Spiritual Gifts

Meditations in First Corinthians

June 7, 2022

Spiritual Gifts 

God works in different ways,

but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

1 Corinthians 12:6

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

The issue of secular class distinctions was so important to Paul in building up the church in Corinth, he spent all of what is designated as chapter 12 teaching on it. And we will spend the rest of this week on chapter 12.

As I read our passage for today, I recalled a Symphony Band concert my wife and I attended. It was a wonderful evening, and after the concert the evening got even better. We brought three of the musicians’ home to spend the night with us – after making a visit to our favorite ice cream shop for frozen custard. They were delightful young women, and each had a different role in the band. One was violinist and soprano and was featured prominently in the band. Another was a percussionist and was in the back of the band. The other played brass and sat sort of in the middle of the band. All were vitally important to the band’s performance.

We sat around our kitchen table visiting and enjoying our frozen custard. From the way our guests talked and conducted themselves, it was very clear that they loved Jesus. If I had not been to the concert, there was no way I could discern which woman had what role in the band. That is a bit unusual for members of a band or orchestra. Usually there is most definitely a pecking order relating to which instrument is more important and who sits where. Our guests were different. They weren’t interested in individual recognition because they were playing for the glory of God.

The most difficult part of forming the church in Corinth was learning to set aside the class distinctions that were ingrained in their culture. In the previous chapter, we learned that the Corinthians struggled with these class distinctions as they celebrated the Lord’s Supper. Today their struggle with self-importance over which of the gifts of God was most important is revealed.

My Takeaway: Paul is teaching the church that when our purpose is to glorify God, and to help each other, the class distinctions dissolve. 

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.