BFBC-Glendive | Wednesday
Introduction:
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 “Now concerning spiritual gifts,
brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant”
1. Spiritual gifts cannot be earned
a. They are called gifts because they are given
to the Church by God so that every believer
might profit or benefit
b. 1 Corinthians 12:7 “the manifestation of the
Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all”
2. Actually, the word “gifts” is in italics in 1
Corinthians 12:1 which means it was not in the
original Greek
a. It would be more correct to read the verse
“Now concerning operations of the Spirit”
b. The gifts are not gifts in the sense as a
present is a gift that belongs to someone
c. If they were, they would belong to us and we
could operate them whenever we wanted to
d. But spiritual gifts are not in our control but
belong to the Holy Spirit and are given to the
Church to be manifested through individual
believers as the Spirit wills (1 Corinthians
12:11 “But one and the same Spirit works all
these things, distributing to each one
individually as He will”
Definition: Gifts of the Spirit are divine communications
transmitted from God through the Holy Spirit into the Body
of Christ, the Church
There are two main purposes for the gifts:
1. The work of Christ can be done (John 14:12 “Most
assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the
works that I do he will do also, and greater works
than these he will do, because I go to My Father”)
a. We cannot do the works of Jesus by human
strength, so we’ve been given the necessary
spiritual power to do them
i. Acts 1:8 “You shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you...”
ii. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us we
are able to continue the works of Jesus
with remarkable similarity
b. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is power for
Christian service
2. To profit the whole Church, not the individuals
through which the gifts manifest
Love is the force that makes them fruitful
The Holy Spirit is responsible for distributing the gifts;
we are responsible for exercising them under the
leading of the Holy Spirit
The relationship of the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit
The fruit are related to the inward work of the Holy
Spirit
1. They pertain to our Christian living and are part of
the way the Holy Spirit ministers to us
2. They have to do with
a. The way we live
b. The way we relate to others
c. The way we show Jesus’ nature
The gifts are related to the outward works of the Holy
Spirit
1. They pertain to our Christian service and are part
of the way the Holy Spirit ministers through us
2. The gifts are as essential for Christian service as
the fruit are for Christian living