Chapter 12 lays the necessary groundwork for Spiritual Gifts. Chapter 13 gives the necessary qualification for using Spiritual Gifts. Chapter 14 gives the necessary regulations for the use of Spiritual Gifts.
Chapter 12 breaks down into 4 main sections. v. 1-3 – Only Gifts which glorify Christ are of divine origin.
4-11 – Stresses the Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts for the good of the entire body, not the good of any individual member.
12-26 – God has set the individual members into their individual places in to form one body and this means we must have mutual dependence upon one another and mutual love.
27-31 – Every believer should desire the best gifts, and no believer has all the gifts, or he would be self-sufficient.
I. Their Experience as Pagans v. 1-2
A. Paul Introduces the Subject
B. Their Pagan Background 8:4-6; 10:7, 14, 20-22; 11:17-18
II. The Test of a True Spiritual Gift v. 3
A. No one, speaking by the Spirit of God can call Jesus accursed.
B. To know if one is cursing or blessing Christ – the words must be understandable or at least translatable
C. Some likely had experienced what we call “ecstatic utterances” during their pagan days.
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Pastor Steve came to Christ at the age of 11. He graduated from Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College in 1979 with a B.A. in theology as the Valedictorian of his class. He joined our church in 1978, came on staff, full-time in 1980, was ordained as an Elder in 1982, and became...