Paul
the apostle told the church members in Corinth, there are
“diversities of gifts , differences
in administrations and diversities of operations”,
but the “same Spirit, Lord and God”
who manage
these “spiritual gifts”
with which to “profit” every
person in the church. Paul began to list the “gifts”
given by
God's Spirit which included “the word
of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith and the gifts of healing”,
and in
chapter twelve and verse ten of First Corinthians, Paul shared with
the church members concerning, “miracles,
prophecy, discerning of spirits, kinds of tongues and the
interpretation of tongues”,
where we read:
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:
The
verse begins, “To
another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits;”. Paul
began with the words, “to another”
which means “to an other person” “the
working”
which means “the effective operation” “of
miracles” which
means “strength, power and ability”; “to
another”
or “to an other person” “prophecy”
which means “a discourse emanating from divine inspiration and
declaring the purposes of God whether by reproving and admonishing
the wicked or comforting the afflicted or revealing things hidden;”
“to another”
or “to an other person” “discerning”
which means
“distinguishing and judging with disputation” “of
spirits”
or “used of demons or evil spirits or those who were conceived as
inhabiting the bodies of men ”. Paul shared how the Holy Spirit of
God also gives the “spiritual gifts”
of the “effective working of power”, “discourse emanating from
God” and “distinguishing” of “spirits”.
The
verse continues, “to
another divers
kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”
Paul added
the words, “to another” which
means “to an other person” “divers
kinds” or
“diversities or different kinds” “of
tongues”
which refers to “languages or dialects used by a particular people
distinct from that of other nations”; “to
another”
or “to an other person” “the
interpretation”
which means “the revealing of what has been spoken more or less
obscurely by others” “of tongues”
or “languages or dialects used by a particular people distinct from
that of other nations ”. In addition to the other “spiritual
gifts”,
Paul added “different kinds of “tongues”
and the “interpretation”
of them.
When
we think through these words from Paul, we see how these different
“gifts of the Spirit” are given to the church to “profit”
it, and while there have been abuses of these “gifts”
throughout the church history, they are nonetheless from God's
Spirit. “Miracles, prophesy, discerning of spirits, tongues and
their interpretation” are administered by the Holy Spirit as
there is need. While we may not understand the timing and use of
these “gifts” completely, may the Holy Spirit of God distribute
and administer His “gifts” how and when He deems best.
Next
time Paul shares with the church members how, “all
these works that one and selfsame Spirit”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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