The Ministry Of The Spirit – Part 1

 Every human proposition can be carried to an extreme. For example, freedom can be carried so far that it becomes self-interest. And no one else is considered.

In the field of Christian doctrine, extremes emerge, too. Some have little tolerance for any modified understanding of biblical teaching. On the opposite side, we do not condone false teaching.

Some controversial teachings lie in the exercise of the spiritual gifts. From I Corinthians 12:1-11, I now explain how I understand Paul’s teaching on THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT

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.

5And 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.

As we study the several important CONSIDERATIONS regarding the Spirit and His ministry, I want to stay as close to the Bible as possible.

First, I want to consider:

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.

Paul’s desire was that the Corinthian believers should know the Spirit’s work. He wanted no question in their minds about this wonderful teaching. We learn that the Spirit is essential. We grow only when we know. Our minds and spirits reach for knowledge. We are made to learn. We are made to retain in our minds, our memories.

Paul reminded the Corinthians of their past. They were, he said, “Gentiles according to the flesh.” They were carried away by dumb idols. We need to understand what he means by the term Gentiles. In the Old Testament there were two classifications of the human race. There were what the Hebrew words ammim and goyim identify. The ammim were considered to be the family of God, the children of Israel, and the Jews. And the goyim were all the rest. The goyim were classified as pagans, heathens. Paul described them here: “You know that you were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.” Gentiles, pagans, and idol worshipers are the way Paul described them.

Paul then defined the essentiality of the Spirit. The Spirit is closely related to Jesus. When Jesus promised the disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, He said the Spirit would come and take His things and show them to them. The Holy Spirit is very close to Jesus, even one with Him. Paul said that nobody can call Jesus accursed and claim to do it by the Spirit because the Spirit would not do that. Rather, he said, “Nobody can call Jesus Lord except by the Spirit of God.” Did you notice that sharp distinction? He said that when we confess Jesus as Lord, the Spirit of God does that. This does not appear to require a second experience; rather, upon confession of Jesus, a person receives the Holy Spirit.

Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, clearly answered the question when they asked, “What shall we do?” “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). “Jesus is Lord” implies that the confession has been made. It can only be made by the direction of the Holy Spirit. Without the Spirit, no one can truthfully say, “Jesus is Lord.” Implied is “Jesus is my Lord.” Verses 1-3 show us the essentiality of the Spirit.

Next, we consider:

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.

The apostle here emphasized how the same Spirit managed diversity. He said, “There are differences of gifts.” The word is “spiritual gifts.” We get our word charismatic from that. Now I have often asked the question, Is the gift a natural endowment, received at birth? Or is it a special endowment? Some have naturally what others cannot develop.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit enables the various gifts to be exercised. I believe these spiritual gifts are spiritual endowments that the Holy Spirit brings. He is the Actor in this endowment.

“There are differences of administration but the same Lord.” “Administration” is a different word from “gifts.” It is a word of service, diakonos, from which our word “deacon” comes. According to the instructions in the pastoral epistle that the apostle wrote, deacons are service-oriented. Not lordships! They are not CEOs! They are persons who serve carefully. Administrations need to be understood.

Paul continued the teaching when he said, “But the same Lord.” The word Lord is important because it is the Greek word kurios, meaning “director.” Years ago I heard a speaker say, “Either Jesus Christ is Lord of all or He’s not Lord at all.” So every service is under the Lord. Every operation and every administration is under the Lord. He oversees and superintends the service. There are many different services but the same Lord! Do you see the centrality of the Spirit?

Then Paul said there are differences or diversities of operations, but it is the same God who works all in all. Operations, workings, energizing we get our word energy from the Greek word energeo. The same God is energizing every operation. There is diversity in purpose or meaning, but the same God is working.

The central purpose is clearly defined: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given every man to profit.” By the centrality of the Spirit, He is there working whether it be differences of gifts, differences of services, differences of energies or workings. The same God is working. The central purpose is the mutual profit for the community of believers.

Here we have the three persons of the Trinity working together. They are given in this order: the Spirit, the Lord, and God. Very clearly there is no division in their operations. They all work together for the profit of the believing community.