Now concerning
spiritual gifts, brethren,
I do not want you to
be ignorant;... But
earnestly desire the
best gifts.
And yet I show you a
more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 12: 1,
31
Paul in
writing this chapter opens to speak in regards to spiritual things, gifts, and
about their use and misuse and then closes this chapter with advice to covet
the best gifts; the most valuable in themselves, or those most serviceable to
others. It is unfortunate that men
often esteem those gifts that will mostly raise their fame and as being the highest level. Yet, those gifts,
that are truly best, are those that are God honoring, and His church
edified. History will testify that due
to those gifts, there are contentions, schisms, and many believe that they have
the truth and others do not: the haves, and the have-nots! Paul admits that there were many people who
were seeking gifts as though by such they would be conferred as a godly people
and yet, Paul says that there is a better or more excellent way, and that is
not the way to seek after gifts for only God gives a gift to whomever He
chooses. It is His grace that is to be
preferred, above and before all other gifts, and of those gifts that are to be
preferred. Those gifts that are of the
greatest use are also the gifts that are of the most value. They become mischievous when they are made
to be the fuel of pride and contention.
Often, among the people of Christianity, there are those who are truly
authentic Christians, and those who are nominal or cultural Christians. Those who practice the nominal faith with
all the effects of that seem of faith, or can be traced back to the radical
misunderstanding or lack of understanding that they possess of the distinctive
doctrines of faith they profess. By
means of this radical misunderstanding or lack of understanding gifts become
transformed into a better way if one practices, especially certain gifts; i.e.
speaking in "tongues." This
transformation causes one, due to
their worldview, or in the least, human nature, the truth of what Jesus Christ accomplished
on the cross and the transforming influence of the Holy Spirit becomes the
watershed that stands between the faith of nominal or cultural Christians and
those who practice the faith that Christ came to make possible. There are those who have never given serious
consideration to our Savior Jesus Christ and have spent their lives drifting along
with the cultures idea of what is a good life.
It is the seeking, of the "good life," that leads to the
misuse of that which the Holy Spirit desires to impart, and be used by
authentic Christians. There is a major
tendency to focus on "gifts" rather than to focus upon the Gospel
that is simply that God came incarnate upon the earth to die upon the cross to
pay the debt owed to Himself, to be paid by Himself, and then apply to whom
ever he wishes to apply it. Rather than
seeking to become in the image of Jesus Christ many seek to demonstrate that
may have the Holy Spirit and this do to the things that they are exercising
rather than simply living accordingly to the commands of God. It is his outward demonstration that we must
give serious consideration about as to whether or not this is truly the
"good life" that God wishes for all of his people. Delving deeply into this subject of
"gift" we find that many people have is their reason to do such
things or not these things is that they began to look for some source of
meaning in their lives that will give them a more stable foundation. After having become aware of your sinfulness
and your offense to God by the way you may have lived turn with a sense in your
mind to set out on a course of personal reformation. This desire to change also is a point whereby there is a tragedy
of the common understanding about cultural Christianity. Yes, men and women might desire to change,
but they don't have any understanding of what their real problem is and of the
only solution that is able to address it.
By not understanding of the solution that has been provided for you
there is a turning for this poor condition to make an attempt to fix things by
means that never work: "They do but
skim and film the ulcerous place, while rank corruption, mining all within,
infects unseen" (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, act 3, scene 4, line 93). Men and women who are attempting to pursue
the right goal, but have mistaken the way it can be accomplished, are following
the path that they are now pursuing, and that path is not the one made possible
by the work of Christ and will not lead them to the life they are desiring nor
the peace for which they crave.[1]people
in their search or they're pursuing and find the right goal, that is how to be
accepted by God, often turn to ministers and counselors to get help with their
virtual instruction. This may be good,
or may be bad, and whether this is good help or bad help is whether or not
those who are attempting to help have embraced a prevailing religious system
that is truly scriptural or not and the answer to that question embedded is
that they will either lead a person as ready by assuring them that as long as
they really try to do the right thing, they have nothing to worry about and
that right thing may be simply to exercise "gifts"
and by such euphoric action a person feels as though they are on the right
course. Are they? All of us need to take seriously what the
Bible and what the Church teaches. All
of our behavior, as though who have entered into this union with Christ, is to
flow from these Biblical truths. It is
these truths that are scriptural that are to motivate us to serve God with joy,
thankfulness and love. If we do this
then we hold a key in our hands. That
key is that if we do this one thing, that is to search the Scriptures, to pray
for guidance, then you will not be able to treat your faith in a superficial
way that many cultural Christians do in our time. They want to live their spiritual lives on their own terms. THIS DOES NOT WORK! Having set for this I will then next began
to look at these gifts according to Scripture and while it may not be the most
in-depth it will lead you to follow that teaching so that you can look a
descriptor for yourselves as well and by doing so you will come to the truth
not necessarily told by me, rather by that which the Holy Spirit has led you by
Scripture to believe.
We acknowledge, O
LORD,
our wickedness and
the iniquity of our
fathers,
for we have sinned against YOU.
Do not abhor us,
for your namesake;
do not disgrace the throne
of Your glory. Remember, do not break
Your covenant with us.
Jeremiah 14: 20 – 21
Our Lord and God:
wait for Him
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