1 Corinthians 12:8-13
8: For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
9: to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10: and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
11: But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
12: For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Paul listed gifts of the Holy Spirit here, emphasizing that they are given through, according to, or by the same Spirit. He wanted to be sure they understand it is one and the same Spirit—the Spirit of God—who distributes these gifts to individual people as He wills. There are not many gods, but one. Just as a person’s body is one body made up of many parts, so it is with us. We are all individual parts of His body with separate gifts and functions. We are baptized into the body of Christ and partakers of His Spirit.
Paul listed nine gifts here. Remember that these gifts are given to benefit the “common good” as he said in verse 7. The first two are the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. They are distinguished as two separate gifts and called the “word of” to clarify that they are not the entire sum of God’s wisdom or knowledge, but a portion of it given to benefit a particular time or situation.
The third one listed is faith. Faith that would bring about a miraculous, “mountain-moving” change. (Matthew 17:20, 1 Corinthians 13:2). The next two gifts listed—the gifts of healing (note the plural) and effecting of miracles are also more tangible, outward displays of God’s power. These three gifts—faith, healings, and miracles, are often called the power gifts of the Spirit.
Prophecy and the distinguishing of spirits work well together since a prophet or prophetic person often sees behind the scenes, beyond the physical realm and into the spiritual. Being able to distinguish origins, intents, influences, or motivations is a separate gift, yet a prophecy is an utterance of what a person sees offering insight into the mind and heart of the Spirit.
The word of wisdom and word of knowledge are often grouped with distinguishing of spirits and called the revelation gifts. Prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues are often called the speaking gifts, yet great revelation can come through the speaking gifts. So we see that even though there are individual gifts and groupings of gifts, (and people may group them in various ways) they often intermingle making the combination of a person’s gifts even more unique than the gifts by themselves. They are all from the same Spirit, so a blended manifestation of these gifts makes sense.
9: to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10: and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
11: But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
12: For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13: For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
***
Paul listed gifts of the Holy Spirit here, emphasizing that they are given through, according to, or by the same Spirit. He wanted to be sure they understand it is one and the same Spirit—the Spirit of God—who distributes these gifts to individual people as He wills. There are not many gods, but one. Just as a person’s body is one body made up of many parts, so it is with us. We are all individual parts of His body with separate gifts and functions. We are baptized into the body of Christ and partakers of His Spirit.
Paul listed nine gifts here. Remember that these gifts are given to benefit the “common good” as he said in verse 7. The first two are the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. They are distinguished as two separate gifts and called the “word of” to clarify that they are not the entire sum of God’s wisdom or knowledge, but a portion of it given to benefit a particular time or situation.
The third one listed is faith. Faith that would bring about a miraculous, “mountain-moving” change. (Matthew 17:20, 1 Corinthians 13:2). The next two gifts listed—the gifts of healing (note the plural) and effecting of miracles are also more tangible, outward displays of God’s power. These three gifts—faith, healings, and miracles, are often called the power gifts of the Spirit.
Prophecy and the distinguishing of spirits work well together since a prophet or prophetic person often sees behind the scenes, beyond the physical realm and into the spiritual. Being able to distinguish origins, intents, influences, or motivations is a separate gift, yet a prophecy is an utterance of what a person sees offering insight into the mind and heart of the Spirit.
The word of wisdom and word of knowledge are often grouped with distinguishing of spirits and called the revelation gifts. Prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues are often called the speaking gifts, yet great revelation can come through the speaking gifts. So we see that even though there are individual gifts and groupings of gifts, (and people may group them in various ways) they often intermingle making the combination of a person’s gifts even more unique than the gifts by themselves. They are all from the same Spirit, so a blended manifestation of these gifts makes sense.
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