Spiritual Gifts
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 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 worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Corinthians 12:1-11)
Today’s Morsel: One of the things about Paul’s letters to the church is they can sometimes seem confusing if we are not willing to read and study them. If we desire to gain an understand and prevent confusion, then we must search the scriptures. Even Isaiah tells us in his writings: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.” (Isaiah 28:9-13) Sometimes we may read something in one of Paul’s letters to a different church, and it can seem confusion and different then what He had said before. But like any follow-up letter written, you usually explain something better the second time around when people do not get it the first time. When it comes to spiritual gifts, which are used in the church to edify the body, some think that Paul refutes their being used, and that not everyone receives them. That is not the case. To prevent confusion, Paul tries to explain how these gifts ought to be used in the church. For example, he stated that everyone ought not to be speaking in tongues in the church at the same time because it would be confusing to the unbeliever sitting in the church. He isn’t refuting the gifts; he is explaining the use of the gifts for their intended purposes. And that is for edification and instruction once you receive them. Everyone that receives the gift of the Holy Ghost will speak in tongues as the Spirit gives them utterance. See (Acts 2:1-4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:1-6, Acts 11:1-18). Tongues is your individual sign that you have received God’s spirit. But when it comes to using the gift of tongues for the edification of the body, and the interpretation of tongues, not everyone will receive this gifting and thus use this gift for that purpose. And the same is true with the other giftings. Again, we must read and study the scriptures to gain a complete understanding.
Sing: Let Jesus lead you, let Jesus lead you, let Jesus lead you all the way. All the way from, earth to glory, let Jesus lead you all the way.
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