1 Corinthians 12
1 Corinthians 12
[00:00:00] Hey everyone, welcome to God's plan, your part year two, where this year we're reading through and studying the entire New Testament one chapter at a time. Thanks again for joining us in discovering God's plan and your part in it. Today, we are talking about first Corinthians chapter 12. I think again, Paul is diving into dealing with.
Divisions that are occurring within the church. And it appears that there seems to have been significant division in the church surrounding spiritual gifts. So today, as we dive into first Corinthians 12, that seems to be the topic at hand. I didn't really realize that this was the spiritual gifts chapter, but as soon as we started reading it, it all came back to me like, this is where the gifts are listed and making sure that we don't elevate one.
Over. The other or making one more important than the other. So I think this chapter is really good for unifying the body when it comes to spiritual things. I think it's probably helpful too that they also are unifying the body after all of these other contentious [00:01:00] chapters full of. Just things that they were dealing with different understandings, opinions, even.
Um, so this chapter seems pretty timely. Certainly. It seems like out of all the new Testament letters, the Corinthian church, like the church in Corinth seemed to be like a more spiritual blend of people. They thought through things a little bit more spiritually than everyone. They were concerned about certain giftings and certain spiritual manifestations a little bit more than others.
And it seems like they actually were experiencing a lot of division because of it, the kind of the leading scholarly opinion on first Corinthians 12 and, and really the whole Corinthian church is that the, the people kind of. Saw people in like a hierarchy of importance and value based on what gifts they could display and that Promoted like a pretty unhealthy culture within the church because there was not a drive to be closer to Jesus There was a drive [00:02:00] to see and experience and show More kinds of spiritual gifts, different kinds of spiritual gifts, because they would value people more if they were able or capable of a certain kind of gifting.
Well, I think it sounds like at the beginning of the chapter in verse three, That he says, I want you to understand that no one speaking in the spirit of God ever says Jesus is a curse and no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. Um, I'm not sure why he calls this out specifically. I think, um, it definitely has something to do with speaking in tongues.
So there is like question about it, which makes me wonder, like, did people not appreciate speaking in tongues? Did that freak them out? Because I would say today what's so interesting is It's like highly sought after and you feel like I know at least I have felt like am I inadequate because that's something that I don't do like depending on the circle that you're in.[00:03:00]
Like, it's certainly not highly sought after everywhere. Okay. And the circles I've been even in, like, My very Brethren in Christ background, I would say, like, you would hear of those things sometimes, like, I know there were kids in my youth group that went on, you know, special retreats or whatever, or I knew a girl that had gone to, like, a ministry school after high school.
And when she and I went to the same church, and when she told me about, like, falling over and people speaking in tongues over her, it was like, oh, like, you must be really special because I don't, I've never experienced that. And then more recently for us having been in much more charismatic circles, it's like, Again, that's not something that I do, I guess, but it seems very.
Prevalent in the charismatic church. So big picture for first Corinthians 12, Paul seems to indicate that there are different spiritual gifts. Not [00:04:00] everybody has all of the spiritual gifts, though. You are called to desire, uh, the higher gifts. That's at the end of the chapter. And. You're not supposed to categorize or value people differently based on the gifts that they bring to the body of Christ.
So Paul kind of starts out the chapter talking about different kinds of gifts. He also wraps up the chapter talking about different kinds of gifts. And then the middle of the chapter is basically about what it means to be part of a body. And it's, Corinthians, because we've been seeing over and over again, these, these Division kind of problems.
And here the people are actually using gifts from God gifts, like produced through the Holy spirit, um, to promote division among themselves. And it's, it's easy to look at that and be like, wow, what a crazy church. That must've been so crazy, but it's like, man, I think we still unintentionally do that.
Sometimes I think your example is great. Like [00:05:00] you hear about somebody that's part of a more charismatic church. You hear about somebody when you're group, you hear about somebody that went to a church camp that like did things a little bit differently. It's like, wow, they must've been so much closer to God because they could do that.
It doesn't happen at home. Right. But I do wonder, like coming back to my main question is like, it, it seems like Paul is trying to set the Corinthians at ease that although someone is speaking in tongues, it's not a weird or bad thing because it seems like it may not have been as popular. I mean, not popular, but not as.
desirable to have that gifting. Whereas I would say today, people very much desire to have, it seems like it's a switch to me. I would say in the Corinthian church, actually, I think it appears to have been like a, and actually like elevated and highlighted, spiritual gift. And, and there would have been those who were promoting this elevated and highlighted spiritual gift and people that were like, nah, I'm not into that.
Exactly. And so Paul, Paul does this really interesting thing. We've talked about the [00:06:00] gift of Speaking in tongues a couple of times, uh, one Paul talks often about like speaking in tongues is a thing, but interpreting tongues is a thing. And later on, he's going to talk about how if somebody is speaking in tongues publicly, there should be interpretation publicly so that there is edification happening in the body.
It's not just this crazy gathering of people speaking nonsense. Um, but also here, he seems to kind of like, Hey, There is a right way to do this. Like nobody speaking by the spirit of God can say like, like the only way to say that Jesus is Lord is by the spirit of God. Um, actually let me just quote the actual book cause I feel like I'm messing it up.
Um, verse three, therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking the spirit God ever says Jesus is accursed And no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. So it is important for us today to recognize It is not even possible to recognize Jesus as Lord, unless you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Um, and, and that does [00:07:00] have real world implications for us today. Also, you and I have talked a lot about tongues specifically on the podcast. 100 percent people fake speaking in tongues. 100 percent they do. We've seen it. That doesn't mean it's not a spiritual gift. Like just because someone abuses something or misrepresents something doesn't mean that that thing is not real.
In fact, it actually probably means it is real because they're like presenting a counterfeit of something that is based on. And so Paul here seems to say like, Hey, Speaking in tongues is not a terrible thing, but also it's not necessarily a higher, more valuable thing. The thing that's important is actually playing out your role within the body of Christ and not valuing one person as more than another person.
So I definitely appreciate in these verses, like towards the end of this section, essentially till like verse 11, just these different giftings that the spirit gives. And I can like put people in my mind. that I have known or interacted with [00:08:00] or that have impacted my own life that have had these certain giftings.
And I know it goes into a little bit more detail at the end of the chapter from like 28. It's basically like, it's basically verse 28. Um, but people that had various types of giftings that without those people, I, like my faith would look drastically different. So I love that. I just, I can think of the body working so well together.
Based on the giftings that I've seen and bodies of believers that I have been a part of. So I'm going to try to do like a really high level view and do this justice. Cause you're talking about like set versus seven through like 11. Um, if you, if you start in verse eight, one is given the utterance of wisdom and another, the utterance of knowledge, two views on that one is that it's actually a word of knowledge, like a supernatural thing revealed to you by God, that somebody couldn't possibly know unless it was revealed.
The other view on that is just. It's just actually being wise and understanding how to apply God's word in a [00:09:00] timely way. I don't think those two things are opposed to each other. I think they support each other. Um, but I, but I do want to represent these different views, um, to another faith by the same spirit, like people are able to be encouraged towards faith gifts of healing.
That means there are still gifts of healing, uh, working of miracles, same kind of thing. Like there are people that have a supernatural ability to perform miracles all empowered by the Holy spirit, by the way. Don't. Don't hear me saying it's that individual. Hear me saying it is God to another prophecy, um, to another, the ability to distinguish between spirits.
There's two views on prophecy. One prophecy is being able to speak like things that have not yet occurred, but will occur in the future. If somebody has the gift of prophecy, we should be able to evaluate those prophecies and we should be able to see like, Hey, this actually is, they should have a track record of.
Reliable prophecies. Also, another view on prophecy, um, prophecy historically was understood to just be like proclaiming God's word. So sometimes people will represent just [00:10:00] actual like teachers and pastors as having the gift of prophecy because they are proclaiming the word that has already been revealed.
Um, distinguishing between spirits and other various kinds of tongues. That is. Um, speaking in tongues, sometimes it's languages, sometimes it's spiritual utterances to another, the interpretation of tongues, being able to actually interpret either that language or that utterance. So there is like, again, a lot of informed views on this.
I think we can work together on these things. I also think it's clear that God Is still moving and working. The Holy Spirit is still doing things today. The Holy Spirit has not stopped doing things today. And what's really cool. You were mentioning like, this is all through the spirit verse seven, right before the listing of some of those gifts is to each is given the man.
Manifestation of the spirit for the common good. So from the spirit, he is enabling us. to have these giftings for the common good of each of us. That's kind of what I was saying earlier. If not for this person in my life that had this special, like spiritual gifting from the spirit, my [00:11:00] faith would probably be, it would be different in that aspect.
It wouldn't have been encouraged in that way or, or moved in that way or given a word in that way to somehow build up my faith. So again, we move into this next section, which kind of just like draws it out even more where Paul is referring to the body. of Christ as like a body with many parts, many members.
And like it, we've heard, I've heard this a bazillion times, but I always love this illustration because if you even think of your own body without certain things, it's very challenging. It's very difficult. Um, so we each serve a unique part. And if we were all the same, it would be, you know, It would not work.
So I just, I've always loved this illustration. It's a great teaching tool. Uh, but I think it's probably really helpful for the audience that Paul is writing to. And it's critical for us today to continue to understand that all of us play a valuable part of this body. So there's two sides of that. We should not value one part extremely higher [00:12:00] over other.
Parts paul actually talks about that like let's not honor each other in like two different levels. Let's unify the body Also, we should not put down people for like different gifts that they have and I think some of the ways that we Do church, unfortunately, like promote certain gifts and certain talents, um, while devaluing other gifts in town.
So we need to be really careful about that. Uh, I just think like this is a critical thing. It still applies to us today. This body imagery is really helpful. Uh, another line that's really helpful just in the Corinthian context, but I think continuing into today, um, verse 13 for in one spirit, we were all about baptized into one body Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and All were made to drink of one spirit.
Basically Paul is saying, and there were in that church, like there would have been actual slaves and sometimes slaves and masters worshiping God together. This was a huge problem in the early church trying to figure out, Hey, we're all of the same value. We're all on the same [00:13:00] level. How does that work when like God sees us one way, but the world still functions another way.
Um, so I just love that. Paul constantly calls out like, Hey, Jews, Greek slaves free. You're all the same. Let's value each other, support each other as the parts of a body do. It's just a really powerful image. So I think this, that kind of like really wraps up what the chapter is about. Uh, but I think, have you noticed any specific verses that would jump out at us for a specific year part?
This is lame. We always try not to, uh, pick like the final one. The final verse, um, let me see, but earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you still a more excellent way. Um, Paul's saying like, Hey, let's figure out the best way to edify the body in the best way possible. So people are not more valuable based on what they bring.
The mission is what's valuable. The body is what's valuable honoring Christ is what's valuable. So let's work together to find. The, the, the most, uh, [00:14:00] beneficial way to exercise these gifts and support each other. Well, and what's interesting is this is like a critical verse because it takes us right into first Corinthians 13, which is all about how love supports that mission of being like working together and representing Christ.
Well, correct me if I'm wrong. I, from what I'm understanding is where it says desire higher gifts. It is in a way, like if this is your gifting, desire to do other things as well so that you can build up people in more than one way. And I think that's actually helpful too because it helps you to look inward and see like, okay, what am I lacking and what can I do better in to help people.
To support the body. To edify other believers. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. So it's not trying to climb a ladder and being more important or more valuable. It's trying to support the body well to honor Christ in the, like in the best way possible. And he's going to reveal the more excellent way [00:15:00] tomorrow in first Corinthians 13, which is love.
Love, love. So a lot of times you, a lot of times you'll hear first Corinthians 13, like on its own, and it actually needs to be understood in context, like probably starting in chapter 12 and running through the end of chapter 14. So anyway, stick around. Actually, it won't be tomorrow. It will be Monday. But on Monday, we'll be diving into first Corinthians 13, the love chapter.
We'll see you then. Thanks for joining today's episode of God's Plan, Your Part. As always, please consider partnering with us as we are a listener supported podcast that we hope to continue to grow with support from listeners just like you. We've made it super easy to partner with us, and you can support us by following the link in our show notes or our description.
You can support us with as little as 3 a month. Every little bit of this helps so much, and we're so thankful for your support. With that in mind, we'll see you next time. Here's today's reading. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were led [00:16:00] astray to mute idols, however you were led.
Therefore, I want you to understand that no one's Speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, Jesus is accursed. And no one can say Jesus is Lord except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of service but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between Spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. [00:17:00] 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. For in one spirit we were all baptized into one body, Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, and all were made to drink of one spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member, but of many. If the foot should 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. And if the ear should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body, that would not make it any less part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need for you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need for you. On the [00:18:00] contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable, we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our presentable parts do not require.
But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together. If one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.
And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues?
Do all interpret, but earnestly desire the higher gifts? And [00:19:00] I will show you still a more excellent way. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of God's Plan, Your Part. Don't forget you can find us on just about every social media platform. Let us know what you thought of today's episode. And if you have any questions, go ahead and post them there.
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