OnGodsWord_spiritualmatters



	Spiritual Matters...1Corinthians 12:7-9 By Timothy W. Burnett

On the subject of spiritual matters, last week we looked at 1Corinthians 12:4-6. By the same holy spirit there are diversities of gifts. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ there are various ways to serve in the body of Christ. And it is the same God in heaven who is able to work mightily for all who believe. The words "gifts," "administrations" and "operations" were translated from the earlier known Greek words, charisma, diakonia and energema. The reason for noting the earlier known Greek words is so we might study their uses throughout the Gospels and the Epistles. This sort of study helps to understand better what God made available for all His saints in the body of Christ. We now continue with 1Corinthians 12:7-9, "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same spirit; to another faith, by the same spirit; to another the gifts of healing, by the same spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues; But all these work that one and the selfsame spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." The word "but" indicates a change of subject. Verses 4-6 referred to various gifts, services and workings [since publication of this column in The Post Dispatch, it was discovered that the "services" and "workings" fell under the category of gifts]. Then verse 7 started with, "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal." Please note that it did not say, "the gifts of the spirit." If God intended for the above nine to be gifts, He would have called them "gifts." Instead he called them nine ways to profit from the manifestation of holy spirit. One exception is "gifts of healing." Since God does not refer to the other eight as gifts, then we have no need to call them gifts. The manifestation of holy spirit is given to "every man." The words "every man" are better translated "each one." This can only refer to anybody who is filled with holy spirit. Next we learn the manifestation of the spirit is for each one's profiting. So how can we profit from the manifestation of holy spirit? God's got the answer. There are nine ways to profit. They include words of knowledge and wisdom, discerning of spirits, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues. They are all for our profit by the same spirit. Verse 11 teaches us that all nine work that one and the same spirit. The word "dividing" is better translated "distributing," and the word "severally" meant "his own." The pronoun "he" can only refer to the preceding noun "man." This verse can be more accurately translated, "But all these work that one and the selfsame spirit, distributing to each one his own, as he wills." Think of the spirit as a special package from God. When we give our children a gift that can be used in various approved ways, do we turn around and tell them that only one of the uses is the gift? No...we let them freely play with all its uses. Why would God who is greater than earthly parents treat His children any differently? Jesus Christ willfully gave his life so that anybody can be filled with the gift of holy spirit, and profit from that wonderful package in all nine different ways. Praise God for His matchless love!

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