Diversities Of Gifts

by G.K. Kennedy, Sydney, Australia. | Category: Key Truths From Corinthians | Oct 1983

When the Lord spoke to His disciples in the Upper Room in the night He was betrayed, so much ground did He cover that we need to remind ourselves that this was just one night's service of love. Is it any wonder that Peter could say on another occasion, "Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). And as He prepared their hearts for His return to His Father who had sent Him into the world, so He prepared them also for the Comforter who would be sent to them.

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send Him unto you" (John 16:7). Thus did the Lord create a desire within their hearts for the coming of the Holy Sprint to indwell them as had not been known before. "It is expedient" means "it is profitable." When their hearts were grieved at the loss of the Lord's presence, He spoke to them of the profit of the Holy Spirit's presence.

Writing to the Church of God in Corinth, the apostle Paul declares: "To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal" (1 Cor. 12:7), literally, "towards the profiting," taking us back in thought to that Upper Room scene. The apostle then explains how this profit occurs, namely, through the various gifts imparted to the members of the Body of Christ. As the gifts are exercised, so there is profitable edification of one another. He reminds them in verse 27, "Now ye are Body of Christ." There should be no "the" before Body; that is to say, a Church of God and the Church which is His Body are not synonymous, but the former should express the reality and character of the latter.

"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit" (12:4). Some of these gifts are mentioned in verses 8 to 10, but their "in-working" is by the one and the same Spirit (v.11) where His sovereign will determines what gift shall be given to each member. It may help the understanding of this verse (A.V. and R.V.) if the subject (Spirit) is put before the verb, worketh, that is, "But the one and the same Spirit worketh all these (gifts), dividing to each one severally, even as He will." The word dividing is the verbal form of the word diversities in verses 4, 5 and 6.

"And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord" (12:5). Ministrations are the services to which each is called and appointed by the Lord

Jesus. The Lord Jesus engages in His service the saint gifted by the Spirit of God. "The same Lord" reminds us of His authority to which we should respond in obedience. A Church of God is the sphere wherein the Lordship of Christ is acknowledged and should be that place where the gifts bestowed are most appropriately expressed. However, we are not in any way limiting the sovereign working of God who uses and blesses believers to His own glory.

We will notice then, that the gifts are distributed by the Spirit and precede the service so that we may be properly equipped for the Lord's work. This should correct the thinking of those who teach a second blessing at some point subsequent to the new birth. Nor is one particular gift given to every believer, as it is written: "To one is given ... and to another . . . to another . . . and to another" (1 Cor. 12:8-10). "Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" (12:30). the obvious answer is "No".

The purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is for profit, not for self-glorification. "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and comfort, and consolation" (14:3) and therefore the saints were counselled to "seek that you may abound unto the edifying of the. church" (14:12). To prophesy is to make known the Word of God and this is profitable to all whether they be believers or unbelievers, because if "there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all; the secrets of his heart are made manifest; and so he will fall down on his face and worship God" (14:24,25). The sanctified outworking of the gifts bestowed is "that all may learn, and all may be comforted" (14:3 1).

"There are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all" (I Cor. 12:6). To God the Father belongs the operational control of the gifts of the Holy Spirit within the Lord's service. "It is God which worketh in you both to will and to work, for His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). That which is wrought or accomplished is by the "inworking" of God.

The diversity of the gifts of the Spirit is made more wonderful then, as we see them exercised in the diverse interests of the Lord's service, operating through the different members of the Body, according to the will of God. Overlaying the diversity of the Spirit's gifts, as it were, is the diversity of the Lord's service, which in turn is overlaid by the diversity of the working of God, giving assurance of the deep strength of the profit that comes through the sanctified servant of Christ. In such service there is neither envy nor jealousy because we seek the profit of others to the glory of God. Therefore we need to stir up the gift that is within us, but not to be exercised in service for which we have not been gifted. In this we may need the grace to accept the counsel of others, lest we be conceited, thinking that we are gifted where we are not. We have gifts "differing according to the grace that was given to us" (Romans 12:6).

Something of the range and diversity of the gifts may be found in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10,28; Ephesians 4:11. We should distinguish between gifts of a miraculous nature and those not so, according to the guiding principle of Hebrews 2:34, where the signs, wonders and manifold powers were for the endorsement of apostolic teaching of the great new message of salvation. The New Testament apostles and prophets occupied a unique place at the inception of the present dispensation. Miraculous gifts were also appropriate to that period.

Caution is needed lest we avoid our responsibilities on the excuse that we have not been gifted by the Holy Spirit. We may fail to recognize the difference between the Holy Spirit's guidance and leading, to which all believers should be subject, and the gracious bestowal of talent for particular service. For example, not some but all should walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25); not some but all should pray in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20), that is according to the will of God; not some but all should worship by the Spirit of God (Philippians 3:3) and be exercised to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to His name (Hebrews 13:15). It does not take a special gift to be thankful, because thankfulness is required even of the ungodly.

Whatever be our gifts, we hold them in trust, as stewards. "Here, moreover, it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2). The saints in the Church of God in Corinth came behind in no gift (1:7), but the exercise of the gifts left a lot to be desired. Therefore, it is comely and needful that we heed the word which exhorts us, saying, "According as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God . . . that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:10-11).

G.K. Kennedy, Sydney, Australia. | Oct 1983
Key Truths From Corinthians