Purpose by His Spirit

Being the holiday season many folks see the season in many different ways.  I want to draw on this to make a point about the work of holy spirit in believers.  We call this time of year Christmas season followed by a new year.  Now the New Year may or may not have any spiritual meaning to the church.  Some try to make it a spiritual time of renewing and fresh starts.  There is no biblical reference for new years but all the same if that works for you take the time to reflect and refresh your spiritual commitments.   

It is Christmas I want to use for an example of unity yet diversity.  In Christianity we have those who do not celebrate at all to those who may fully engulf themselves in the season celebration.  Now, today we have facts about Christmas, and a person only needs to remove all the folklore of Jesus’ birth and read the accounts for what they say in scripture to see how we celebrate Christmas today could really be called pagan more than Christian.  I am not going to split hairs with anyone about this.  Just to clear the air, I deal with the season out of tradition more than truth.  This is not the point I want to make.

The point I want you to see is that all over the world people look at and celebrate Christmas differently.  There may be a few and I do believe the numbers in comparison is few that may condemn those who celebrate Christmas.  I think there are a larger number of those who do not celebrate Christmas, but choose not to condemn those who do.  As a whole no matter what the doctrinal differences maybe about who Jesus is we seem to just let each person celebrate the birth of Jesus in there own way.  In doing so I have not heard very many believers question the fact that Jesus was born, is the son of God, which lived and died for all mankind. 

How does that fit into the subject we are dealing with?  You see many of the same people, who will overlook how one may celebrate the birth of Jesus, will not overlook a few doctrinal differences in other areas.  You see the fact is God did give his spirit to the church to help us and to produce His image in us.  Yet we will fight over all the details of how that works.  Yes, I hunger and search for truth, but as I find it I must learn how to first apply it to my own life and then to lovingly share with others. 

This Year I got a phone call from a person I never expected wishing me a Merry Christmas.  That person is a Muslim; I play golf with him now and then and he works at a place I do business with.  When I first started talking to this person he was afraid if I knew he was a Muslim I would hate him.  I reassured him that I would not hate or attack his faith.  Over time I have had a few moments to share with him about my faith and I have allowed him to speak about his. Knowing Christmas morning that he did not celebrate Christmas in any form but took the time to call and wish me Merry Christmas said a lot about his respect for me.  With that said I know a couple of others who call themselves Christians who may not celebrate Christmas but would speak with condemnation to those who do.

I have seen this very thing throughout the church and among all the varying doctrines.  We all claim to have the truth, no wonder the world is confused about Christianity.  There is more unity under the influence of spirits in a bar than in a church many times.  Yet we all claim to have the same spirit of God.  Yes we may differ in how we define the spirit or if it’s what or who.  The fact still remains God gave His spirit to the church for our good to bring us to completion.

Truth is what we all should seek and we should all be able to talk to one another about what we discover.  We need to have the love of God shining in our hearts to do this.

  (Eph 3:16-21 NRSV)  I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, {17} and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. {18} I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, {19} and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. {20} Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, {21} to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Truth solely based on knowledge in a person by reason of hurts, rejection, and anger is dangerous.  I have a brother who by nature is a very honest and truthful.  In his younger days he just believed that God always wanted him to tell the truth.  The only thing wrong with that was he did not know how to do it with tack or love.  I cannot tell you how many times I had to work with him or stand in the gap for him because of people he hurt or made mad.  Today, he still feels very strongly about truth and honesty, but now he knows how to speak in love or be patient with those who do not see what he sees.  This has helped him become an effective minister in a church where he serves, helping the pastor.  He has helped transform a church in many ways, by being loving and patient.

How does that work in our subject of gifts and ministry of the spirit of God?  I think we can all agree that God has given His spirit, where we are divided is how that works in today’s church.  Without Godly love it does not matter what we believe, we will miss it everytime.  I strongly believe that God has given His spirit to the church and that includes every believer that calls on the name of the Lord, Jesus.  I know that there will always be those who will say that unless you believe Jesus to be what I believe, you are not saved, or if you miss certain doctrines God can not be truly working through you. I know we all have our pet scriptures but I refuse to go there.  I think this is something we need God to deal with and we just do what we are called to do.  I will say here that I cannot believe God has called you to tear down the body. 

So with all this said lets go into our subject and look at God given purpose.

 (1 Cor 12:4-7 NRSV)  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; {5} and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; {6} and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. {7} To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

The Greek word here for services is “diakonia” meaning to attend, aid, service, minister.  In other translations the word ministry is used.  Let’s look at Romans again.

(Rom 12:5-9 NRSV)  so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. {6} We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; {7} ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; {8} the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. {9} Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;

Notice Paul is making a very similar point here as he did in first Corinthians.  We all differ and have different purposes. Paul uses the body demonstration in both places.  You should also notice that Paul is not making room for anyone to exclude themselves from God’s gifting to them and the operation of holy spirit in and through them.  There are big roles as well as small ones, everyone has a place.  Everyone should be working in their gift and the holy spirit should be manifesting through and in every believer.  Now, how or what, that is for each person to workout with God, and not judge others if they are different. 

We are all different and we all should be submissive to the spirit and manifesting what is at work in us.  Just think what our church services would look like if every believer came to a service, with a song, a word, ready to serve, ready to give, ready to pray with and for others, and then had leaders who would allow God to work in a church service as such.  Then think what it maybe like if every true believer allowed holy spirit to work in and through them in the public market place, wow maybe we could really make a mark on our world.   I am going to close with some scripture, I want you to read and then lets talk some more about this.  You do have a calling and purpose in the body and in this world; you just have to let God’s spirit do what it was given to do.

(Eph 2:19-22 NRSV)  So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, {20} built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. {21} In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; {22} in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.

(Eph 4:16 NRSV)  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.

(Heb 3:1 NRSV)  Therefore, brothers and sisters, holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

(1 Cor 1:26-29 NRSV)  Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. {27} But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; {28} God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, {29} so that no one might boast in the presence of God.

(1 Cor 7:17 NRSV)  However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches.

(Col 3:15-16 NRSV)  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. {16} Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

(2 Tim 1:9 NRSV)  who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,

Correction or Encouragement

(1 Cor 3:1-3 NRSV)  And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. {2} I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, {3} for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations?

Now this may seem like a harsh verse to start out this week.  I just want you to catch the tone of Paul’s teaching in his first letter to the Corinthian church.  This tone seems to be carried out through out Paul’s first letter.  With that in mind we approach chapters eleven through fourteen to see how Paul addresses the manifestations of the spirit, and gifts to the church.  As we deal with these chapters I want to raise some points and questions for all those who do believe in the manifestations and those who do not.

In Paul’s correction to the Corinthian church we should note a few things, and with that ask a few questions.

1. Nowhere does Paul discourage them from manifestation no matter how messy it was.
2. I would like those who say that the manifestations is over or no longer needed prove it by scripture.
3. Paul makes no case that the gifts of apostles, prophets, or such were exclusive to the original twelve.
4. It is easy to see the Corinthian church operated in the gift offices and manifestations
5. Much of what Paul does address should be taken in a tone of correction, yet encouraged to continue.
6. Paul did encourage the church to seek to operate in the manifestations, gifts, and tongues.
7. Unity and love for each other is the core of what Paul was seeking to accomplish in this letter to the Corinthians.

The questions we should be asking after reading Paul’s letter to the Corinthians might be like as follows.

1. What’s the difference between gifts, services, and manifestations?
2. What did Paul mean by “to each is given”?
3. Is it just for an individual personal use or the good of all?
4. What was Paul trying to get the church to see by using the body example?
5. What is meant by desiring the best gift?
6. What is the more excellent way Paul was talking about?
7.  Did Paul say tongues, prophecy, and knowledge was no longer needed?
8. What is meant by “Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church?”
9. Did Paul really encourage tongues and interpretations, and no more than two or three?
10. What was Paul saying when he rather we prophecy?
11. Can a person control what happens?
12. What about the woman issue?
13. What should decent and orderly look like?
14. What is meant by the spirit is subject to the prophet     

I will start in chapter eleven to hopefully show you what I have seen Paul teach the church.  As I have mentioned before Paul was correcting the Corinthian church in their conduct and I believe you have to understand the context of Paul’s mind when he does address the manifestations and gifts.  This seems to be clearly reveled in chapter eleven. 

(1 Cor 11:17-19 NRSV)  Now in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. {18} For, to begin with, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you; and to some extent I believe it. {19} Indeed, there have to be factions among you, for only so will it become clear who among you are genuine.

I believe these instructions are carried on through the next three chapters.  Notice, Paul was not giving them credit for doing things right and pointed out their motives and actions were wrong.  They were clearly divided and everything they did as group was most likely confusing and un-orderly.  As Paul began to first address the Lord’s supper we will find he was not setting a precedence on how to take the Lord’s supper as we have it today.  He was not telling the group how often to do it and the way we do it today most likely would never be accepted by them then.  As a matter of simple reading one should be able to tell they broke bread as often as they came together. 

(Acts 2:42 NRSV)  They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

(Acts 2:46 NKJV)  So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

(Acts 20:7 NRSV)  On the first day of the week, when we met to break bread, Paul was holding a discussion with them; since he intended to leave the next day, he continued speaking until midnight

 (1 Cor 11:26 NRSV)  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Paul was making it clear however that when the Corinthian group was coming together there was a complete disregard for others.  They were being selfish and arrogant, eating until overfilled and drinking until drunk while others did without.  This same attitude seemed to carry over into all the Corinthian group did.  They were divided over food, purity, leadership, their gatherings, and how they moved in manifestations and gifts.  They judged one another and most likely divided socially, having their little clicks.  Does this sound like many modern churches?   As Paul put it they were not paying attention to the rest of the body of Christ.  They had sick, hurting, wanting, some even dying and no one seemed to be concerned for the others, but themselves.

Paul was correcting this issue when he continued into the spiritual gifts.  It is because of our modern Bible with chapter breaks we tend to separate chapter eleven from chapter twelve.  We need to start in chapter eleven so we may be able to see what Paul was saying in chapter twelve when he began to address spiritual gifs like such.  With my own paraphrasing of what Paul said, “This is the attitude and way I want you to break bread with each other.  Stop judging one another and be aware of the needs of others around you.  Wait on each other and do not come to the meeting hungry if you can.  Then concerning spiritual gifts let’s not be ignorant.  Stop acting like you did when you worshiped idols. God’s spirit works in anyone who He wishes and just because they are not doing it just like you, does not mean they are not the Lord’s. As a matter of fact no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the spirit.” 

Paul, does go on and starts to set the record straight.  I think a person could conclude that the Corinthian church was messing up the gifts as well as the Lord’s Supper.  They most likely were having the same attitude and behavior towards one another in the gifts as well.  I do want you to notice that even though they were wrong on so many things, Paul not once told them to stop the gifts, manifestations, or the speaking in tongues.

I want to break down chapters twelve through fourteen as much as I can.  By doing this it may take several postings and articles to complete these three chapters.  So, let’s begin from the top.

(1 Cor 12:4-7 NRSV)  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; {5} and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; {6} and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. {7} To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Paul to me broke down the operations of God’s spirit in the church into four areas. 

1.      Gifts

2.      Services

3.      Activities

4.      Manifestations

We will start with gifts first.  The Greek word used here is charisma.  We use this term when it comes to people who naturally can do things, saying things like Johnny is a great preacher he has charisma.  The Greek meaning is a spiritual endowment, miraculous faculty, and gift.  I think that everyone should know that when God gives out gifts he does not take them back.  It is up to the receiver of a gift to be responsible in how they use the gift given.  We should never judge a person by their gifts; often this will lead you astray.  In the end God will judge all those who have received gifts and how they used them.

(Rom 11:29 NRSV)  for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

This is the same word used in Ephesians four when Paul address the five gifts of leadership as well as in Romans twelve when he address operations in church along with leadership.

(Eph 4:8 NRSV)  Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people."

(Rom 12:6-8 NRSV)  We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; {7} ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; {8} the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

I feel we can come to the understanding that God has poured out His spirit and birthed the church (Acts 2).  It is the deposit of what is yet to come, but until then it works in corporation with us. The spirit never forces its self on us and makes us do what we would not do on our own, that would be called possession (I will deal with this more later).  Because it works in corporation with us, it works differently in each of us because of our nature and personality. Paul said there were varieties of gifts, how many varieties one could ask.  I would say that would be hard to number.  There are those who would say just five according to Ephesians four.  I say five plus those mentioned in Romans twelve, then multiply that times the number of believers God has gifted by the different personalities and cultures.  The point I want to close with this week is we should not judge one another by their gifts; God does not gift two people just alike.  Unity needs to come to the church through our diversity of gifts.