Spiritual Gifts and Order in Church Part 1 12:1-14:39 Big Ideas: ● Spiritual Gifts Overview My responsibility: 1. Open my heart and mind to what God’s Word says about this topic of the Holy Spirit. (person, fruit, gifts) 2. Determine to walk in love towards the family of God. (especially those I disagree with) 3. Allow each body member grace in pursuit of their journey in Christ. 4. Confront differences with love and grace rather than letting our differences divide us. (Unity in diversity, not conformity.) The person of the Holy Spirit This entire study aims to discuss the Holy Spirit and His active role in the church today and throughout history. Stop chasing after gifts and power and pursue intimacy with him. Whatever he decides to pour through you for the glory of God is a fruit of your intimacy with him. Not the gift but Him. We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit as the focus of this conversation. We affirm that all of the fruits and gifts of the Spirit are still active in the body of Christ today. How those are lived out in the context of the local church and the individual believer’s life is a much bigger conversation with differing views. Some would accuse others of quenching the Spirit simply because they don’t prefer some of the outward emotional and physical signs that they require as proof of the Holy Spirit moving. This is silly and immature. Don’t allow your preference to override the true moving of God. As a church that believes all of the gifts and power of the Holy Spirit are fully functioning today, we need to also have a clear teaching about what this looks like. Paul addressed this to the Corinthian church and used the terms “decently and in order.” God is a God of order, not confusion. There is a lot of confusion and excess in many church circles. Our leadership tries to do a thorough job of explaining and demonstrating the expression of the Holy Spirit. We want to honor the Holy Spirit by giving Him the freedom to lead and we follow. There are times when God moves on people and it produces an outward emotion or physical manifestation and people question the validity of it. Our take on this is to judge the fruit and not the sign. Many people miss the supernatural because they are looking for the spectacular. Others miss the moving of the Holy Spirit because they are afraid of some wildfire. If you can learn to look at the fruit, it will change the way you respond to this topic. We see biblical examples where God showed up and certain outward manifestations occurred. We also see times when demonic activity was present and caused similar outward manifestations. The ability to discern the fruit is how we will stay balanced. If Kingdom fruit is being produced, but you don’t like the formula or manifestation, then your preference needs to change. ● Did it draw people to the Christ of the Bible? ● Did it bring people under the authority of God’s Word? ● Did it produce repentance from sin unto holiness? ● Did it result in a love for the lost? At Catalyst, we always point everything back to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will always work in line with the Bible and confirm the Word. We believe that God’s Word, the Bible, is the final authority. We do not believe that there is any new extra-biblical revelation being given. We believe God still speaks and gives divine revelation today in many ways, but always in alignment with and affirmation of His Word. Any revelation that does not align with the Bible is rejected, no matter the source. Paul told the Galatian church “that even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse.” God takes His Word seriously and so do we. -Taken from I’m a Catalyst Membership Manual Ditches: Spectrum of Truth Picture (ill email) As we examine the gifts and their purpose, we must also consider what can happen to the church if it is not operated in accordance with Christ’s direction. (ditches) Cessastionist: Certain “sign” and “revelatory” gifts ceased with the last apostle's death. Continuationist: All the gifts of the spirit are in operation in the body of Christ today and were never meant to cease at any point in our history. (there is a future time they will cease but we will explore that more later) Fruit of the Acts 2 Holy Spirit Outpouring Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, preaching, teaching, prophesy, tongues, repentance, salvation, unity, godly fear, miracles, healings, peace that surpasses intellect, godly wisdom, visions, dreams, direction, divine protection, etc. Romans 8:5-8 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. For us to properly walk in the gifts of the Spirit, we must renew our minds to what God’s Word says about this. “There is enough evidence that some form of ‘charismatic’ gifts continued sporadically across the centuries of church history and that it is futile to insist on doctrinaire grounds that every report is spurious or the fruit of demonic activity or psychological aberration.” D. A Carson, a respected New Testament scholar 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 4–6 Several items stand out in these three verses. (1) Paul uses three synonyms for what believers receive from their God: “gifts” (charisma), “service” (diakonia, GK 1355), and “working” (energēma, GK 1920). While the net result of what believers receive is the same, these three words each connote a different aspect: charisma, a gift of God’s grace; diakonia, something we use in service to God and others; and energēma, the effect of God’s power in us. Note that in v. 7 Paul simply uses the summary expression “manifestation of the Spirit” for all three of these words.[1] 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 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. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 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. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? Just like we are baptized into one body in salvation, I believe when we all properly allow the manifestation of the Spirit through us, there is another oneness and unity that occurs. 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. Take Away: What are some ways I have brought my previous bias into this learning environment that could hinder me from growing into the fullness of what the Holy Spirit wants to do in and through me? Are there any ditches in my theology that I have dug that are not rooted in scripture and I need to reexamine? Have you ever taken the time to see how much the Bible actually documents the person of the Holy Spirit and His role as a member of the Godhead? Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what He wants to do in you throughout this class. [1] Verbrugge, V. D. (2008). 1 Corinthians. In T. Longman III &. Garland, David E. (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans–Galatians (Revised Edition) (Vol. 11, p. 364). Zondervan.