Faithful Steward Ministries and FSM Women's Outreach

1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:31

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Comments:

I remember the first time I read our main text for today, and immediately thought of the Ten Commandments. The tenth commandment is pretty straightforward: thou shalt not covet. So, why is Paul, under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, telling the church at Corinth and all future generations to covet? In fact, he is not telling us to covet, as we use the word today, or as the Greek portions of the Bible imply. For me, at least, the translation that comes closest to the original intent is the Amplified, and it states:

But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love].

Do you see it? Paul’s phrasing may seem puzzling at first, earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts, as if he is saying, “just do it.” However, the astute reader reads in context and knows that Paul is not encouraging these actions, but rather admonishing them. It is as if he says Go ahead, seek what you must, and when you are done doing what you want, God has the ultimate gift waiting, and it is called unselfish love.

In chapter 12, the theme is Church Unity. While most people focus on the Spiritual Gifts, it is worth noting that, then as now, many are distracted by big egos and other issues, which cause division within the church. Paul makes this point clear in verse 31. Stop fighting over the “gifts” that puff folks up and seek those that are Soli Deo gloria: “to the glory of God alone”

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CONTEXT

CHAPTER 12 Of Spiritual Gifts, vs. 1–31

THE ancient prophets had clearly predicted that the Messianic period should be attended by a remarkable effusion of the Holy Spirit. “And it shall come to pass in those days,” it is said in the prophecies of Joel, “saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Our Lord, before his crucifixion, promised to send the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost, to instruct and guide his church, John 14, &c. And after his resurrection he said to his disciples, “These signs shall follow them that believe. In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover,” Mark 16:17, 18. And immediately before his ascension he said to the disciples, “Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence,” Acts 1:5. Accordingly, on the day of Pentecost, these promises and prophecies were literally fulfilled. The peculiarity of the new dispensation consisted, in the first place, in the general diffusion of these gifts. They were not confined to any one class of the people, but extended to all classes; male and female, young and old; and secondly, in the wonderful diversity of these supernatural endowments. Under circumstances so extraordinary it was unavoidable that many disorders should arise. Some men would claim to be the organs of the Spirit, who were deluded or impostors; some would be dissatisfied with the gifts which they had received, and envy those whom they regarded as more highly favoured; others would be inflated, and make an ostentatious display of their extraordinary powers; and in the public assemblies it might be expected that the greatest confusion would arise from so many persons being desirous to exercise their gifts at the same time. To the correction of these evils, all of which had manifested themselves in the church of Corinth, the apostle devotes this and the two following chapters. It is impossible to read these chapters without being deeply impressed by the divine wisdom with which they are pervaded. After contrasting the condition of the Corinthians, as members of that body which was instinct with the life-giving Spirit of God, with their former condition as the senseless worshippers of dumb idols, he, First, lays down the criterion by which they might decide whether those who pretended to be the organs of the Spirit were really under his influence. How do they speak of Christ? Do they blaspheme, or do they worship him? If they openly and sincerely recognize Jesus as the Supreme Lord, then they are under the influence of the Holy Ghost, vs. 1–3. Secondly, these gifts, whether viewed as graces of the Spirit, or as forms of ministering to Christ, or the effects of God’s power, that is, whether viewed in relation to the Spirit, to the Son, or to the Father, are but different manifestations of the Holy Ghost dwelling in his people, and are all intended for the edification of the church, vs. 4–7. Thirdly, he arranges them under three heads, 1. The word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. 2. Faith, the gift of healing, the power of working miracles, prophesying, and the discerning of spirits. 3. The gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues, vs. 8–10. Fourthly, these gifts are not only all the fruits of the Spirit, but they are distributed according to his sovereign will, v. 11. Fifthly, there is therefore in this matter a striking analogy between the church and the human body. For, 1. As the body is one organic whole, because animated by one spirit, so the church is one because of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost as the principle of its life. 2. As the unity of life in the body is manifested in a diversity of organs and members; so the indwelling of the Spirit in the church is manifested by a diversity of gifts and offices. 3. As the very idea of the body as an organization supposes this diversity in unity, the same is true in regard to the church. 4. As in the human body the members are mutually dependent, and no one exists for itself alone but for the body as a whole, so also in the church there is the same dependence of its members on each other, and their various gifts are not designed for the exclusive benefit of those who exercise them, but for the edification of the whole church. 5. As in the body the position and function of each member are determined not by itself, but by God, so also these spiritual gifts are distributed according to the good pleasure of their author. 6. In the body the least attractive parts are those which are indispensable to its existence, and so in the church it is not the most attractive gifts which are the most useful. Sixthly, the apostle draws from this analogy the following inferences. 1. Every one should be contented with the gift which he has received of the Lord, just as the hand and foot are contented with their position and office in the body. 2. There should be no exaltation of one member of the church over others, on the ground of the supposed superiority of his gifts. 3. There should, and must be mutual sympathy between the members of the church, as there is between the members of the body. One cannot suffer without all the others suffering with it. No one lives, or acts, or feels for itself alone, but each in all the rest, vs. 12–27. In conclusion the apostle shows that what he had said with regard to these spiritual gifts, applies in all its force to the various offices of the church, which are the organs through which the gifts of the Spirit are exercised, vs. 28–31.

Charles Hodge, An Exposition of the First Epistle to the Corinthians (New York: Robert Carter & Brothers, 1857), 237–239.

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Ver. 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts, &c.] Which may be rendered either indicatively as an assertion, ye do covet earnestly the best gifts; of prophesying and teaching, of doing miracles, healing diseases, speaking with, and interpreting, different tongues and languages; but I can, and do shew you something that is better, and more excellent than these: or, by way of interrogation, do ye covet earnestly the best gifts? do you zealously affect them, fervently desire them, and emulate one another in your endeavours after them? I have something to observe to you which exceeds them all, and which you would do well to follow after, and eagerly pursue; or imperatively, as an exhortation, as it is rendered by our translators: and by the best gifts may be meant, the best of these external gifts before mentioned; and not those of the highest class, and the more extraordinary, but which are the most useful and beneficial to the church, as preaching or prophesying was: the Corinthians seemed most covetous and desirous of speaking with different tongues; but the apostle shews, in the 14th chapter, by divers reasons, that prophesying was preferable, being more serviceable and useful to the church, and so more eligible and to be desired by them, to which he may have regard here: or else by them are meant the internal graces of the spirit, as faith, hope, and love, which are all of them gifts of God’s grace; all useful and valuable, and better than all external extraordinary gifts whatever, which a man might have, and be nothing, be lost and damned; whereas he that believes in Christ, has a good hope through grace, and love in his soul to God, Christ, and his people, though he is destitute of the other gifts, shall certainly be saved; wherefore these are the gifts which men should be solicitous for and covet after, and be greatly concerned to know that they have them, and to be content without the other: and yet shew I unto yon a more excellent way; if by the best gifts are designed the above graces of the spirit, then by the more excellent way, Christ must be meant, the author and object of these graces; who is the way to the covenant, and to a participation of all the blessings of it, as justification, pardon, adoption, and eternal life; the way into a Gospel church, and to all the ordinances of the Gospel dispensation, as baptism, and the Lord’s supper; for faith in him is the prerequisite, and proper qualification for the enjoyment of each of these: Christ is the way of salvation, and the way to the father, and to heaven and eternal happiness; and an excellent one he is, the more, yea, the most excellent; he is the only way to each of these; he is the new and living way, a plain and pleasant one; and so a safe and secure one, in which all that walk shall certainly be saved: now this way the apostle shewed, declared, pointed out in the ministry of the word; it was his chief and principal business, the sum of his doctrine, to make known Christ, and him crucified, as the way, the truth, and the life; to direct souls to him, and to shew them the way of salvation by him: but if by the best gifts are meant the more useful ones of those before mentioned, as prophesying, or preaching, then the more excellent way designs grace, special and internal grace; and that either grace in general, regenerating, sanctifying grace, including all sorts of grace; which is the way of a soul’s passing from the death of sin to a life of faith and holiness; and is the way to eternal glory, and which gives a meetness for it, and is inseparably connected with it. This is a more excellent way than gifts; for gifts, be they ever so great, may be lost or taken away, through disuse or misimprovement; but grace always remains, can never be lost, nor will ever be taken away, but will issue in everlasting life: men may have the greatest gifts, and yet not be saved, as Judas and others; but he that has the least degree of faith in Christ, hope in him, and love to him, shall be saved by him with an everlasting salvation: or particularly the grace of charity, or love to the saints, may be intended by the more excellent way; which is the evidence of a man’s passing from death and life; the new commandment of Christ, and the fulfilling of the law; without which, a man, though he has never such great gifts, he’s nothing as a Christian, nor in the business of salvation; and is the greatest of all the graces of the spirit; and is of such a nature, that when prophecies, tongues, knowledge, and all external gifts shall fail, and even the internal graces of faith and hope shall cease, the one being changed for vision, and the other swallowed up in enjoyment, this will continue; and the rather this grace may be thought to be meant, since the apostle immediately passes to treat of it in the next chapter, and prefers it to all gifts, and even graces.

John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 2, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 702.

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STUDY

How do I identify my spiritual gift? | GotQuestions.org

The Holy Spirit, Arthur Pink, 1937

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SERMON(s)

Test Yourself

MLB Trust Audio and Down loadable

A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:31

Originally preached Sept. 28, 1958

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GRACE PREFERRED TO GIFTS

A SERMON
INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD’S-DAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1900
DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON
AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON
ON THURSDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 1, 1881

“But covet earnestly the best gifts:
and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”
1 Corinthians 12:31