. Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 2:19)
  • The Body and its Members (I Corinthians 12:27)
    • Collectively, ALL the members make up the one body and each member supplies its own contribution (Romans 12:6-8)

• Gifts and Greater Gifts (I Corinthians 12:28-31)
  • The Order of the Gifts

    I Corinthians 12:28	Ephesians 4:11-12
    Apostles	Apostles
    Prophets	Prophets
    Teachers	Evangelists
    ----------------------------------	Pastors
    ----------------------------------	Teachers
    Miracles	----------------------------------
    Gifts of Healings	----------------------------------
    Helps	----------------------------------
    Governments	----------------------------------
    Diversities of Tomgues	----------------------------------

  • ALL have NOT the SAME Gift (I Corinthians 12:29-30)
    • To one is given (I Corinthians 12:8)
    • To another - 8 times (I Corinthians 12:8-10)
  • The Greater Gifts (I Corinthians 12:31)
    • The Body collectively should give more prominence to the greater gifts, which edify the whole rather than the individuals
      • Particularly prophecy as opposed to tongues (I Corinthians 14:4-5) while Paul's message was in a partial (incomplete) state (I Corinthians 13:8-12 cf. Colossians 1:25-27; II Timothy 4:16-17)
  • The Surpassing Way (I Corinthians 12:31)
    • Love is the essential ingredient for ALL ministry (I Corinthians 13:1-7 cf. Galatians 5:13)

Study Outline

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