Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity 1 Corinthians 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, The word of wisdom is the supernatural power to speak with divine insight, whether in solving difficult problems, defending the faith, resolving conflicts, giving practical advice, or pleading one’s case before hostile authorities. Stephen so demonstrated the word of wisdom that his adversaries “were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). The word of knowledge is the power to communicate information that has been divinely revealed. This is illustrated in Paul’s use of such expressions as “Behold, I tell you a mystery” (1 Cor. 15:51) and “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:15). There is still a mysterious communication of divine knowledge to those who live in close fellowship with the Lord. The sharing of that knowledge with others is the word of knowledge. 1 Corinthians 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, The gift of faith is the divine ability to remove mountains of difficulty in pursuing the will of God (13:2) and to do great exploits for God in response to some command or promise of God as found in His word or as communicated privately. George Müller is a classic example of a man with the gift of faith. Without ever making his needs known to anyone but God, he cared for 10,000 orphans over a period of sixty years. The gifts of healings have to do with the miraculous power to heal diseases. 1 Corinthians 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Working of miracles could include casting out demons, changing matter from one form to another, raising the dead, and exercising power over the elements. Philip worked miracles in Samaria, and thereby gained a hearing for the gospel (Acts 8:6, 7). The gift of prophecy, in its primary sense, signified that a person received direct revelations from God and transmitted them to others. Sometimes the prophets predicted future events (Acts 11:27, 28; 21:11); more often they simply expressed the mind of God. Like the apostles, they were concerned with the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). They themselves were not the foundation, but they laid the foundation in what they taught concerning the Lord Jesus. In a weaker sense, we use the word “prophet” to describe any preacher who declares the word of God authoritatively, incisively, and effectively. Prophecy can also include the ascription of praise to God (Luke 1:67, 68) and the encouragement and strengthening of His people (Acts 15:32). Discerning of spirits describes the power to detect whether a prophet or other person is speaking by the Holy Spirit or by Satan. A person with this gift has special ability to discern if a man is an imposter and an opportunist, for instance. Thus Peter was able to expose Simon as one who was poisoned by bitterness and in the bond of iniquity (Acts 8:20–23). The gift of tongues, as has been mentioned, is the ability to speak a foreign language without ever having learned it. Tongues were given for a sign, especially to Israel. The interpretation of tongues is the miraculous power to understand a language which the person has never known before and to convey the message in the local language. It is perhaps significant that this list of gifts begins with those that are connected primarily with the intellect and closes with those dealing primarily with the emotions. The Corinthians had reversed this in their thinking. They exalted the gift of tongues above the other gifts. They somehow thought that the more a man had of the Holy Spirit, the more he was carried off by a power beyond himself. They confused power with spirituality. 1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. All the gifts mentioned in verses 8–10 are produced and controlled by the same Spirit. Here again we see that He does not give the same gift to everyone. He distributes to each one individually as He wills. This is another important point—the Spirit sovereignly apportions the gifts. If we really grasp this, it will eliminate pride on the one hand, because we don’t have anything that we didn’t receive. And it will eliminate discontent on the other hand, because Infinite Wisdom and Love decided what gift we should have, and His choice is perfect. It is wrong for everyone to desire the same gift. If everyone played the same instrument, you could never have a symphony orchestra. And if a body consisted only of tongue, it would be a monstrosity. Unity and Diversity in One Body 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. The human body is an illustration of unity and diversity. The body is one, yet has many members. Although all the believers are different and perform different functions, yet they all combine to make one functioning unit— the body. So also is Christ is more precisely translated: “So also is the Christ.” “The Christ” here refers not only to the glorified Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, but to the Head in heaven and to His members here on earth. All believers are members of the Body of Christ. Just as the human body is a vehicle by which a person expresses himself to others, so the Body of Christ is the vehicle on earth by which He chooses to make Himself known to the world. It is an evidence of wonderful grace that the Lord would ever allow the expression “the Christ” to be used to include those of us who are members of His body.