◄ What Does 1 Corinthians 12:11 Mean? ►

Every believer is endowed with one or more spiritual gifts, graciously bestowed by the Holy Spirit according to His desire and as He wills. How blessed we are to know that the same Spirit Who brought all things into existence according to His mighty power, is the same Holy Spirit Who endows each of God's children with spiritual gifts - apportioning to each of us the gifts and grace of His choosing.

Paul noted in the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, that the believers at Corinth were richly endowed with gifts of the Spirit. He rejoiced that they were not lacking in any spiritual gift. However, Paul knew that spiritual gifts can be abused and used incorrectly and did not want the believers there to be ignorant concerning the giving of spiritual gifts and their correct usage.

Although there is a wide variety of spiritual gifts "It is one and the same Spirit Who works all these things, distributing (gifts) to each one individually just as He wills." Christians do not choose their preferred gift or gifts. They are distributed to believers as the Spirit chooses. Spiritual gifts are not awarded for good behaviour, earned by a man's meritorious works, achieved through academic excellence, or purchased for a handsome sum of money. They are a free gift from God and are distributed to individual believers as He decides.

The gifts of the Spirit should be exercised for the edification of the whole Body of Christ and for the furtherance of the good news of the gospel. They should never be used for one's own self-gratification or flaunted before their brothers and sisters in Christ as a Christian status symbol! There are no spiritual gifts that elevate one Christian above another in importance. Rather, they are given to individual believers for the edification of the whole Body of Christ.

There are a great variety of gifts and ministries that are conferred on believers by the Holy Spirit, which are apportioned without favour or prejudice for God's gifts, as well as His calling, is irrevocable. Each Christian is a member of Christ's Body and each is uniquely empowered by the Spirit to perform his or her own special ministry which God has foreordained for us to do for His praise and His glory. And although there is a huge diversity of spiritual gifts, there is only one Giver of spiritual gifts - the Holy Spirit of God.

The Spirit, in His sovereign power, gives His favours freely and bestows His various gifts and graces upon each of His children in accordance with His own will, and it is often through these spiritual gifts, spiritual ministries, spiritual activities, and spiritual offices that the Lord carries out His plans and purposes through His people for His praise and glory.

Gifts are not acquired by our own industry, achieved by our own manipulations, or awarded due to our own worthiness or merit. We have no reason to be proud or smug about our God-given gift, nor jealous of the gift He has bestowed upon others, for each receives that which is right and best in God's sight, and each one is a blessing bestowed because of His loving-kindness and gracious-mercy.

We should not become puffed up because of our spiritual gift or exploit it for our own purposes. Rather, we should rejoice that our names are written in heaven, praising Him that He has regarded us with His loving-kindness and tender mercies. We should be like-minded, having love for one another, being one in spirit and of one mind.

We should do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but rather we should value others above ourselves and in humility of mind, we should regard one another as more important than ourselves, to His glory.

Loving Father, thank You that I am part of Your Body and for the gifts You have graciously bestowed on each one of Your children. I pray that I may use the gifts You have given me, to encourage and edify the Body of Christ, to Your praise and glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN.