Daily Devotion in I Corinthian 12

Daily Nugget:
I Corinthians 12 begins Paul’s discourse on spiritual gifts that were given to early believers. This church, and others at the time, did not have the complete Word of God, as we do today. Because they did not have His Words to guide them, God gave the early Christians special gifts. Others they ministered to would then know God was using the Christian. They were “sign gifts” as a sign that God was still with them. It encouraged all involved that God was still working in lives.

The nine gifts (I Corinthians 12:8-10) for that era included:

• Wisdom: this gift helped the possessor to make the right decisions.
• Knowledge: Not knowing the past, present, and future as we can today by reading our Bible, they needed a person that could tell them spiritual truths.
• Faith: During this early dispensation, people needed people to help them trust God and live by faith. They needed one to encourage them about the things of God that they could not see or prove.
• Healing: This sign gift allowed one to heal. When this gift was exercised, it was clear that God was involved.
• Working of miracles: This gift allowed one to do what we would consider was “impossible.” It made it clear to all that observed the act that God was alive and still working amongst them.
• Prophecy: Because they did not have all the Word of God to get the answers from, this gift was used to give God’s people direction.
• Discerning of spirits: This gift allowed the possessor to determine if a spirit involved in a situation was of God or was a spirit of evil.
• Tongues: This gift enabled the user to give God’s message to a person who spoke a different language. Supernaturally, one could talk to others in their language, even though one had not learned it.
• Interpretation of tongues: The possessor of this gift could tell others what the person speaking in an unknown language was saying.

These gifts were given to Christians, as God saw fit. All were temporary (this will be explained in the Chapter 13 commentary). Many try to claim they have these gifts today. Anyone reading the Scriptures, however, can see that they were only temporary. Those who claim they have the gift(s) today usually do not even exercise them, as God had originally instituted them. These gifts show us how a loving God knew the needs of His people and provided for their needs in a very special way.

Today’s Thought:
“Give God what is right, not what’s left.”

Words to Understand:
Comely: attractive; desired
Divers: different
Manifestation: appearance; shown
Schism: a weakness; a break in unity

Today’s Reading:
I Corinthians 12
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12 ¶ For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 ¶ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.