The Truth comes to Corinth

Paul declares God the Holy Spirit gives diverse gifts for the good of Christ entire Body

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. NKJV

Paul after making that rock solid declaration of the Holy Spirit’s working in the “inner man” or “inner woman” of the true believer in verse 3 continues on to declare that it is the same Holy Spirit living in each believer that dispenses to him or her their birthday gift which is as He sees that it will edify or build up our Lord Jesus’ Mystical or Invisible Body. Paul uses the English word gift to describe what each believer receives and this word is translated by the Greek word charisma and this word is where we get our English word charismatic from. We define that English word charismatic in this way; a person possessing an extraordinary ability to attract or someone with a magnetic personality. However, the Greek word charisma means a Divine gratuity or a spiritual endowment or a miraculous faculty. This birthday gift given to every single regenerated born again believer is not a reward for any service or special quality found in the individual, but is purely from God the Holy Spirit for the believer to discover and then spend the rest of his or her sojourn and pilgrimage here on the earth as the aliens we have been made by Him to build one another up into a complete spiritual house as the Apostle Peter puts it in this manner, “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5).

Paul declares that He (the Holy Spirit) dishes out different gifts which produce different administrations, but all the gifts and their functions come from the same source our Lord Jesus Christ working out His purposes for His Bride the Church, as He makes her ready for Him as Paul declares in his Ephesian epistle or letter in this manner comparing it to a Christian husband and wife relationship, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless” (Ephesians 5:25-27). The English word “administration” Paul uses in verse 5 is translated by the Greek word diakonia which means service or ministering or attending to others especially the Christian teacher. Paul now writes to these Corinthian believers and to us that not only are there different gifts and ministries that flow out of those gifts, but there is also different or diverse operations of the gifts in every individual.

The English word operations Paul uses in verse 6 is translated by the Greek word energema which means the effect or activities or the thing wrought by the gift. Paul declares that even though God the Holy Spirit might give the gift of teaching to many different people (and He does) none of them will be carried out or activated in the same manner as any other person. Paul is declaring that not only is the gift or gifts for a specific individual believer, but also no two people will exercise their gift or gifts in the same way, but all of the gifts produce the same results of building up the Body because it is God the Father who works all things for His purpose. The English word worketh or works Paul uses in verse 6 to describe what the Father does is translated by the Greek word energeo which means to be active and efficient; to be effectual (capable of producing an intended result; to be fervent or to be mighty in; put forth power to work for one or aid one to effect or to display one’s activity. Paul writes that it is God in the believer actuating, activating, and arousing the presence of the gift and then giving fervent and mighty power to the believer to work out this gift for the good of the whole Mystical Body of Christ Jesus our Lord as Paul declares with these words, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). The gifts given out by the Holy Spirit are done so in such a precise manner as to accomplish this end Paul writes about to the Corinthian believers and to the Ephesian believers and to us today and every generation of true believers.

“Each believer, being an heir of God, has the same amount of grace placed to his credit in the heavenly bank, on which he can draw in time of need. This is the parable of the pounds. Each servant received the same amount. But there are great diversities in the gifts with which we are endowed. Some have five talents, others two, and large numbers only one. A full enumeration of these gifts is made in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, and it is a comfort to learn that to everyone something is allotted, 1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:11.” F. B. Meyer

“Whatever gifts God confers on any man, He confers them that he may do good with them, whether they be common or spiritual. The outward gifts of His bounty are to be improved for His Glory, and employed in doing good to others. No man has them merely for himself. They are a trust put into his hands, to profit withal; and the more he profits others with them, the more abundantly will they turn to his account in the end, Philippians 4:17. Spiritual gifts are bestowed, that men may with them profit the church and promote Christianity. They are not given for show, but for service; not for pomp and ostentation, but for edification; not to magnify those that have them, but to edify others.” Matthew Henry

“Each gift given to the new born babe “in Christ” mirrors the natural baby as he takes in his mother’s milk and grows up to the point he begins to eat solid food and he starts to discover the parts of his body the hands, feet, tongue, legs, etc. and what their functions are and begins to use them, so is it with the new born babe “in Christ” as he abides in the Word of God he discovers his “spiritual gift or gifts” and begins to use them to benefit the entire Body just as the natural baby does.” Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…