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Spiritual Gifts
Earnestly Desire God’s Gifts ~ Part 1

By Pastor Gary Wayne

The topic of Spiritual gifts seems to divide the body of Christ rather than unite them. Why is that? Could it be that the evil one knows if we get these principals from God the church would be empowered to do the work of ministry?

Spiritual gifts may not be the most important topic in the NT, but we also can’t just ignore the emphasis Scripture places on them and the role they should have in the life of believer, and the edification of the church.

The primary purpose of spiritual gifts are to build up – edify – the body of Christ. And if ever we the body of Christ need built up, it is today.

Many are confused about spiritual gifts. Some people are not sure what to do with these peculiar texts, while others downplay spiritual gifts altogether.
Spiritual gifts are talked about roughly 155 times in the NT.

Spiritual gifts are not a marginal note, not a side-line topic, but is a primary focus in the NT, and I believe that means we need to work at understanding more clearly God’s purpose for giving His body these spiritual gifts.

Text: 1 Corinthians 14:1, 1 Corinthians 12:31, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

12:1 Don’t be ignorant of the spiritual. “Gifts” in italics was inserted.

The “gifts of the Spirit” are received when you are baptized in / with the Holy Spirit. Act.11:16

You don’t get the gifts as such, you get Him. We don’t receive one or may two or three, but we receive Him.

He is the source of the gifts we can function in. He is a multifunction tool.
Having received Him, you have access to all the gifts He gives to every believer.

1Co 12:31 “Earnestly desire the best gifts.” Best = greater
Amplified = “But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts…” Desire = To be zealous for, burn with desire, to desire intensely.

It appears the Corinthians were not desiring the best gift, but they were focused on the gift of tongues, consequently it placed them and the church out of balance.
Public use of tongues was being abused, so Paul set some boundaries for these gifts to operate.

A major point here is this section - capters12-14 - was written specifically to allow the gifts of the Spirit to function in a public setting.
Paul’s focus was not for the gifts to be used in private, just the opposite to be used at church.

What is the “best gift?”
The best gift is the one that is needed at the time for that situation and will edify the body the most.

14:5 “he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless he interprets …” This points to the function of the gift to edify.

Each gift has a different functional difference and importance.
Remember again the main purpose the gifts are given is to edify the church.

How does someone respond to Paul’s command in 12:31 and 14:1?
I believe as you study this letter, these chapters, these verses, it is not a suggestion, or “for those who feel good about this idea,” but is a command to be obeyed.

There are a number of responses people have, but I think they fall into 1one of 3 different reactions. 1. aggressively pursue spiritual gifts. 2. Disagree and find scriptures to support why it’s ok to ignore Paul’s command. 3. Since I don’t understand this, and it’s so controversial, and some people get weird with the gifts, let’s just work around it without embracing or rejecting it as a command.

What I would like to accomplish is to stir up within each one of us the question, “How have I responded to this issue?

To me, a MAJOR truth about these 3 chapters is that if ever there was a church group that Paul should have told them to just stop, let’s just do church without the use of the gifts, this would have been that church.
But what does Paul do? Just the opposite.

Think about this point. To this body of immature, gift abusing people, Paul still says: “earnestly desire the best gifts, desire spiritual gifts, (14:39) desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.”

This is not an issue of different personality – for extraverts or introverts.
We can’t respond to Paul’s command by saying, “Thanks, but no thanks. I appreciate the offer, but it’s just not my thing.”

This is not an issue for me to say, “I’ll pray about it.”
“Well I don’t feel led to do this.” When do my feelings justify my obedience?
“Well that’s just not where I am right now.”

Amazingly, Paul doesn’t tell them to quit.
Spiritual gifts were God’s idea – He thought them up – He gave them to the church. This was His answer to strength and build up the body.

So the answer to this problem wasn’t to stop, but to use them decently and in order. (14:40)

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