Scripture Reading : 1 Corinthians 12
Theme : Spiritual Gifts
This passage introduces the section (chap 12-14) that focuses on spiritual gifts. Like much of the church today, the Corinthian church was seriously affected by counterfeiting as well as by misunderstanding and misuse of spiritual gifts. Such perversion of spiritual gifts was largely due to ideas and practices they had dragged from their pagan society into the church.
- True spiritual gifts vs counterfeit gifts (12:1-3). Spiritual gifts are special equipment for ministry that the Holy Spirit gives in some measure to all believers and that are to be wholly under His control and used for Christ’s glory. A way to determine which gifts are true and godly and which were counterfeit and satanic is to compare if it agrees with Scripture.
- The source and purpose of spiritual gifts (12:4-7). Spiritual gifts are not given as privilege or prestige, but as tools of ministry. The Lord gives them to His servants so they can serve, and He gives them for a limitless variety of services to manifest the Holy Spirit and edify the church.
- The diversity and unity of spiritual gifts (12:8-31). Spiritual gifts fill two major purposes: the permanent gifts edify the church and the temporary gifts are signs to confirm the Word of God. Each gift is supernaturally given by one and the same Spirit, who also energise and make effective the gifts He sovereignly gives. The diversity of spiritual gifts are to express and strengthen the unity they have in their Lord Jesus Christ. However, unless each diverse member recognises and accepts his part in the whole body, diversity will divide rather than unite.
Praying the Scripture
- Spiritual gifts are special capacities bestowed on believers to equip them to minister supernaturally to one another. There are a multiplicity of gifts which falls into two general types – speaking or verbal gifts (prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, teaching and exhortation) and serving or non-verbal gifts (leadership, helps, giving, mercy, faith and discernment). It is best to see each person’s gift as a unique blend of the categories of giftedness. Every gift is spiritual and important and each person is to exercise his / her gifts to serve one another (cf. 1 Pet. 4:10). However, there are two primary reasons some Christians never get involved in ministry. Some feel they have no gifts or abilities that are worthwhile and so they sit back and let others do the work (12:15-17) while some feel so highly qualified that they do not need the help of others to perform their ministry (12:21). Such individualism of inferiority or individualism of pride is never biblical or pleasing to God. Rather, all of us are responsible to discover and gratefully use the gifts that the Lord has given to each of us. Let’s pray that we will faithfully use the spiritual gifts that God has given us to serve Him and the church.
- Permanent gifts are given to believers for the duration of the church age while temporary sign gifts were limited to the apostolic age and therefore cease after that time. These temporary gifts include healing, miracles, languages and the interpretation of languages. As B.B. Warfield wrote, “these miraculous gifts were part of the credentials of the apostles, as authoritative agents of God in founding the church. Their function confined them distinctly to the apostolic church, and they necessarily passed away with it.” Let’s pray that we will be able to discern between true and counterfeit spiritual gifts.
经文：哥林多前书12
主题：属灵恩赐
这段经文既是对12-14章有关属灵恩赐的介绍。如今日的许多教会一样，哥林多教会受到假教导的严重影响，并对属灵恩赐有错误的认识及应用。这歪曲大部分是因着他们把外邦社会的思想及做法搬入到教会而造成的。
- 属灵恩赐的真假（12:1-3）。属灵恩赐是为展开属灵事工而设的，是圣灵在不同程度上所给予每一个信徒的，并全然掌握在圣灵手里，为基督的荣耀使用。断定恩赐之真假的一个方式就是查验它是否与圣经所指的一样。
- 属灵恩赐的源头与目的（12:4-7）。拥有属灵恩赐并不是个特权或威望的象征，乃是为展开事工而用的。主将恩赐给予仆人的目的是叫他们能侍奉，而这恩赐是为在不同的侍奉上彰显圣灵和造就教会的。
- 属灵恩赐的一体性及多元化（12:8-31）。属灵恩赐的使用主要有两个目的：永久的恩赐是要造就教会，而暂时性的恩赐是要证实神的道。每一个恩赐都是由一个灵所赐予的，是超然的，而圣灵也给予动力，使信徒能有效使用这些恩赐。恩赐的多样化是要展现并加深信徒在主耶稣基督里的合一。然而，除非每一个肢体都能了解并接受他在全体中的角色，这种多元化之会分裂身体，而不是使信徒合而为一。
用经文祷告
- 属灵恩赐是赐予信徒的特别才能，为装备他们与彼此超然的服侍而设。多元化的恩赐基本上能分为两类：说话或讲道的恩赐（预言、知识、智慧、教导和劝诫），及讲道之外的侍奉恩赐（领导、帮助、施舍、怜悯、信心及分辨能力）。各人的恩赐实际上是不同种类的能力的独特融合。每一个恩赐是属灵的，是重要的，而各人当用自己的恩赐服侍彼此（参：彼前4:10）。然而，有些信徒从未参与侍奉的原因主要有二：有些人为他们没有合适的恩赐或能力，就袖手旁观，看着别人工作（12:15-17）；又或者有人认为自己的能力很大，不需要别人在事工上的帮助（12:21）。这种自卑之心，或者是骄傲之心的个人主义是不符合圣经的，也不是神所喜悦的。我们各人都有责任发掘并以感恩的心使用主所赐予我们每一个人的恩赐。让我们祷告我们会忠心使用神所给予我们的恩赐来服侍祂和教会。
- 永恒的恩赐是神在整个教会世代赐予信徒的，而暂时性的恩赐仅限于使徒世代，之后便会止息。这些短暂性的恩赐包括医治、行神迹、说方言，和解方言的恩赐。如沃菲尔德（ B. Warfield）写道：“这些神迹恩赐是使徒作为凭据的一部分，在初期教会证明自己确实是神所差派的。它们的功用就只限于使徒教会时代，所以也必随着他们而逝。”让我们祷告我们能懂得分辨属灵恩赐的真假。
