Spiritual Gifts Be Informed
Tom Shrader begins an expository series on spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12:1-7, explaining that Paul wrote to correct confusion and counterfeiting in the Corinthian church. He walks through the foundational truth that the Holy Spirit is the single source behind the diversity of gifts, ministries, and effects, and that every believer without exception receives a spiritual gift at conversion. The practical thrust of the message is that these gifts are not burdensome obligations but joyful divine enablements, given for the equipping and building up of the body of Christ.
“Every Christian has a gift. It's given — it's the manifestation. God's still the source of it. The Spirit's still there. It demonstrates the Spirit's work in our life, but every Christian at conversion receives a spiritual gift.”
— Tom Shrader
Series: 1 Corinthians
Recorded: 2001 at East Valley Bible Church
Duration: 37 min
Themes: spiritual gifts, holy spirit, serving the church, unity, diversity, calling, church growth, gifting, new believer, confused about gifts, feeling purposeless, wondering how to serve, young adult, church member, questioning charismatic gifts, seeking spiritual direction
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:1-7, 1 Corinthians 1:9, 1 Corinthians 6:11, Romans 1:13, Romans 6:17, Romans 11:25, Romans 12, 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Ephesians 4:12, Titus 3:3, Mark 14, Acts 20, 2 Corinthians 11:14
Theological Themes: pneumatology, charismata, spiritual gifts theology, ecclesiology, body of christ, common good, expository preaching, indwelling spirit
Full Transcript
Introduction: Why Spiritual Gifts Matter
Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. We are going to begin today — and the operative word here is "begin" — examining this whole area of spiritual gifts. Paul writes to this church, and he is very clear that he wants them to understand spiritual gifts because they are crucial for the people in the church to grow individually and for that church to grow corporately. What became obvious to me is that to really deal with this study is going to take weeks and weeks. That means, for you to understand what Paul is teaching here, you are going to have to commit yourself to faithfully attend and to work.
There is no one singular message I can deliver in 45 minutes that is going to cover all of this, so we will try to knit this together and present some continuity of thought. That is the beauty, I think, of teaching verse by verse — you deal with these areas in their completeness. We do that this morning.
We also know that when we talk about spiritual gifts, in our day and age that raises some questions, especially about certain gifts. What about the gift of tongues? What about the gift of healing and miracles? Do they exist? How do they exist? How do we use them? Hopefully we will answer all of those questions. I ask you to be patient and at the same time diligent as we work our way through this area that is so important. Paul goes out of his way to spell out how important it was to that church at Corinth, and how equally important it is for us today.
Reading the Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1–7
Let's look at the first seven verses. We will read them and then spend our time on them this morning.
Verse one, chapter 12: "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus is accursed,' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are varieties of ministries, but the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all people. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
Those are the seven verses we will look at this morning.
"Spiritual Gifts": What the Words Mean
In verse one, Paul says, "Now concerning spiritual gifts." If you look at your translation, in all likelihood the word "gifts" is in italics. That means the word was not present in the original manuscript — it has been added for the point of emphasis. The word literally is "spiritual," or "spiritualities." Paul is dealing with spiritual issues, spiritual matters, and specifically he is dealing with spiritual gifts. While the word has been added in verse one, you see that it is present in verse four, and in verses nine, 28, 30, and 31. Paul is talking here about spiritual gifts.
He is going to define them for us. As he does that, he is going to list at least some of them. He is going to explain the benefits of spiritual gifts, caution us about their abuses, and encourage us to exercise spiritual gifts.
The Context Within the Letter
This section — chapters 12, 13, and 14 — ties together to deal with this issue, but I think it is also a continuation of what Paul has already been talking about. Back in verse 11, verse 18, he said, "In the first place," and then he began to talk to them about the way they had abused the Lord's Supper. Paul was giving them specific instruction on that matter. Now, in chapter 12 verse one, he moves to a second issue — spiritual gifts — and he emphasizes how critical it is. It is a crucial topic for them individually, for them to function properly, and for them as a body to grow in a healthy fashion. They had to understand spiritual gifts.
"Brethren": A Word of Love Before Correction
Paul uses the word "brethren." He frequently employs this word when he is getting ready, in a sense, to correct them. He is reminding them that even though he may say some things that are harsh, he is saying them out of love. They are his brothers and sisters. They have fellowship with each other because they have fellowship with the Lord.
That word "brethren" reinforces what Paul has been saying through the whole letter — that we are called into fellowship. As he writes in chapter one, verse nine: "God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord." The fellowship we have with one another flows out of the fellowship we have with Christ.
It is not just hopeful thinking when we call one another brothers or sisters. Christians share with one another something more important than a chain of DNA. I was watching something the other night about the Kennedys — about what a tight-knit family they were, and how their father instilled in them this sense that it was one for all, that everybody was out to get them, and how close they remain to this day. But there is something far closer than Kennedy blood, or any family tree, that knits hearts together: fellowship around the person of Jesus Christ.
"I Do Not Want You to Be Unaware"
Paul calls them brothers, and then he makes this key point. He says, "I do not want you to be unaware" — in other words, I do not want you to be ignorant about these things. I want you to understand this. Paul uses that same phrase several other times in his writings, including in Romans chapter one.
Spiritual Gifts: Be Informed
Paul uses a recurring phrase throughout his letters to signal that something is critically important. In Romans 1:13, he says, "I don't want you to be unaware, brethren, that I plan to come to you." In Romans 11:25, he writes, "I don't want you to be uninformed of this mystery," speaking of the nation of Israel. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, he says, "We don't want you to be uninformed about those who are asleep," referring to the dead and how the rapture will unfold. Each time Paul uses this construction, he is flagging something he urgently wants believers to grasp.
Paul says the same thing to the believers at Corinth, and I think to us as well: you need to understand the truth of spiritual gifts. You need to understand what they are, you need to understand how you get them, and then Paul answers some specific questions. Remember, this letter is written in response to a letter he received from them, so he is responding to things they actually asked. Does everybody have a spiritual gift? What are they like? Are some more important than others?
Paul also goes out of his way to address the issue of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and clearly there is a great deal of confusion about that in our own day. If you watch much Christian television, you will encounter this idea of a second filling — "have you been baptized in the Holy Spirit?" — with the implication that it is something separate, over and above the normal Christian experience. I would guess there was the same kind of distortion in Paul's day as there is in ours. So he says: I want you to understand these things. These are important. I want you to get them.
The Condition of the Pagan
Verse two: "You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to dumb idols, however you were led." A couple of things stand out here. Paul uses the word "pagan," and what he means is anyone who is not a Christian — they may have been Greek, they may have been a believing Orthodox Jew, but in this context, they were not Christians. We sometimes use the word "non-Christian," and that lets people somewhat off the hook. We welcome people here who are not yet Christians, but you need to understand that in God's economy, you are not merely a non-Christian — you are a pagan. We are glad you are here, but that is the word the Bible uses.
That is also how I lived for thirty years. For thirty years I was a pagan, and for thirty years I thought I was calling my own shots and nobody was telling me what to do. In fact, one of the things I told myself was that I did not want to become a Christian because then I would lose my freedom. Is that not how pagans think? But that is not what this verse says. This verse says you were led astray. Romans 6:17 says you were slaves to sin. Titus 3:3 says you were enslaved to various lusts and pleasures.
Let us focus on those two words: "led astray." It is a word that describes prisoners being escorted by an armed guard. Mark uses it to describe Jesus' arrest in Mark 14. You were led captive — either led into prison or led to execution — and you were led to dumb idols. They are without a voice. They are silent.
The Illusion of Freedom
This is important for Christians to remember, but especially for those in this room who are not yet Christians. I think I know how you feel and how you think. You believe you are the captain of your own destiny, that you are in control, that nobody is going to tell you what to do, that you are free. And yet the truth is you are not free at all. You are enslaved to something — drugs, alcohol, sex, material things, or by far the most widespread thing we see right now, internet pornography. You cannot turn that stuff off. You are not free. You think you are free, but you are not free at all. You are being led away.
And you might ask: who is doing the leading? Satan, demons, your own flesh. I saw a statistic — and Paul, do not hold me to the exact number, but it is close — that approximately 75% of those who identified themselves as evangelical Christians did not believe Satan was real. The happiest person about that statistic is Satan himself.
I have used this illustration before, but it is so true. If we know there is an enemy out there, we are at least prepared. We may not be able to prevent his attack, but we are ready for it. You have seen it in the movies — here comes the predator, and the potential victims are locking windows, chaining doors, pulling down shades. They are ready. That is frightening, but it is manageable. What is, to me, far more frightening is when the predator is out there and the victim does not know he is there. The camera shoots through the window and the person inside is just sitting there reading a book. The windows are open. The doors are unlocked. And then the most terrifying shot is when they film it through the eyes of the predator. That is the moment I say, that is too scary, and I change the channel.
You are being led away. I cannot emphasize this enough, because I know there are people in this worship service who are not Christians, and part of what you are holding onto is the idea of your freedom. But you are not free. You are being led around. And here is something else worth saying: you are not a child of God. That is one of the great lies, the great myths — the idea of a universal fatherhood of God and a brotherhood of man. You are not automatically a child of God. Jesus addressed a group with that very assumption and said to them, "You are of your father" — and He said the devil. These are dumb idols. They do not speak. You come to them with the great questions of life — who am I, and why am I here? — and they have nothing to say.
Jimmy Buffett, two CDs ago, on the Banana Wind CD, in the cover —
Jesus Is Lord
Paul makes a critical point to the church at Corinth about how to discern truth. He writes in 1 Corinthians 12:3, "Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus is accursed, and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." Satan is at work, and this is both important and timely because it applies directly to us. He is not worried about places already under his influence. He wants to work in a place like East Valley Bible Church, doing whatever he can to get us bickering and fighting even over biblical truths.
Paul warned the elders in Acts chapter 20 that the attack would come from within. False teachers do not always come right out and declare Jesus accursed. Instead, they say Jesus is something less than the God presented in the Bible — a good teacher, a moral leader, perhaps the greatest of the prophets, but not God. That is how it is done.
Paul's point is that if you want to understand truth, Jesus is at the center of it. To say "Jesus is Lord" is to affirm His deity — that He is the creator, the controller, the sustainer, and the sovereign authority. No one understands that except by the Holy Spirit of God, who opens their eyes.
There is an ongoing debate worth addressing here: can someone accept Jesus as Savior but not as Lord? The word "Lord," referring to Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit, appears over 700 times in the New Testament. The word "Savior" appears 22 times. If He is your Savior, He will be your Lord. If He is your Lord, He will be your Savior. They are interchangeable and cannot be separated. Do not accept the idea of asking Jesus into your heart for salvation while there is no change in your life and no submission to His authority. That is not Christianity.
This confession of Jesus as Lord carried particular weight in the Roman world of Corinth. The Romans demanded that people say "Caesar is Lord." For early Christians, affirming that Jesus was Lord meant laying everything on the line. Ray Stedman writes: "This is what made the early Christians so fearless. Jesus is Lord. He's already in charge of what these people are going to do, how far they'll go, what they'll do with this. Therefore, we don't need to be afraid. Jesus is Lord. This is what the Holy Spirit everywhere manifests."
Competing Lords
Today, however, you hear all kinds of voices denying that Jesus is Lord. Some say science is the hope, science is the Savior, and that only human wisdom and science can work our way out of the problems we face on this planet. Others say sex is lord, or pleasure is lord, or feeling is lord, or money is lord. All of them, in one way or another, are saying that man is lord and in charge of his own destiny.
You are familiar with these lines: "I am the master of my fate and the captain of my soul." It sounds brave and heroic, but it is simply not true. We are not in control of anything. There is an invisible pathogen too small to see, and it gets into you and you are gone. You cannot control anything. It is our prayer that every person in this worship center would come to understand that Jesus is Lord.
Setting the Stage for Spiritual Gifts
It is against that backdrop that Paul says, "Let me talk to you about spiritual gifts." He had presumably taught this church about spiritual gifts when he was with them in person, and that teaching had either been perverted, forgotten, or somehow distorted. Now he begins this training again.
Hope for Those Outside Christ
Before moving forward, consider what Paul already said earlier in 1 Corinthians 6. He warned that fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, the covetous, and thieves will not inherit the kingdom of God. But then comes a remarkable verse — one worth putting on your screen saver. 1 Corinthians 6:11: "But you've been washed. You've been justified." That is what we were.
If you are here today and you do not know Christ, understand that those of us who do are not looking down on you. We were there too. We are here to say there is hope. You do not have to live that way. You do not have to remain enslaved to the things that have led you astray. Ask what it means to know Christ. Instead of being a slave to sin, you can become a slave to righteousness.
As for the voices in our culture that ask the right questions but come up empty — they accurately diagnose the human condition but are bankrupt when it comes to solutions. The questions "Who am I, why am I here, where am I going?" are profound. But without Christ, the only answer the world can offer falls tragically short. There is an answer, and it is found in Jesus as Lord.
Diversity and Unity of Spiritual Gifts
Paul is dealing with spiritual gifts, and he is also responding to what has happened in the church at Corinth. The church there has begun to be infiltrated by pagan worshipers who have come in, perhaps under the guise of conversion, or perhaps some who were truly converted still carried the baggage and remnant of their old pagan worship with them. As a result, a counterfeit is taking place in the church. Anything worthwhile and valuable is worth counterfeiting — nobody, to the best of my knowledge, is out counterfeiting Confederate money, but people are certainly counterfeiting the currency we trade in today. Anything of real value will be counterfeited.
Here is what Paul says in verses four, five, and six. He says there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit. The idea of variety is that there is a whole allotment of them — a whole bunch that come together, an apportionment of gifts given freely as gifts of grace. We are going to talk about spiritual gifts, and what Paul is saying is that there is a whole bunch of them, allotted to us according to just what we need.
In verse five he says, "There are a variety of ministries and the same Lord." That word for ministry is the same Greek term that means serve, or servant, or deacon. There is a variety of ways to serve, and that is the whole point of these gifts — they are there for us to serve. Yet it is always the same Lord.
Then in verse six he says, "There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all people." There is a variety of effects — the Holy Spirit begins to work in different ways with different groups, different gifts, and different magnitudes. Even the same gift is going to have a different effect. There are some people who are extraordinarily effective in one-on-one ministry: put them at a table with a cup of coffee and a non-believer, and they are exactly what is needed. But take that same person and put them in a stadium and they do not communicate nearly as well. Meanwhile, someone else has a gift of evangelism that manifests itself far more effectively in that larger setting. That pattern holds across all of the gifts.
Variety and Sameness: Two Key Words
There are two words I want you to see, and both appear across all three of those verses. The first is variety — these gifts are multicolored, numerous, and diverse. There is diversity among the gifts, among the ministries, and among the effects. However, there is a sameness of their source. They come from the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God who works them all out.
As I was working through this passage, I realized I also needed to look at what Paul writes in Ephesians and in Romans, since at some point we will have to identify and list these gifts. What I noticed — and I had never seen it before — was that each time Paul introduces a list of gifts, he first emphasizes unity. Look at Romans chapter 12: before he discusses spiritual gifts, he says, "For just as we have many members in one body, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one in Christ." The same idea appears again — variety of gifts, variety of ministries, variety of effects — but with an emphasis on being one body.
Before Paul begins in Ephesians to talk about the gifts, he likewise emphasizes unity: "There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God." The very imagery of the body, which we will explore over the next couple of weeks, is already present. Paul is emphasizing that in the church there is strength in our diversity — many gifts given to many different people, magnifying themselves in many different ways, all for the purpose of pulling us together and making us function as an effective body.
Every Christian Has a Gift
Verse seven makes this point directly: "But each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." There are a couple of new things here worth noting. The first is the phrase "each one." Perhaps you are sitting there thinking that you know your brother has a spiritual gift, you know your friend has one, but you are just a Christian — an ungifted Christian. That is impossible. Paul says every Christian has a gift. It is given; it is the manifestation of the Spirit. God is still the source of it, the Spirit is still at work in it, and it demonstrates the Spirit's work in a believer's life. Every Christian at conversion receives a spiritual gift.
The purpose, Paul says, is "for the common good" — so that we can build one another up. Why would God give us these gifts? Not so we get excited about having a gift, and not so we think we are something special because we can open a text effectively or serve in a particular way. Paul says clearly in Ephesians chapter four, verse twelve, that these gifts are given "for the equipping of the saints, the work of service, and the building up of the body." When we talk about spiritual gifts, it is essential to understand why they are given: for equipping the saints, for works of service, and for building up the body.
The Question of Tongues
There is no question that some gifts require closer examination. Take the gift of tongues, for example. As people discuss it, the question arises whether the gift of tongues implies some kind of heavenly language — something unintelligible to us, something we cannot understand. Here is what I know: if it cannot build up the body, it cannot truly function as a gift in the way Paul describes.
The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
Have you ever talked to somebody who says they pray in tongues? Here is what they say: "I don't know what I'm saying. I don't know what I mean. I'm by myself. It's for my own edification." We'll talk about that at a separate time, but consider whether that can qualify as a spiritual gift. Are the saints equipped when you go in the back room and go yada, yada, yada? Is there a work of service there? Are you ministering to anybody? Are you building up the body? If not, it's not a gift.
So the question of whether there is such a thing as a prayer language is a separate question entirely — don't let that drift over into this discussion. It has no business in this discussion. When we talk about spiritual gifts, we are talking about something that God gives for the edification of the body, the building up of the body. The purpose is to bring us together. The idea is that it is mutually beneficial.
Consider what happens with the gift if it goes unused. If God gives me the gift of teaching and I put together a remarkable lesson — perhaps one of the greatest lessons ever put together in the history of mankind — and then I put it in the file and put it away, I have not used the gift. Nobody is built up by that.
This becomes absolutely critical. I want you to use your spiritual gift, and part of my motivation is selfish. If you don't use your gift, we are stunted in our growth. Your ministry is stifled. You become a spiritual dwarf because you are not using your gift. We as a body are not functioning properly — we are all out of balance, with one part really working and another not, and now we are not efficient. That is what Paul is saying.
Two Definitions of Spiritual Gifts
What are spiritual gifts? Let me give you two definitions — and I remind you that all of these notes are on the website, so if you don't get it all down, you can find them there.
John MacArthur says this: spiritual gifts are divine enablements for ministry. They are divine, they are given by God, their purpose is ministry, and they are characteristics of Jesus Christ that are manifested through the corporate body just as they were manifested in the incarnate body. In other words, every one of the spiritual gifts was present in the Lord Jesus. Now we come as a body, and no one person has all the gifts. You have a gift — a primary gift, maybe a couple of other areas in which you are gifted — but you don't have them all. Jesus did. What MacArthur is saying is that the spiritual gift is given by God so that we begin to do the work of Christ, with Christ present as we work together — not His redemptive work, obviously, but the work of reaching out to one another.
Ray Stedman says it this way: it is a capacity for service which is given to every true Christian without exception, which is something he did not possess before he became a Christian. A couple of things stand out there. It is a capacity for service. It is divinely given to you for service, and it is given to every person. If you are here today and you are a Christian, you have a spiritual gift. You have a special enablement — a gift to allow you to function with efficiency and effectiveness in the body of Christ — something you did not have naturally.
Now, God may take what was a natural talent, even a God-given natural talent, and use it for giftedness. You may be able to play the piano beautifully, but up to this point you have only used it for your own enjoyment or for income. He can now use it for the body. That is possible. But do you see? There is no such thing as a self-sufficient Christian. We need each other as we begin to function in this way.
What We've Learned: Key Takeaways
As I've said, we have to nail this together week after week, and it will be somewhat repetitious, but I want to make sure we get the point. So each week I want to close with what we have learned.
Here is the first thing: the context. There was confusion in the church at Corinth regarding spiritual gifts, and God wanted them to be informed. That is why this passage is here — "we want you to understand this." Satan works through counterfeits. Understand that Satan is out to destroy you. In 2 Corinthians 11, verse 14, Paul writes back to this church and says that Satan comes as an angel of light.
Think about it this way: imagine soldiers going into Afghanistan under cover of darkness. Their goal is to cause confusion, disrupt normal activities, and ultimately destroy their targets. That is what Satan wants to do. He is going to slide in under the radar screen, undetected if he can, and he is going to confuse you, confuse me, and try to distort things. There is a counterfeit to every genuine spiritual gift.
Here is what we do know about spiritual gifts. First, they are given by God — He gives them, as verse 11 says, as He wills, to whom He pleases. He will give you the gift that He wants you to have. They are given to every believer. You have one. There are many of them. They are for the purpose of equipping believers in the church so that we begin to function as a body — and that is what chapter 12 is about.
Spiritual Gifts Are Not Drudgery
Let me say one more thing in this discussion of spiritual gifts, because sometimes the conversation drifts in a troubling direction. The thinking goes: "Oh, I have a spiritual gift. Now I have to go find that gift, and then I have to use it. This is going to be awful. This is going to be dreary. This is going to be drudgery." The prayer becomes: "God, two things — don't send me to the jungle, and don't give me a spiritual gift, because all of it is going to be terrible."
No. I had a call one day from a man who said he wanted to talk, that he wanted to meet for lunch. I said okay.
Using Your Spiritual Gift Is a Joy, Not a Burden
He said he wanted me to tell him what his spiritual gift was. I hung up and thought about it, because I know this man. He used to come to one of our studies. He was the first one there every time — he set up the air conditioning, set up the chairs, set up the music stand, made sure everything was in order. This man has the gift of service written all over him. I thought, I finally have a question I can answer with confidence. This is perfect.
So we meet, we order, and he says, "I need you to help me find my spiritual gift." I told him I had been thinking about it, and I said, "I believe you have the gift of service." He said, "No." I said, "Yes, you have the gift of service." He said, "I don't." I said, "Listen — you are the first one there, you set up the chairs, you get the air conditioning going, you have the coffee ready. You have the gift of service." He said, "I don't have the gift of service, and I know I don't."
I said, "Really? How do you know you don't have the gift of service?" And listen to his answer: "Because I enjoy it so much."
God's Gifts Are Meant to Bring You Joy
Sometimes we think, "Oh no, God is going to give me this gift and it's going to be awful. I can't possibly have that gift because I actually like doing it." But a spiritual gift is a divine enablement to function with efficiency and effectiveness in the body of Christ — and you are going to love it. Whatever He gives you, you are going to say, "Yes, this is it." The people around you are going to say, "You do that so well." You will see others encouraged and built up simply by you doing what God has equipped you to do.
This is not drudgery. Following Christ and living for Him is adventure, not drudgery. It is not dreary — it is filled with joy.
Every Believer Has a Gift to Exercise
If you are a Christian here today, you have a gift — prepared for you and given to you for the specific purpose of exercising it in this church and in the body of Christ, so that we are equipped, prepared for service, and made complete. We need each other desperately. I plead with you: exercise your gift.
Now, I know what happens next. We say, "We need a class on what the gifts are and how to find them." That is fair. But can we short-circuit some of that first? What do you like to do? What do you do well? That right there may save you the cost of several books. Start with what fills you with joy, what you love to do — then we begin looking at the list and working through the imagery together.
Looking Ahead
That study is going to take us some time, so be patient. We have November 4th, Anniversary Sunday, and the holiday season ahead of us, but — and I planned it this way — isn't it fitting that we will be talking about gifts at Christmas?
Father, help us see this. Help us understand that You have given us a gift — a special ability to function effectively and efficiently in the work You have called us to do — and that it will be a joy. God, we hunger and thirst for that. We want a life filled with excitement and adventure. Help us understand that that life comes not from doing our own thing, but from doing Your thing in our lives. God, please do that work in us. We ask it in Jesus' name, amen.