Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Spiritual Gifts

I've read this passage many times before and always read it as spiritual gifts to an individual rather than the church as a whole. For some reason, when I read Stott's entry and 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 today, I read it differently as the body encompassing all of the churches in the world.

There are so many different denominations and types of churches today. Some are mega churches, some are small churches, there is traditional and now contemporary forms of worship, there is baptist, methodist, presbyterian, non-denominational the list goes on and on and on...kind of like the factions of the Corinthian church.

This always seems to be a divisive issue for man but perhaps God is saying here that all of these very different churches exist for the 'common good' and according to his purpose. These were my thoughts as I read this passage today.

1 Corinthians 12: 7-11 reads:

7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Church A, they may be a very charismatic church and gifted with speaking in different tongues or perhaps the gift of healing.

Church B may not be at all like this and have been given the message of knowledge or wisdom.

Church A might think Church B is all wrong and vice versa...

Both churches are very different but bound by the same spirit and they are both vital to the body of Christ. The differences shouldn't divide... they should make the body stronger, no? Thoughts?

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