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