Bible Study - Disciplines (5) - Connecting to CHRIST'S Body - 1 Corinthians 12:12-24 (Holy Spirit) February 21, 2021

Bible Study – Disciplines (5) – Connecting to CHRIST’S Body – February 21, 2021

This is lesson five (5) in our series entitled, “Spiritual Disciplines: Becoming More Like CHRIST.”

Our focus scripture is 1 Corinthians 12:12-24.

Spiritual growth calls for regular interaction with and ministry to other believers.

Fellowship is an essential part of belonging to a group of believers. The church building is a meeting house for like-minded believers in JESUS and those seeking to have the right relationship with JESUS. It is not a showcase for Saints but a hospital for the Spiritually sick.

Within that physical structure is the true body of believers, we call Christians. Christians come in all sizes and with a diversity of gifts and talents. Within a body of believers there are many different nuances. The question is, are we Spiritually mature? Do we, who know the truth, use the Spiritual gift or gifts GOD has given us? What is your gift and are you using it to the Glory of GOD and to meet the common good of the body?

There are many different bodies of believers/denominations who believe in JESUS but express that belief in different ways. Each body of believers functions according to the leadership of man or the Holy Spirit. Let’s explore diversity with unity. Keep in mind that diversity does not mean uniformity.

Many Christians are skeptical when it comes to discussing the Holy Spirit. Why? Often, it is because they have heard of or maybe witnessed strange behaviors from those being under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23 - reveals to us - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. Notice it is “fruit” and not fruits. Being anointed with the Holy Spirit produces “fruit.”

The Apostle Paul, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, gives us an in-depth teaching on the Holy Spirit.

Ground zero is JESUS’ teaching Nicodemus in John 3:6 (NIV):

 ⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit^[b] gives birth to spirit.

Often, when a believer receives the gift and others see the manifestation of the Spirit, it entices others to want what that person or persons have. We must keep in mind that, “GOD gives to whom HE chooses.” Why, should we wait on the anointing from GOD? Simply, HE knows when we are mature enough to receive another gift. Christians already have at least one gift, salvation, and when we grow Spiritually and faithfully, we use the gift(s) GOD has given us. HE determines when we receive another or other gifts.

When we get ahead of GOD seeking the gifts rather than the Giver, we get into trouble. We must remain in step with GOD as HE leads us by the indwelling Holy Spirit. How do I know? You might have guessed it; I have been there and HE has HIS ways to bop us in the head to get us back along HIS side. But I know HE loves me when HE corrects me.

Brother Paul introduces the function of the Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 in a very understandable manner using the human body as an example:

Diversity of Spiritual Gifts

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts:^[a] brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware. ² You know that when you were pagans, you used to be enticed and led astray by mute idols. ³ Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. ⁷ A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good: ⁸ to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, ⁹ to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues,^[b] to another, interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.

Let’s focus on verse 11. Notice, that GOD distributes the Spiritual Gift or Gifts as “HE wills”. Christians can desire certain gifts but it is GOD WHO distributes them.

There are over 29 Spiritual gifts identified in the Bible. I have found that some Spiritual gifts are given for a purpose at a moment of time. There is the gift of faith when needed to accomplish GOD’S purpose. There is the gift of faith to take a step forward and then there is the gift of faith for a Christian to totally depend upon the LORD to provide all of his or her needs in ministry. Caution: One might be tempted to test GOD and step out on faith without GOD calling him or her to do so. When the person gets in dire need, he or she blames GOD for not taking care of him or her. No! Be careful that your step of faith is not testing GOD rather than being obedient to GOD’S call to ministry.

Often, we as Christians, get notions about people who have been blessed with certain Spiritual gifts. Satan enters into our lives in many ways to make us desire certain Spiritual gifts e.g., becoming envious or jealous of those having certain Spiritual gifts. Keep in mind that GOD gives Spiritual Gifts as HE chooses.

Why? It is because HE knows when we are ready and responsible enough to use our gift(s) according to HIS plan and purpose.

You may recall me asking the LORD to make me a mature Christian in another lesson. My naïve way of thought, at that time, was that GOD would magically throw Holy dust, so-to-speak, over me and I would be a mature Christian. NO! GOD removed every false notion I had about serving HIM and began a Spiritual rebuilding project that continues today, some 50 years later. HE is still working on me and it is exciting.

What is the purpose of Spiritual gifts? Verse 7 reveals “⁷ A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good:” The manifestation of Spiritual gifts are for the common good. When we squelch the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, we are putting a lid on the working of the Holy Spirit in our body of believers. 

GOD gives the Holy Spirit for the common good of the true body of believers. The body of believers that blocks the working of the Holy Spirit is missing out on all that GOD has in store for that Spiritual body.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:

Unity Yet Diversity in the Body

¹² For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

JESUS spoke of the Holy Spirit as living water. The human body can go longer without food than it can without water. The Holy Spirit is the living water that flows through the vine, JESUS, to those who have been Spiritually born into GOD’S Family through faith in JESUS. Let’s read John 15:1-8:

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

How is a Christian grafted into the vine? Ephesians 1:13 gives us a clue:

¹³ In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed.

And in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought at a price. So, glorify God with your body.^[a]

JESUS gave HIS sinless life so all who place their faith in HIM will be righteous before GOD as revealed in 2 Corinthians 5:21:

 ²¹ He (GOD) made the one who did not know sin (JESUS) to be sin^[e] for us (all who place their faith in JESUS), so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

WOW!!! Every person who places their faith in JESUS is a Child of GOD through the miracle of Spiritual birth and GOD equips him or her with Spiritual Gifts. What is your gift and are you using it or them to serve GOD? If not why not? GOD chose you before HE formed world as written in Ephesians 1:4:

⁴ For he (GOD) chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.^[c] 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

Does this mean we have no choice? Oh yes, each of us has a choice. GOD chooses us. The question is do we choose HIM through faith in JESUS?

When we choose HIM, HE equips us with a Spiritual gift or gifts to serve HIM. Do you know what your Spiritual gift is? If not, ask GOD to reveal it to you. Keep in mind that diversity equals unity but not conformity. Just as our human body is made up of many different parts, all the parts work together to function as one, for a common purpose. Let’s continue to explore! Unity is essential but unity does not mean conformity. It means all parts, although different, work together for the common good of the body.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:14-18:

¹⁴ Indeed, the body is not one part but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 

Just as every part of the human body is important to the function of the human body, so are those who are part of the Spiritual church. What is your Spiritual gift? Are you using it according to the leadership of the Holy Spirit? Do you serve in a body of believers that allow you to use your Spiritual gift(s)?

One of my favorite illustrations was given by Dr. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing GOD. He used a drawing of a stick figure representing a person walking along a railroad track with the sky visible in the distant view. All in front of the figure was clear. The ears heard a sound and told the eyes, they heard what sounded like a train. The eyes told the ears that as far as they could see, no train was in sight. The feet then told the eyes that they were picking up a vibration. But the eyes told the feet that as far as they could see, no train was coming. Then the stick figure was hit from behind by a train coming from behind. GOD gives the Spiritual body different gifts but we must pay attention to those who have a different perspective for the common good. When those who are gifted sense something wrong and alerts the body, listen and pay attention because there may be something catastrophic coming down the road in the life of the church.

Just as the human body functions as one and looks out for the best interest of the body, so should the Spiritual body of believers.

Brother Paul goes deeper as we read on ----

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:19-24:

¹⁹ And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. ²³ And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, ²⁴ which our respectable parts do not need.

The true body of believers is a united body of diverse body parts which function in unity with the head, which is JESUS. The true hierarchy is from JESUS to the pastor of the body. Unity is NOT UNIFORMITY but united diversity under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Are Spiritual gifts manifested today? ABSOLUTELY! Just because we have what we call modern medicine, surgery, other treatments, modern technology, communication, etc.; GOD is still alive and in the business of healing and functioning according to the needs of the true body according to HIS leadership.

Often, our humanness blocks our faith in GOD to function in miraculous ways.

It is like the man who fell off a cliff to certain death or severe injury. He prayed and asked GOD to save him when all of a sudden, a large root on the side of the cliff grabbed his pants and stopped him from falling. The man replied to GOD and said, “never mind GOD, this root has me.” So many times, we over look how GOD takes care of us.

Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:25-31:

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵ so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues.^[d] 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.

As a Christian you have at least one Spiritual gift but likely others. GOD gives HIS Children a Spiritual gift or gifts to serve HIS purpose within HIS Kingdom. HE gives a diversity of gifts to be used according to HIS leadership within the body of believers. Some gifts are very visible but others are just as vital but may be hidden such as in the human body: the kidneys, liver, heart, glands, nerves, blood vessels, eyes, ears, intestines, muscles, ligaments and the list goes on.

GOD gives many different Spiritual gifts to HIS Children, e.g., cheering people up, encouraging, helps, wisdom, giving, making money, administration, celibacy, ministry, listening, wise counsel, teaching, preaching, evangelism, discernment, healing both physical and Spiritual, martyrdom and the list goes on. As you read GOD’S Word, ask HIM to reveal to you the Spiritual Gifts HE has in HIS quiver for you to serve HIM.

You are precious to GOD and He has a wonderful plan for your life. Let HIM equip you to serve HIM. It will be an exciting journey!

Talk to HIM and listen to HIM. Remember prayer is a conversation with GOD and a conversation is both speaking and listening.

Blessings!!!