Epistles of Paul 42

Well, good evening, brethren. Today we're going to address 1 Corinthians 12. 1 Corinthians 12 deals with gifts of God's Holy Spirit. Now, as a point to start, we need to make sure we understand that gifts are different than the fruit of the Spirit. And I will mention that or prove that a little bit later. As we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 4 through 7, Paul says, I thank my God always concerning you, or, as the Corinthians, for the grace of God, which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by Him. In other words, the brethren in Corinth had been enriched in many things, and amongst them they were enriched with many spiritual gifts.

And then it says, even as a testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. So they had many spiritual gifts. God had given them many gifts. However, apparently, they were misusing them. And that was one of the causes of division in the church. And for instance, as an example, they had talents because of the geography, where that Corinth was, as I mentioned in earlier studies, I showed where it was, right in the, as a part of an isthmus or in a peninsula there where the city was, and it was a big shortcut to go from one seat to the other via Corinth.

And so there was a lot of, let's call it, commercial travelers from different countries and different nations. And therefore, because of geographical location, became quite a logical location to spread the gospel in these early years to different nations.

And God used that through the gift of speaking in different languages. But speaking in different languages could also be easily misused or even counterfeited. So in this section now of starting from chapter 12, Paul is starting by talking about these spiritual gifts. It was the giving of gifts of the Spirit to them. And then in chapter 13, Paul talks about the attitude which is required, which is necessary in all of us to use any of the gifts that God gives us. And then in chapter 14, he then focuses on the purpose of the gifts because then we're misusing or misapplying them.

And so, as I mentioned, a number of them had a number of gifts. And for some reason or other, a number were misusing them. For instance, could it be that they were trying to appear better than other people? They're trying to come across to aggrandize themselves to show off? I don't know, but when you look at the context of Corinthians, where Paul talks about a lot of the problems that we're having and talks about the need of humility, that could well be one of the reasons. The thing is, once we go into a wrong way or a wrong direction, then our adversary, Satan, has a field day and he even can create even more counterfeits and more deception.

Now, the word gift is the Greek word 5486, charisma 5486, which basically is a favor received without any merit. It is a gift. It's a gift of divine grace, and God can give different gifts to different people. It's like, for instance, you have different children and you may give a certain gift to a child on an occasion, and you may give a completely different gift to another child at a similar occasion. Now, the interesting point is that the word gift, that's the word charisma, is very similar to the word grace, which is charese, Greek 5485, which basically means a loving kindness or a favor or a good will.

So, yeah, we have gifts being a favor received without any merit. Now, the gifts of the Spirit are not necessarily natural talents or abilities. Or enhancement of those abilities can be, can be, but like, for instance, a person's got a natural talent, has got a good voice, can sing, or has got a natural talent to play piano, or some other instrument, musical instrument.

And we all have different natural talents. And obviously, we can further develop them and announce them. But these spiritual gifts are supernaturally bestowed upon us. And God decides which spiritual gifts to give you an eye according to His will. So it's like you decide what gifts to give, for instance, to your children. So, as I mentioned, they may, at times, enhance natural talents and abilities.

And sometimes, also God gives gifts which fit in with our natural talents and abilities. So it kind of is an additional gift which the natural talent of ability is kind of an advantage towards that additional spiritual gift. So let's start reading now in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 1. Now concerning spiritual. Note that word gifts in this specific verse is in italic. So now concerning spiritual, you know, things spiritual, like spiritual gifts, because the context you'll see is gifts. Brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. So these are gifts that come through the Holy Spirit, and I don't want you to be unaware of a couple of points.

Verse 3. You know that you were Gentiles carried away to these dumb idols. However, you were led. So these dumb idols, that means these pieces of wood. And that it can't talk. It's a real dumb thing to consider these as God's soul. So yeah, so you were Gentiles carried away to these dumb idols. However, you were led to that.

Therefore, I made known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. And here I mentioned two things. But let's first look at the word accursed.

The word accursed is from the Greek anathema. It could be that, for instance, one possibility is that by people doing things or bad examples, like maybe speaking in languages that they didn't even know what they were saying, they were actually bringing a bad name to Christ. So that's one possibility. But another possibility is an interesting one that I'm going to read from the Expositor's Bible commentary. An Expositor's Bible commentary puts it the following way.

A mere man who died on the cross, the accursed death. So taking that possibility from the Expositor's Bible commentary, we see a number of things. We see this Gnostic idea that Jesus was a human being and the Logos, the Word, descended and came into Jesus.

And then before he actually died, the Logos left Jesus. So that is basically that Jesus did not come in the flesh. If we just turn quickly to 2 John, verse 7. It talks there about that that is the spirit of antichrist. So let me just get to it. 2 John, verse 7. It says, For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus as coming in the flesh.

So this is these Gnostic ideas. And even today, in modern Christianity, there are a number of ideas and concepts that are basically similar to that, which are, in other words, antichrist. So the second point is Yah in 1 Corinthians 12, verse 3, where it talks about a curse, could be talking about people that were, in a sense, denying that Christ had literally come in the flesh. And so that's why they say that no one speaking by the spirit calls Jesus cursed.

Because if you are speaking according to God's mind and God's spirit, you are going to comprehend that Jesus is the one that came in the flesh and that died. He became an offering of sin. He became sin to us. Not that he became sin, but the actual end result is transposed instead of what it is. So it became an offering of sin to us. And then the other third point here that it says is the end, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

So, Yah, we have another possibility of calling Jesus a curse is by denying that Jesus is Lord. Now, it's interesting that the word Lord, obviously, this is written in Greek, and the word Lord in Greek is kurios. But it's interesting to note that the Septuagint, in other words, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which was prevalent at that time, the Septuagint translation or the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word or the tetragram YHWH sometimes translated as Yahweh, sometimes translated as Jehovah.

But anyway, that tetragram YHWH in the Septuagint from the Old Testament was translated as kurios. So, even though the word Yah used is kurios, which means basically Lord or Master, in their mind, when they read kurios, and they made reference to it in Greek, they could well be in making reference in their mind to Yahweh or Jehovah or the Eternal, as maybe we could translate it because it means was, is, and ever shall be.

So, the Eternal. So, you could read this as anyone can say that Jesus is the Eternal. Okay, granted, once again, it does say Lord and is kurios, so it might not be, but what I'm saying is that in that timeframe, the Septuagint translated Yahweh to kurios as well.

And so, in their mind, they could have a hint or an implication that was talking about Yahweh. I seem to be inclined towards that. I can't prove it, but it could well be. So, no one can say that Jesus is, let's call it God, put it another way, God, except by the Holy Spirit. Now, it is interesting that often the word Yahweh or the tetragram YHWH in the Old Testament refers to Jesus Christ. A lot of people don't consider that.

And even today, some people think that Yahweh is the name of the Father and the Father only. But that word, that tetragram, can also apply to Jesus Christ. Let's look at just a few examples very briefly. And one of them, for instance, is in Zechariah 14. I know Zechariah 14. It's a scripture we often refer to around the period of trumpets and the feast. And Zechariah 14, let's just read verse 3 and 4. It says, Then the Lord, and you see it's in capitals, which is the tetragram, in other words YHWH, will go forth and fight against those nations as he fights in the day of battle.

And in that day, his feet, that's the Lord, will stand on the Mount of Olives. And you and I know that it's clearly referring to Jesus Christ's second coming as the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings, and it's referring here as YHWH, which is YHWH or Jehovah or the eternal one. And so YHWH is one proof that the word YHWH applies many times in Old Testament to Christ. Look at also verse 5. At the end of verse 5, it says, So that's Christ's coming, Christ's second coming. Look at also verse 12, also still in Zechariah 14.

And this shall be the plague with which the Lord, that again YHWH, will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem. So who's going to be there? It's going to be Christ. So look also in verse 16 and 17. This is scripture that quite often we refer to during the Feast of Tabernacles. And it says, YHWH, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. So who is the Lord of hosts? Who is the king that is going to be in Jerusalem in a millennium?

It's Christ. So we can see very clearly that it's referring to Christ as YHWH. I also want to look at a second example here, which is in Isaiah 45. Isaiah 45, before I go to Isaiah 45, I want to go to Romans 14. I want to go to Romans 14 first. And Romans 14, verse 11 and 12. It's talking about, Yeah, 40 is written, We know that this scripture is actually talking about Christ. But to prove that even further, let's look at Philippians chapter 2.

Philippians chapter 2 is a well-known scripture about Christ emptying Himself. Starting in verse 5 tells us to have that mind in us, because verse 6, He, Christ, being in the form of God, do not consider the robbery to be equal with God. And then He emptied Himself, He humbled Himself to the death, and then He is highly exalted. And look at verse 10.

And at that name of Jesus, every knee shall bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. So, confessing that Jesus is Lord is not taking away from the Father is actually glorifying the Father.

It's actually glorifying the Father. And that expression that every knee shall bow down in Philippians chapter 2 verse 10, as well as in Romans 14 verse 11, is a quotation from Isaiah 45. So if we go to Isaiah 45 now, Isaiah 45 verse 23, it says, And I've sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return to me.

Every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall make an oath. That's what we read in Philippians chapter 2 verse 9 through 11, that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall take an oath. So who's me? Well, we just have to go back to verse 22 of Isaiah 45, which says right at the end towards the second part, who has told it from the tongue, have not I, the Lord, and there's no other God besides me, a just God and Savior.

Who's our Savior? There is none besides me. Look at me and be saved. All the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there's no other. I have sworn by myself that to me every knee shall bow down. And look a little earlier, verse 5 through 7, it says, I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no God besides me.

And look at that. That's in verse 5. Look at verse 6. That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting, that there is none besides me. I'm the Lord, and there is no other. I formed the light and create things. We know from the New Testament that the Father created everything through Christ. In other words, what was Christ, they did the creating. So it says, I formed the light and create darkness. I make peace and create calamity. In other words, I'll allow the curses to happen when people break God's laws.

I, the Lord, do these things. God is the Creator. And who is the Creator? Who's Christ? Christ was in the form of God. And it was not any, let's call it, identity theft for him to be equal to God. Also, in Psalm 110, we have in verse 1, Psalm 110. Let's just go there. Psalm 110. Psalm 110, verse 1, The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. And look at verse 6, The Lord is at your right hand.

Now the word, Lord, in verse 5, it was changed from YHWH to Adonai by the Maserites. So that is what they call an Imendation, because the actual warrior is YHWH in Old Testament manuscripts before the Maserites changed them. So this is important for us to understand what this means. And we in the church have a very comprehensive document about that called The Nature of God and Christ, a doctrinal study paper. But I do recommend you to study it carefully. It's got, as you can see, 68 pages, but it really addresses the subject in great detail. Right. And that's, by the way, when you read in Matthew, chapter 1, when it says, they shall call him Emmanuel, which means God is with us.

Well, nobody practically today calls Jesus Emmanuel. But in the world tomorrow, they will say, when they go to the temple, they'll say God is with us, Emmanuel. So that scripture in Matthew, when he was begotten in Mary's womb, it shows it's a prophetic structure that that very probably is what he will be referred to in a millennium. They say God is with us. So there is another example of possibility of this point out in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, when it says, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

A lot of people today don't even understand that. And also, or you can say, oh, a lot of people say, oh, Jesus is our Lord and master. Oh, yes, they do. But they obey him. In 1 John chapter 2 verse 4, 1 John chapter 2 verse 4, 1 John chapter 2 verse 4, he says, 1 John chapter 2 verse 4, and he will say, I know him and does not keep his commandments. He's a liar and the truth is not in him.

And in Luke chapter 6 verse 46, Luke chapter 6 verse 46, Luke chapter 6 verse 46, But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say? So people today called, oh, Lord Jesus, my master, but do they obey him? So anyway, let's continue now with 1 Corinthians chapter 12. Let's move on to verse 4. There are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. Diversity is a distinction arising from a different distribution to different persons.

In other words, there's a variety of gifts, different types of gifts. For what purpose? To do God's work. There's different types of gifts to do God's work. Well, let me give you an example. I'm going to give a simple analogy that maybe will help us to do, to understand this. God's spirit, in a sense, is, as we know, is God's power, is God's essence, is God's capability that he gives to us. Today, you could call, physically speaking, electricity power. You know, electricity is a power, is a force.

Now, this force, electricity, can be used in many different ways to do very things. You can use electricity to start on the motor. You can use electricity to generate light in a lamp. You can use electricity to have an electronic organ. You can use electricity to drive and charge your cell phone and all those things. You can use electricity to activate your TV or your computer or whatever it is.

You see, that power can perform various functions. So that's a physical analogy of a physical power that you and I can't see, but it's there, called electricity. And likewise, God's power that you and I can't see has various spiritual functions. Now, once again, as I mentioned right at the beginning, these gifts are different than the fruit of God's Holy Spirit. The fruit of God's Holy Spirit, when we read in Galatians 5, verse 22 and 23, Galatians 5, verse 22 and verse 23, then we read various attributes of the fruit of God's Holy Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or should we say meekness, and self-control.

These are attributes, in other words, characteristics of God's divine nature, that when we receive God's Holy Spirit, is bestowed upon us. Sure, we've got to grow in these attributes, but these are attributes of that fruit singular of God's Holy Spirit that we receive when we baptize and upon the laying on of ends to receive God's Holy Spirit. So, continuing now in 1 Corinthians 12, and now we're going to read verse 5. So, there are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. Now, ministries is Greek 1248, diaconia, which is different ways of serving. It could be as a diacon, it could be as a minister. Sometimes the word may be referring to a minister, may be referring to a diacon, because there are different ways of serving.

You can serve as a diacon, serving, and you don't need a title to serve. Others can serve as elders. So, there are differences of ways of serving, but the same Lord. Verse 6, and there are diversities of activities. In other words, there are different operations, different types of works, different types of functions.

The Greek word is 1755, ennergema, different administrations, different ways of doing things like different functional divisions, different functions. But it is the same God who works all in all. The palavera works is a similar palavera, a bigger part, sorry, the word works is a similar word to the word ennergema or activities. So, the word that was translated activities, operations, it is a similar word that the word works, who works all in all. So, there are different functions, different works, different activities, but it is the same God, it is the same supreme God in charge of all that directs and gives instructions of what to be done, and it's all done through His Spirit and through Christ.

And so, He works all in all. This word works, in verse 6, is also the same word, as we can see in verse 10, to another word working. It's the same word, works, working, and also the same word in verse 11, but one and the same Spirit works. So, it's the same word, all these things. So, it's activities, it's operations. So, through that, as it says, there are different works, different functions, but as it says, one God. Now, why? Why are there different functions? Why are there different ministries or different ways of serving? Why? Well, the answer is, in verse 7, But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all.

The outcome, the end result, why there are different ways of serving, why there are different activities and operations and functions, is to strengthen the whole body. Not for self-glory, not for self-aggrandizement, but it's to strengthen the body of Christ. And so, these sort of gifts, let's call it, as we say, are these blessings from God that He gives us, these, just call it gifts, but the capabilities to help, to serve, to do things, come basically in two general categories. So, let's call it in two basic ways. One of them is quiet gifts, like a lot of them could be serving quietly. Nobody knows, but a person is serving quietly, and then there are the other ones which are not quiet, but they are the monsterable gifts.

And the purpose of that is for preaching the Gospel, for speaking and for evangelizing, for preaching the Gospel. So, let's look at that, starting from verse 8. Verse 8 says, For to one is given the word of wisdom, and now we have the word of wisdom. In other words, this is the capability of speaking. So, it's not just to one is given wisdom, but to one is given the word of wisdom. So, he says and he speaks with wisdom through the Spirit. So, it's a gift. Alright? And what is the purpose? As we read at the end of verse 7, for the prophet of all to benefit, to help, to serve, but in this case, is more like a speaking demonstrable type of gift. Then look at it, continuing still in verse 8, to add the word of knowledge through the same Spirit. So, it's the capability of speak with wisdom, God's words, and with knowledge. And why? For the benefit of all, to benefit of the Church, the benefit of the Brethren. So, it's given this word of knowledge through the same Spirit. Then we have continuing in verse 9, to another faith by the same Spirit. So, yeah, we're talking about an additional measure of faith. Yeah, we gotta believe, and there is the faith of Christ, but there is also a gift through the Spirit that God can give us, some people, extra faith to actually do certain things. So, it's a gift of faith.

Still continuing in verse 9, to another gift of healings.

Plural. Healings. Plural. You see, there are different types of healings. For instance, we know the case of James 5 verse 14, anybody sick call upon the elders of the Church and the other anoint, and the prayer of faith is very effective. Great is the effectiveness of the prayer of faith. So, that is one type of healing, and it's a promise from God. Now, but there is another. We know in the cases of Peter, Peter when he walked and he shadowed.

When he walked by, his shadow healed people. And that was a public miracle to demonstrate. So, yeah, the situation in James 5 verse 14, it's a quiet, private intervention. Whilst in the case of Peter's shadow was a public demonstrable healing and Christ did many of those. So, yeah, gifts of healings by the same spirit. Let's read now in verse 10 to another the working of miracles. And yes, God made many miracles. And at the time of Christ and of the early Church, we saw a number of miracles for the purpose of the preaching of the Gospel.

What was the result of that? Crowds of people came along. Crowds of people came along. It may happen at the end time. I think it will. That's what it's prophesied when it talks about the two witnesses. They will do miracles. They will do miracles. So God decides when and what gifts to give. It's his prerogative. When and what to give.

To another prophecy. Now, prophecy has a very strong emphasis on inspired preaching. In other words, being able to speak in a way that is inspiring and uplifting to the brethren. And some people have that gift. It's a spiritual gift from God to another discerning of spirits. There are some people that when they see a person influenced by a demon, they pick it up as I would call it straight away.

So they have that gift of discerning spirits. Sometimes you're talking to people and they say certain things. You say, there's a little red flag. Sometimes I have that little red flag. I'm saying, am I being a bit too cynical because I've seen it so many times? But quite often it is correct. People act one way and they say, there's something not right there. And so sometimes God gives that spiritual gift of discerning of spirits.

It's the least time to whom he wants. It's his decision. To another different kinds of tongues. Yes, some people had the capability of speaking different languages. And Paul said, I can speak more tongues than all of you. So there was a gift at that time that was needed and God gave it at the time when needed. And he says to another interpretation of tongues. So the capability of understanding languages. We have a young lady in Brazil that never learned English and she's using. I believe it's a gift that God gave her, whether it's a spiritual gift or not, but she's using it or whether it's a talent, but she's using it to translate and she never learned English.

She just picked it up and she's able to do it. Amazing. So that to me is a gift. Anyway, verse 11 is a key scripture. But one and the same spirit works all these things. That's all these works, as I mentioned, this word that is used. It's the working of God's spirit. It works different works, different functions. One of the same spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as he was.

God decides to whom to give what gifts? It's God's choice. He decides when. Now, there is a parallel chapter. There is a parallel chapter to 1 Corinthians 12, which is Romans 12. And Romans 12 in verse 4 through 8, in verse 4 through 8 says, But as we have many members in one body, all members do not have the same function. You see, therefore God gives to one person one gift and another person a different gift. But we different members in the church, which is the body of Christ.

So there's the analogy of the physical human body. So we, being many, many brethren, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. Verse 6, having then gifts differing according to the Christ that is given to us. So we all have different gifts as God decides according to his grace. Let us use them. If prophecy, if we have a gift of speaking, inspired speaking, use it.

Let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Or ministry, if it's serving. So yeah, we have a gift of ministering, of serving. And there are some people, there are some people that have a wonderful gift of serving others. They see a person in need in the church. They go out, they give of themselves quietly, go out and serve those people. There is a gift. There is a gift. And so of ministry, let us use it in our ministry. He would teach us in teaching.

He would exhort in exhortation. You see, exhortation is a gift of God's only spirit. You see, so yeah, it's talking about other gifts. Not the same as in 1 Corinthians 12, well some may be the same, but he's actually mentioning a few more. He who gives with liberality, giving, giving. The desire to give and the capability and the willingness to give is a gift, is a spiritual gift. He who leads with diligence. He who shows mercy with cheerfulness. You know that showing mercy is a spiritual gift. So there are many gifts that God gives to us.

And so, and he says, he gives it all. We all are his children. He's given you a gift. Use it. Whatever your gift is, use it to the building to edify the body of Christ. Well, let's go back to 1 Corinthians 12. And now we're going to go to verse 12. For as the body is one, and as many members, but all members of that one body being many are one body, so it's also Christ.

So we read that basically in Romans 12 verse 4 and 5. So that's what we read. So we all want body. And, and similar, we read that in verse 17 of the same chapter. But let's continue now in in verse 13. Now, it is very important to understand that we are baptized into one body. Now, you know that the word baptized means immersion, immersed.

Now, obviously, we think we're immersed in water, but baptized into one body. That is the spiritual meaning. Which body? It's the body of Christ, which is the spiritual body of Christ, which is the Church of God. Therefore, the Church of God is a spiritual organism, not an organization. Yes, we do need an organization to do a work, to be together, to work as a team, to do the work.

Correct. But we are baptized into one body, as it says, by God's Holy Spirit.

And we are baptized into one body by Jesus Christ's authority. In other words, in Jesus Christ's name. So, we are baptized into Christ by His name, by Christ's name. It's two different things. We are baptized into Christ, into His spiritual body, by His authority. So, it's two different things. All right. So, it's the Holy Spirit that makes you part of the body. And here is another function of God's Holy Spirit, that quite often we don't think. But just look, for instance, at 1 John chapter 3 verse 9. 1 John chapter 3 verse 9. Just get there. 1 John chapter 3 verse 9. All right. Got it. It says, whoever has been born of God does not sin. And this is, Gennao implies, as being begotten of God, does not sin. In other words, he does not have the practice or the habit of sinning, because you can see in verse 7, he's talking about practicing. And in verse 10, he's talking about practicing. So, it's actually talking about we do not practice sin. It's not our way of life, because of his seed. God's seed remains in him. You see, God's seed is the Holy Spirit. The Greek word ea for seed is sperma. And it's God's spiritual, let's call it conceiving, incorruptible seed that joins us, the spirit of man in man. And therefore, we now become a begotten child of God. And that's when we receive God's Holy Spirit. We're now being put into his body, and we now become, indeed, children of God. Also, look at 1 Peter chapter 1. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 23. 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 23.

And yeah, we see having been born or begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible. You see, when we're born the first time, or rather, when we're begotten the first time, to be more accurate, we were begotten through a corruptible seed, a physical human sperm. But now, when we are begotten a second time, we are begotten by an incorruptible seed. And that seed comes to us through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever, through the Word of God, which is dual. It comes to us through Christ, because it's Christ that baptizes us. But it also comes to us because it's the promise of the Father. And the promise of the Father is to make it his children, to make it really his children, so it's through him, and therefore, which lives and abides forever. So Christ lives and abides forever, and God's Word lives and abides forever. Alright, so we receive God's Holy Spirit. We receive his nature. It's like we receive his DNA. And therefore, we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. You read in Acts chapter 1 verse 5, where it says, Wait here, because you will soon be baptized by the Spirit, or with the Holy Spirit. And also in Acts 11 verse 16 and 17, it says we're baptized with the Holy Spirit. So we are baptized, as we read here in 1 Corinthians 12 verse 13, by one Spirit. We're baptized into one body, which is the spiritual body of Christ.

Now continuing in verses 14 through 18, and it says, For in fact, the body is not one member but many. The spiritual body of Christ is just not one person. It's all of us making up that spiritual body of Christ. And if the foot should say, Because I'm not a hand, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? Or if the ear should say, Because I'm not an eye, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not a body? And if the whole body were an eye, what would be of the earring? And if the whole body were earring, where would be the smelling? You see, we all play a different role and part in the body of Christ. We all have different functions, you know, and ultimately, when God puts us all together, it reminds me of that scripture that says the temple in the Old Testament was built in different areas individually, and when they brought everything together, it just fitted perfectly, and there was no noise when they actually put the temple together. There was no hammering, nothing, because everything had been done out previously, and when the temples put together, all those parts put together, and it was just done. And spiritually speaking, we all are being molded and shaped now in this society. We're being baked and we're being mauled and shaped, and then when we're resurrected, we all get together, and there's that body. Wonderful, perfect, exactly what God wanted, and each one enabled and trained and capable of performing their functions as part of that spiritual body when we're resurrected. It is a beautiful analogy. And so verse 18, again, a wonderful memory scripture that says, but now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. God decides where to put you and I into the body exactly as He pleases. Verse 19 through verse 26, and if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now, indeed, there are many members, yet one body. And I cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. No, much rather, those members of the body, which seem to be weaker, are necessary. We need to care for one another, even for those weak ones. And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, on these will bestow the greater honor, and our unrepresentable parts have greater modesty. We've got to care for one another. We've got to care for everyone in the body. Verse 24, but our presentable parts have no need, but God composes the body, having given greater honor to the part which lacks it. Verse 25. That there should be no schism, no division in the body. You see, he's getting back to the point that Christ is not divided. There should be no division. And we all have different spirits, and the Corinthians had a big part of it. We all have different gifts, and the Corinthians had a lot of gifts but one spirit. And so we all together, we all have different gifts, we all have different talents, we all have different blessings from God, spiritual abilities that God gives us.

But to perform as part of one body, and we need to care for one another. So there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer with it. Or if one member is honored, all members receive honor with it. So, you know, if one rejoices, they all rejoice, as it says in Romans 12 verse 15. Now verse 27. Now you are the body of Christ and members individually. And now verse 28 through 31. And God has appointed these in the church. First apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, demonstrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? No. Well, you know, we get some people say, Oh, we all an apostle. All apostles, no. Are all prophets? No. Are all teachers? No. Are all workers of miracles? No. Do all have gifts of healings? No. Do all speak with tongues? No. Do all members interpret? No. Each one has got his own capability. Each one has got his own gift. Now, so one of the things could be, well, yeah, as an example, that there is hierarchy in the church. But another one is that God gives different gifts to serve, and some have gifts that God wants them to serve more. They got gifts that are required to do more and to serve more and to help more other people. And then in verse 31, to conclude this section today or tonight, but earnestly desire the best gifts. So some gifts are greater. Why? Because it's a greater opportunity to serve, to help more people. And yet I show you a more excellent way. And so now he moves on. And as a summary, chapter 12 was about the giving of gifts, spiritual gifts. Chapter 13 is talking about the attitude necessary in all functions, all offices, in how we use those gifts, God's gifts, which are a bit of love. And then chapter 14 is the different functions or purposes of those gifts, which is basically to identify the body. And so next time we'll continue with 1 Corinthians 13, which is the attitude necessary in all offices, in all responsibilities, for all capabilities or functions we may have, how we need to use those gifts in Godly love.