New Life Bible Fellowship Church
8/23/2026

      • Psalm 18:1–3ESV

  • Jesus, Your Name
  • What Grace Is Mine

      • Proverbs 30:15–33ESV

  • Introduction:

    We’ve come a long way in 1 Corinthians. We’ve seen what happens to a church that is living in a culture that is sef focused, pleasure seeking, and overall godless. We’ve seen the effects of that culture when it infiltrates the church—we’ve seen the disunity, self-centeredness, problems with marraige, sexual promiscuity, the demanding of rights, the infighting, the loss of gender distinction, and even the abuse of the Lord’s Table, which should have been a time of unified Spiritual nourishment and celebration. Paul now deals with a problem that theatens to squeeze the very life out of the church; that threatens to rip it apart rather than build it up. Paul begins by saying:
    "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed."
    With these words, Paul begins a new section (within the section on worship in the church) that will occupy him for three chapters. The Corinthians had questions about spiritual gifts—and problems with how they used them. Paul writes to correct their confusion and reorient their thinking.
    The Corinthians were not lacking in gifts. Paul had already told them: "You are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1:7). They had the full range of spiritual endowments. The problem was not absence but abuse—not scarcity but chaos.
    What was happening in Corinth? It seems some believers were elevating certain gifts—especially tongues—as marks of superior spirituality. Those who spoke in tongues considered themselves more spiritual than those who did not. The result was pride, division, and disorder in worship.
    Today we learn that spiritual gifts are not ladders for climbing but tools for serving. They come from one source, serve one purpose, and are distributed by one will. In a church tempted to rank and compare, Paul points to the Triune God who gives all gifts for the good of all.
    Let's open our Bibles to 1 Corinthians 12:1.

    Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

    1 Corinthians 12:1–11 ESV
    1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 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. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

    Main Idea: The Holy Spirit distributes diverse gifts to each believer as He wills, for the common good of the body.

    Background:

    The Corinthian Problem - The exact nature of the Corinthian problem must be inferred from Paul's response. Several issues emerge:

    Overvaluation of Tongues - Chapter 14 makes clear that tongues were being elevated above other gifts. Some Corinthians apparently viewed tongues-speaking as the supreme mark of spirituality.
    Pride and Division - The body metaphor in 12:12-26 addresses those who feel superior ("I have no need of you") and those who feel inferior ("I do not belong to the body"). Both attitudes reflect disordered thinking about gifts.
    Disorder in Worship - Chapter 14:26-40 addresses chaotic worship where multiple people spoke in tongues simultaneously without interpretation. Paul's repeated emphasis on edification and order shows the problem.
    Possible Ecstatic Background - Paul's reference to their pagan past (12:2) suggests some Corinthians may have confused Christian Spirit-inspired speech with pagan ecstatic experiences. The distinction needed to be clarified.
    There is significant theological disagreement about whether the sign gifts that we will mention below (prophesies, healings, tongues) remain active today, with two primary interpretive camps offering competing frameworks.
    The Continuationist Position
    Continuationists maintain that spiritual gifts remain operative for believers, pointing to the absence of any biblical statement limiting these gifts to a specific historical period.
    The Cessationist Position
    Cessationists argue that charismatic gifts served a unique purpose during the apostolic era—spreading the gospel and providing divine communication before the New Testament was finalized—and that this function ceased after that initial period.
    Talent vs. Spiritual Gift:
    The fundamental distinction lies in their source and nature. A natural talent is an ability a person may possess from birth and develop, whereas a spiritual gift is given supernaturally by God at the moment of conversion. This timing matters significantly—talents emerge through natural inheritance and development, while spiritual gifts arrive through divine bestowal at salvation.
    The purpose further separates them. Natural talents benefit mankind on the natural level, while spiritual gifts benefit mankind on the spiritual level. A person might excel at music, mathematics, or athletics through natural ability, but these don’t necessarily serve the church’s edification or advance God’s kingdom in a spiritual sense. It is incorrect to equate a natural ability with a spiritual gift—someone might say their gift is baking pies or playing piano, but those are wonderful and useful abilities, not spiritual gifts.
    However, when believers are converted, the gifts that are theirs by virtue of creation can and should be used for the Lord, and we might then call them “spiritual,” although they are quite natural.
    So while talents and spiritual gifts remain distinct categories, the passage suggests they can overlap in function. A natural ability becomes “spiritual” when a converted believer dedicates it to God’s purposes, yet true spiritual gifts operate through supernatural empowerment that transcends natural capacity.
    First, lets look at…

    I. The Foundation: Jesus Is Lord (vv. 1-3)

    1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
    Περὶ δέ (Peri de) — "Now concerning" - This formula signals a new topic, likely responding to their letter (cf. 7:1, 25; 8:1; 16:1, 12).
    τῶν πνευματικῶν (tōn pneumatikōn) — "Spiritual things/persons" - The ambiguity is likely intentional. Paul will address both the nature of gifts and what makes someone truly "spiritual."
    οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν (ou thelō hymas agnoein) — "I do not want you to be ignorant" - A common Pauline formula for introducing important teaching (cf. Rom 1:13; 11:25; 1 Thess 4:13). The Corinthians had knowledge (γνῶσις) but apparently lacked understanding about spiritual gifts.
    2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led.
    ἔθνη (ethnē) — "Gentiles / Pagans / Nations" - Paul reminds them of their pre-Christian identity. They were pagans, outside the covenant people.
    ἀπαγόμενοι (apagomenoi) — "Being led away" - The verb suggests being led like prisoners or animals. Their pagan experience was passive manipulation, not true spiritual encounter. This sets up the contrast with genuine Spirit-inspiration.
    τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα (ta eidōla ta aphōna) — "The mute idols" - The idols could not speak. This contrasts with the living God who speaks through His Spirit. Pagan worship involved silence from the gods; Christian worship involves the Spirit's communication.
    The Logic of Verse 2:
    Paul reminds them of their pagan past to establish a contrast. In paganism, they were led to voiceless idols—manipulated, deceived, following mute gods. Christian experience is different: the Spirit speaks, the Spirit reveals, the Spirit empowers genuine communication.
    Some Corinthians may have confused ecstatic pagan experiences with Christian spiritual gifts. Paul draws a sharp line.
    3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
    ἀνάθεμα Ἰησοῦς (anathema Iēsous) — "Jesus is accursed" - Why would anyone say this? The precise situation is unclear, but the principle is clear: the Spirit never leads anyone to curse Jesus.
    κύριος Ἰησοῦς (kyrios Iēsous) — "Jesus is Lord" - The fundamental Christian confession. To call Jesus "Lord" (κύριος, kyrios—the LXX term for YHWH) is to acknowledge His deity and sovereignty.
    ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ (en pneumati hagiō) — "In the Holy Spirit" - Only by the Spirit's work can anyone genuinely confess Jesus as Lord. This is not mere verbal repetition but heartfelt acknowledgment of Christ's lordship.
    The Logic of Verse 3:
    Paul provides a basic criterion for discerning the Spirit's work: content. The Spirit never leads anyone to curse Jesus; the Spirit always leads to confession of Jesus' lordship.
    This establishes that the Spirit's primary work is Christological. The Spirit exalts Christ. Any supposed "spiritual" experience that denigrates Jesus is not from the Spirit.
    We see next that this same Holy Spirit provides unified diversity:

    II. The Diversity in Unity (vv. 4-6)

    We shall see here the trinity, the triunity of God, are each involved in their own way in these spiritual gifts:
    4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
    διαίρεσις (diairesis) — "Variety / Distribution / Division" - The word emphasizes both diversity (different kinds) and distribution (the Spirit apportions). There are many different gifts, but they come from one source.
    χάρισμα (charisma) — "Gift / Grace-gift" - From χάρις (charis, "grace"). A charisma is a gift of grace—freely given, unearned, for service.
    τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα (to auto pneuma) — "The same Spirit" - Despite the variety, the source is singular. The one Spirit gives all the diverse gifts.
    5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
    διακονία (diakonia) — "Service / Ministry" - Different forms of service—ways of using the gifts. The gifts are exercised in service to Christ the Lord.
    ὁ αὐτὸς κύριος (ho autos kyrios) — "The same Lord" - The Lord Jesus is the one whom all service honors. Different services, same Lord served.
    6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
    ἐνέργημα (energēma) — "Working / Activity / Effect" - The actual operations or effects of the gifts. Different results, same God producing them.
    ὁ ἐνεργῶν τὰ πάντα ἐν πᾶσιν (ho energōn ta panta en pasin) — "The one working all things in all" - God the Father is the ultimate source of all power. He works all the various effects in all the various people.
    The Trinitarian Structure:
    (4) Varieties of gifts (χαρίσματα): Same Spirit
    (5) Varieties of services (διακονίαι): Same Lord (Jesus)
    (6) Varieties of activities (ἐνεργήματα): Same God (Father)
    The diversity of gifts is grounded in the unity of the Triune God. The Spirit distributes gifts; the Lord is served by ministries; the Father empowers all activities. Three distinct persons, one unified source.
    So we’ve seen thus far, that we can discern the authenticity of these gifts by their emphesis on Christ and His Lordship, and that these truly Spiritual gifts are diverse yet unified because they reflect the Triune God. Now let’s look at the specific distribution of these gifts:

    III. The Distribution of Gifts (vv. 7-11)

    These lists function as illustrative examples rather than exhaustive catalogs. Scholars generally agree that Paul’s list in 1 Corinthians 12:8–10 is representative, not exhaustive, and this is probably true for each of the lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament—including Romans 12 and the lists in Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4.
    However, the Corinthian context matters significantly. Tongues were the main reason Paul addressed “spiritual gifts” (pneumatika) at this point in the letter. Paul wasn’t cataloging all possible gifts; he was addressing the specific problems in Corinth by demonstrating that their obsession with certain gifts overlooked the Spirit’s broader work in the community.
    7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
    ἑκάστῳ (hekastō) — "To each one" - Every believer receives something. No one is left out. The gifts are distributed to all, not just an elite few.
    ἡ φανέρωσις τοῦ πνεύματος (hē phanerōsis tou pneumatos) — "The manifestation of the Spirit" - The gifts are ways the Spirit makes Himself visible—manifests His presence and power. Each gift is a disclosure of the Spirit's work.
    πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον (pros to sympheron) — "For the common good / For the benefit" - This is the purpose statement. Gifts are not given for private enjoyment or personal status. They are given for the benefit of all—the common good of the body.
    συμφέρω (sympherō) — "To bring together for advantage / To be profitable" - The same word appeared in 6:12 and 10:23. What matters is not just what is lawful but what is beneficial.
    The Logic of Verse 7 - Two crucial points:
    Universal distribution: Every believer receives a manifestation of the Spirit. No one can say, "I have no gift." No one can say, "I don't belong."
    Corporate purpose: Every gift is for the common good. No one can say, "My gift is for me alone." Gifts are given for others' benefit.
    8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
    (G1) λόγος σοφίας (logos sophias) — "Word/Utterance of wisdom" - Not wisdom in general but the ability to speak wisdom in specific situations. This may involve applying divine wisdom to practical problems, giving wise counsel, or proclaiming the wisdom of the cross (cf. 1:18-25; 2:6-7).
    (G2) λόγος γνώσεως (logos gnōseōs) — "Word/Utterance of knowledge" - The ability to speak revealed knowledge—perhaps insight into divine mysteries, understanding of Scripture, or knowledge of specific situations. Distinguished from wisdom (σοφία), which applies knowledge practically.
    9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
    (G3) πίστις (pistis) — "Faith" - Not saving faith (all believers have that) but extraordinary faith for specific tasks—mountain-moving faith (13:2), trust that enables bold action or perseverance through trials (George Muller).
    (G4) χαρίσματα ἰαμάτων (charismata iamatōn) — "Gifts of healings" - Both nouns are plural—"gifts of healings." This may suggest different healing abilities for different conditions, or individual acts of healing as distinct gifts.
    10 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.
    (G5) ἐνεργήματα δυνάμεων (energēmata dynameōn) — "Workings of powers/miracles" - Powerful deeds beyond healing—exorcisms, nature miracles, signs and wonders. The plural suggests various kinds of powerful works.
    (G6) προφητεία (prophēteia) — "Prophecy" - Speaking God's word to the congregation. This includes forthtelling (proclaiming God's will) and may include foretelling (predicting future events). Paul will emphasize prophecy's value in chapter 14.
    (G7) διακρίσεις πνευμάτων (diakriseis pneumatōn) — "Distinguishing/Discerning of spirits" - The ability to discern whether a spiritual manifestation is from the Holy Spirit, a human spirit, or an evil spirit. Essential for testing prophecy (14:29) and protecting the church from deception.
    (G8) γένη γλωσσῶν (genē glōssōn) — "Kinds/Types of tongues" - Speaking in languages not learned—whether human languages (as at Pentecost) or heavenly language (cf. 13:1). The plural "kinds" suggests diversity within this gift category.
    (G9) ἑρμηνεία γλωσσῶν (hermēneia glōssōn) — "Interpretation of tongues" - The ability to translate or interpret tongues-speech so the congregation can understand. Paul will insist that tongues in the assembly must be interpreted (14:27-28).
    Notes on the List: The Structure
    Gifts 1-2: Speech gifts (wisdom, knowledge)
    Gift 3: Faith
    Gifts 4-5: Power gifts (healing, miracles)
    Gifts 6-7: Revelatory gifts (prophecy, discernment)
    Gifts 8-9: Tongues gifts (tongues, interpretation)
    Repeated Emphasis on "Same Spirit" - Throughout the list, Paul repeats variations of "same Spirit," "one Spirit." The diversity is real, but the unity of source is equally real.
    Paul now wraps things up with one summary statement:
    11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
    τὸ ἓν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα (to hen kai to auto pneuma) — "The one and the same Spirit" - Maximum emphasis on unity. After listing nine diverse gifts, Paul stresses again: one Spirit is the source of all.
    ἐνεργέω (energeō) — "To work / To be active / To produce" - The Spirit actively works all these gifts. They are not human achievements but divine operations.
    διαιρέω (diaireō) — "To divide / To distribute / To apportion" - The Spirit distributes gifts—parceling them out to different people. The distribution is His action.
    ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ (idia hekastō) — "Individually to each" - Each person receives their own particular gift(s). The distribution is personal—tailored to individuals.
    καθὼς βούλεται (kathōs bouletai) — "As He wills" - The Spirit distributes according to His own will—His sovereign choice. Not according to our merit, desire, or request, but according to His purpose.
    βούλομαι (boulomai) — "To will / To wish / To purpose" - This verb emphasizes deliberate intention. The Spirit's distribution is purposeful, not random.
    The Logic of Verse 11 - Paul concludes the section with emphasis on:
    Unity of source: One Spirit works all gifts
    Individuality of distribution: Each person receives personally
    Sovereignty of the Spirit: He distributes as He wills
    This eliminates:
    Boasting (you didn't earn your gift; the Spirit chose)
    Envy (the Spirit gave you what He intended; trust His wisdom)
    Superiority (all gifts come from the same source)
    Inferiority (you received what the Spirit chose for you)

    So What?

    Do we understand that we are to test spiritual experiences by their content, and recognize the Triune God as the source of all gifts?
    Does this experience lead to honoring Jesus as Lord? Does it exalt Christ or something else? The Spirit's work is always Christocentric.
    John 16:12–15 ESV
    12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
    Your gift comes from the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit. It is divine grace, not human achievement. Receive it with humility and gratitude.
    Do we understand that every believer has a gift, and must use it for others, not themselves?
    You are not gift-less. The Spirit has given you something for the body's benefit. Discover your gift and use it.
    The purpose is the common good. Ask: How does my gift serve the church? How does it build up others?
    How do I find what my gift is?
    Pray that the Holy Spirit, the source of all gifts, might reveal it to you.
    Seek out the needs of the church, and see if you have been given the ability to meet those needs.
    Discern what talents you have been given that you are passionate about and ask yourself, “Can I use this talent for God’s Glory to build up the Church?”
    Do we understand therefore, that we are not to boast about our gift, nor are we to envy others' gifts, but we are to celebrate the diversity of gifts?
    You didn't choose it or earn it. The Spirit distributed as He willed. Boasting is absurd.
    The Spirit gave you what He intended. Trust His wisdom. Your gift is exactly what the body needs from you.
    Different gifts are not a problem to solve but a design to embrace. The body needs variety. Thank God for gifts different from yours.

      • 1 Corinthians 12:1–11ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 12:1–3ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 12:4–6ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 12:7–11ESV

  • Turn Your Eyes
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
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