Some Key Words (12/8/00-12/10/00)

Grace (charis [5485]):

a kindness granted, a favor done without expectation of return, unearned and unmerited favor; what affords joy, good will, the merciful kindness of God in turning souls to Christ, the spiritual condition of one governed by divine grace, benefit, thanks; graciousness of manner or act, the divine influence on the heart and its reflection in the life, gratitude

Think highly (huperphroneo [5252]):

to think more highly of oneself than is proper; over disposed, to be vain or arrogant

Think (phroneo [5426]):

to think with affections, will, or moral consideration, the actions of the will and affections; to have understanding, be wise, to feel, to have an opinion of oneself, to be modest, to judge, form one's opinion, to be agreed together, cherish the same views, be harmonious, to direct one's mind to a thing, seek one's interest; to exercise the mind, have an opinion, to be disposed in a certain direction, to interest oneself in with concern or obedience

Sound judgement (sophroneo [4993]):

to be in one's right mind, exercise self control, think of oneself soberly, curb one's passions; to be sane, to be moderate

Measure (metron [3358]):

an instrument for measuring, the rule or standard of judgment, a portion measured off, the due measure; a limited portion or degree

Faith (pistis [4102]):

being persuaded, belief, knowledge of, assent to, and confidence in divine truth - leading to good works, such knowledge without the works being false faith, miraculous faith; conviction of the truth of a thing, belief as to man's relationship to God joined with trust and holy fervor, the conviction that God exists as creator and ruler of all things, and as bestower of salvation, conviction that Christ is the Messiah, and the means of salvation, belief and trust in God or Christ, fidelity, faithfulness, the character of one who can be relied on; persuasion, credence, moral conviction of religious truth, reliance on Christ for salvation, constancy of Christian profession

Function (praxis [4234]):

a mode of acting, a transaction, the doings of the apostles, a crime, trickery, a thing to be done, a business; a practice, an act

Gifts (charisma [5486]):

a gift of grace, an undeserved benefit from God; a favor received without merit, the gift of faith, knowledge, holiness, and virtue, the economy of divine grace - pardoning sin and granting salvation to the sinner for consideration of Christ's merits, extraordinary powers enabling certain Christians to serve the Church - such powers received by the power of divine grace through the Holy Spirit; deliverance from danger or passion, a spiritual endowment, religious qualification, or miraculous faculty

Prophecy (propheteia [4394]):

the office or gift of a prophet, that which is prophesied or foretold; a discourse coming from divine inspiration - declaring the purposes of God: admonishing the wicked, comforting the afflicted, and revealing the hidden things of God, the predictions of the OT prophets regarding the events of Christ's kingdom, the spirit of prophecy, the divine mind from which such prophecy comes, the gifts and utterances of the prophets; prediction

Service (diakonia [1248]):

serviceable labor, assistance, compassionate love towards the needy, every calling or labor that benefits others, the vocation of those who preach the Gospel and care for the churches, ministration within the Christian community to the needs of others; ministering, those who execute another's commands, those who proclaim the Gospel at God's command, the offices of Moses, the apostles, the church administration, prophets, evangelists, elders, etc., the ministration of those who render charitable services, the office of deacon, the service of food preparers; attendance as a servant, aid

Teaching (didaskalia [1319]):

that which is taught, instruction, doctrine, the authority of the teacher in teaching and instructing, teaching with authority; precepts; the function of teaching, or the information taught

Exhortation (paraklesis [3874]):

the act of calling hither to help, begging, encouragement toward virtue, admonition or encouragement in order to strengthen and establish the believer, comforting words, consolation; a calling near, a summons, supplication, entreaty, Messianic salvation, persuasive discourse, stirring address, instructive and powerful discourse; imploring

Liberality (haplotes [572]):

simplicity, purity, sincerity, faithfulness, plenitude, sincerity manifested in helpfulness and giving of assistance, benevolent, faithful benevolence out of proper motivation; singleness, mental honesty, free of pretence and hypocrisy, not self-seeking, openness of heart manifested in generosity;

Leads (proistemi [4291]):

to place before, set over, superintend, preside over, to be a protector or guardian, to care for; to stand before, to preside in rank, to practice

Diligence (spoude [4710]):

with haste, earnestness in accomplishing or striving after a thing, to give all diligence, to interest oneself most earnestly; despatch, eagerness

Mercy (eleeo [1653]):

to have pity, be compassionate, show mercy, to extend help for the consequences of sin; to help one afflicted, to bring help to the wretched, to experience mercy; to be compassionate in word or deed as empowered by divine grace

Cheerfulness (hilarotes [2432]):

readiness of mind; alacrity

Love (agape [26]):

benevolent love shown in doing not what the loved one desires but rather what is needful for the loved one, unselfish love; brotherly love, affection, good will;

Without hypocrisy (anupokritos [505]):

not to pretend or simulate, inexperienced in the art of acting, genuine; undisguised, sincere;

Abhor (apostugeo [655]):

detest with horror, to shudder from intense horror; to dislike, to have a horror of; to detest utterly

Evil (poneros [4190]):

evil in a moral or spiritual sense, malicious, mischievous; full of labors, annoyances, and hardships, harassed by labors, bringing toils and perils, causing pain and trouble, of a bad nature or condition, diseased, ethically wicked, a title of Satan; evil in effect or influence, calamitous, ill, morally culpable, derelict, vicious, malice

Good (agathos [18]):

good and benevolent, profitable, useful; of good constitution or nature, pleasant, agreeable, excellent, distinguished, upright, honorable;

Devoted (philostorgos [5387]):

v10: the mutual love of parents and children, of wives and husbands, loving affection, loving tenderly; cherishing one's kindred, fond of natural relatives, fraternal towards fellow Christians

Brotherly love (philadelphia [5360]):

brother as friend, the love of Christians for each other due to their common spiritual life; love of brothers or sisters, the love which Christians cherish for each other; fraternal affection

Preference (proegeomai [4285]):

to go before and show the way, to lead, to precede as a leader; lead the way for others, show deference

Honor (time [5092]):

a valuing by which the price is fixed, the price paid or received, the honor which belongs to or is shown to one, honor due to rank or office, deference, reverence; esteem, dignity

Lagging behind (okneros [3636]):

sluggish, slothful, backward; tardy, indolent, irksome

Fervent (zeo [2204]):

to seethe, bubble, parroting the sound of boiling water; to boil with heat, boiling emotion - whether anger, or love, zeal for what is good; to be hot, boil, glow, be earnest

Rejoicing (chairo [5463]):

joy as the direct result of God's grace, to skip about as a young lamb would, to be glad; to rejoice exceedingly, to be well, to thrive; to be cheerful, calmly happy or well-off

Hope (elpis [1680]):

desire of good with expectation of obtaining same, the thing hoped for, the foundation of hope, trust or confidence, security; joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation, He who is the foundation of hope; to anticipate with pleasure

Persevering (hupomeno [5278]):

to remain under, endure, sustain a load of miseries, adversities or provocations in faith and patience, to stay behind, patience towards circumstances; to tarry behind, to remain, abide, not to flee, to hold fast to one's faith in Christ under misfortunes, to bear bravely and calmly; to undergo, to bear trials, have fortitude

Tribulation (thlipsis [2347]):

crushing, compressing, squeezing affliction or distress, pressure, a burden upon the spirit; a pressing together, oppression;

Devoted (proskartereo [4342]):

v12: to endure, to tarry, remain somewhere, to continue steadfastly with someone, to cleave faithfully to someone, steadfastness and faithfulness; to adhere to one, to be constant to one, to be steadfastly attentive to, to continue all the time in a place, to persevere without fainting, to be in constant readiness for one; to be constantly diligent, to be earnest towards, to attend assiduously all the exercises

Practicing (koinoneo [2841]):

to participate, be a partaker in or of, to distribute or impart; to come into communion or fellowship with, to become a sharer, be made a partner, to join oneself to an associate; to share with others

Hospitality (philonexia [5381]):

love to strangers; hospitableness

Bless (eulogeo [2127]):

to speak well of, to express good wishes; to celebrate with praise, to consecrate with solemn prayers, to ask God's blessing on a thing, to make happy, cause to prosper, favored of God; NOTE the shades of meaning here. From God to man, the blessing accompanies action, for God's words and actions are united. From man to God, it is the expression of due praise. From man of God, it is a request for His word and action to consecrate. From man to man, it is reduced to an expression of good wishes.

Persecute (dioko [1377]):

to cause to run or flee, put to flight, drive away, to chase after, press on, run swiftly as racing towards a goal, to pursue in hostile manner, to harass, trouble, molest, to be mistreated, to earnestly endeavor to acquire; to cause flight, pursue

Curse (kataraomai [2672]):

to wish evil or ruin upon another; to doom;

Weep (klaio [2799]):

to mourn, lament, to weep as in pain or grief, to mourn for the dead; to sob, wail aloud

 

Paraphrase: (12/8/00)

3 Don't overestimate yourself, but judge yourself soundly, for God has given everybody their measure of faith. 4 Every body has many members for many functions, but remains one body. 5 Just so, we are one body in Christ, each being one of the many members, and so members of each other. 6 As our gifts are different, appropriate to the function God's grace has given us, we must perform our functions accordingly. A prophet ought to prophecy in keeping with the full measure of his faith. 7 Those who serve ought to serve in keeping with the full measure of their faith; so the teacher, 8 and the one who exhorts. So, too, the giver, who ought to give in liberality. So, too the leader, in his diligence; and the merciful in his cheerfulness.

9 Our love must be real, not play acting. We must hold fast to the good and shun evil. 10 We must love each other with the devotion of brothers, each considering the other as the more honorable. 11 Our diligence and fervency in serving the Lord ought lack in nothing; 12 our hope ought to lead to rejoicing, our tribulations to perseverance, and through it all we ought to be devoted to prayer. 13 We ought to be providing for the needs of our brothers, and sharing our homes with them - [even as God has done for us.] 14 We mustn't curse those who attack us, but rather bless them. 15 When one of our members rejoices, we ought to rejoice along with them; so also when one is weeping.

Key Verse: (12/8/00)

12:5 - All of us, in this church and in the Church, are members of the one body of Christ, and as co-members, are members of each other, bound in service to each other.

People Mentioned: (12/8/00)

N/A

Some Parallel Verses (12/10/00-12/12/00)

12:3

 Ro 1:5 - Paul's office and gifting was received of Christ to bring faith to the Gentiles. Ro 15:15 - Because his grace was from God, Paul was bold in his writing. 1Co 3:10 - The foundation Paul laid was in accord with God's grace in him. 1Co 15:10 - God's grace made Paul what he was, and was not given in vain. Gal 2:9 - That grace was recognized by other apostles who met Paul. Eph 3:7 - God's grace and power were given to Paul to accomplish his ministry. Ro 11:20 - Our state of salvation is not cause for conceit, but for righteous fear lest our faith become weak. 1Co 7:17 - Each man's walk with God ought to be as He has assigned and called to that person. 2Co 10:13 - Paul was unwilling to exceed the measure of the task God had appointed to him. Eph 4:7 - Each of us received the measure of grace Christ's gift provided. 1Pe 4:11 - All that we do ought to be to the glory of God as we are empowered by Christ.

12:4

1Co 12:12-14 - The body of Christ, like the natural body, consists of many members, all working together in one Spirit. Eph 4:4 - There is one body, to which we were called in hope. Eph 4:16 - As that one body operates properly in each part, depending upon Christ its head, it grows and builds itself up on the food of love.

12:5

1Co 10:17 - The many of us partake as one body of the one bread. 1Co 10:33 - Paul seeks the good of the many in their salvation, not his own gain. 1Co 12:20 - We are all members of one body, 1Co 12:27 - Christ's. Eph 4:12 - All the offices of the church serve the purpose of equipping us for service, and building up the Church. Eph 4:25 - As co-members, we ought not to lie to each other.

12:6

1Co 7:7 - Each man has his own gifting from God. 1Co 12:4 - The gifts vary, but the Spirit is one and the same. 1Pe 4:10 - The gifts we each receive are to be used in service to each other. Ac 13:1 - The church in Antioch had prophets and teachers. 1Co 12:10 - Prophecy is one of the gifts of the Spirit.

12:7

Ac 6:1 - Dissention arose over perceived discrepancies in the serving of food. 1Co 12:5 - The ministries also vary, but are all callings of one Lord. 1Co 12:28 - Prophets stand among the offices appointed to the church by God. Ac 13:1 - The church of Antioch had teachers, as well as prophets. 1Co 12:28 - Teachers, too, are of the God-appointed church officers. 1Co 14:26 - All have something to contribute to the body; psalms, teachings, revelations, tongues and interpretations. All are to be done for the edification of the body as a whole.

12:8

Ac 4:36 - Joseph the Cypriot was called Barnabas, because of his gift of encouragement. Ac 11:23 - Barnabas was sent to encourage the church at Antioch. Ac 13:15 - The synagogue sought Paul for a word of encouragement. 2Co 8:2 - The Macedonian church gave above and beyond their natural ability. 2Co 9:11 - Those who so give will be enriched the moreso, leading to thanksgiving to God. 2Co 9:13 - God will be glorified for the liberal gift made. 1Co 12:28 - Administrators are also God-appointed church officers. 1Ti 5:17 - Those who rule well will be considered as worthy of the greater honor, especially preachers and teachers. 2Co 9:7 - In giving, and in our doing, we ought to do willingly, without begrudging the effort.

12:9

2Co 6:6 - Genuine love is one of the many proofs of God's servants. 1Ti 1:5 - The goal of godly instruction is this pure love, joined with sincere faith and a good conscience. 1Th 5:21-22 - Examine everything but keep only the good, avoiding even the appearance of evildoing.

12:10

Jn 13:34 - We are commanded by Christ to love one another in the same way that He has loved us. 1Th 4:9 - This we are taught by God Himself. Heb 13:1 - This love is ever to continue, 2Pe 1:7 - as a step towards the goal of our growth, springing from roots of godliness and growing into pure love. Ro 13:7 - We are to honor all to whom honor is due. Php 2:3 - Our actions must be free of conceit, and should humbly consider others of greater import than self. 1Pe 2:17 - Honor all men, including the king.

12:11

Ac 18:25 - Apollos was fervent in spirit, and taught well regarding Jesus, even though not baptized into the gifts of the Spirit. Ac 20:19 - Paul served the Lord with humility through all the tears and trials.

12:12

Ro 5:2 - The hope we have of God's glory causes us to rejoice exceedingly. Heb 10:32 - After enlightenment come great sufferings, Heb 10:36 - because we need endurance in doing the will of God. Ac 1:14 - The first Christians were of one mind, and continually devoted to prayer.

12:13

Ro 15:25 - Paul's trip to Jerusalem was in service to the saints. 1Co 16:15 - Those who were the start of the church in Achaia devoted themselves to ministry to the saints. 2Co 9:1 - The Corinthians were also fervent in their ministering to the saints, Heb 6:10 - which service God does not forget, for the love it shows is towards His name. Mt 25:35 - Those chosen as sheep were the ones who fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, and invited strangers into their homes. 1Ti 3:2 - Hospitality is one of the marks of the deacon.

12:14

Mt 5:44 - We are to love our enemies, and pray for our persecutors, Lk 6:28 - bless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us, 1Co 4:12 - bless our revilers, endure our persecutions.

12:15

Job 30:25 - Job's compassion for the hard pressed was evident. Heb 13:3 - We are to sympathize with those imprisoned or mistreated [for His name,] for we are of the same body.

 

New Thoughts (12/13/00)

Throughout the book, so far, Paul has been focusing his attention on the rule of faith and grace in the economy of God's Church. He has shown that old divisions have come to an end as God's grace goes out to the ends of the earth, as the prophets had always said it would. Now, having shown that the peoples of the earth are united in their need, that the fellowship of Christ is united by its faith and hope, Paul begins to define that unity more succinctly.

He begins by reminding us of the reason for this unity, and deflates another potential difference. We are all of one body, we are united into the body of Christ to serve Him. The gifts He gives us differ from one to another, but are for one unifying purpose, to serve in building up His body in love. Paul then points out some of these gifts that have been given us to accomplish His will within and through us; prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, supporting, administering, charity. All are to be done as God has empowered the doer. None are to be envied, for all depend on the same God for their empowerment.

Having shown that unity is required by our Lord, and that He has provided the means to attain to unity, Paul now gives us a picture of what our unity is to look like. It is honestly loving, single-minded in pursuing good exclusively, lacking in pride and excelling in humility and service, fervent in all it does in Christ's service, ever rejoicing, ever persevering, ever praying. It is a unity that reaches out to aid, support, and embrace. It is a unity that defies the cause of anger, blessing those that seek its harm. It is a deep unity, that shares the emotional shifts of its members, joining in their joys and their sorrows, so that each member is strengthened by the whole.

This is a big call, that God has given us. But He is a big God, and has provided us with tools and weapons powerful to the tearing down of strongholds; of pride, of envy, of anger, of vengeance. These are the strongholds within ourselves that must be conquered first, before we can hope to conquer in the camps of the enemy.

As the difference of gifts has been addressed, here, as an indication of unity, where they could have become tools of disunity, so also the absence of gifts is addressed in Scripture. Acts 18:25 introduces us to Apollos, another great teacher of the earliest Church. The description of him bears noting:

"being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John." (NASB)

This should stand as a reminder in the thoughts of all of us in the Pentecostal and Charismatic members of Christ's body. The gifts we have, we have of God. The gifts we have do not make us any better in His eyes, for they are His to begin with. The absence of those gifts do not make the other members lesser in His eyes, nor should they in ours. One could as easily argue that it makes them greater (although it doesn't, we are equal in God's sight.) Consider: the gifts were given to us to help us, to aid our weakness. Consider: the gifts were given us, and withheld from others, at God's discretion. He who creates and rules over all things determined in His own wise counsel where and when and through whom the gifts would operate. While I would not pretend to know God's own thoughts on this, it is worthwhile for us to consider that perhaps He didn't give the gifts to other members of His body, because they didn't need them, where we did. Perhaps, they are spiritually stronger than we, and therefore don't have as great a need for aid? Again, I do not state a doctrine, nor do I declare this as the word of the Lord. I offer it only as a tool for us to use against our own foolish pride. Too often, I hear us speak of this teacher or that, and become offended that they don't function in, nor necessarily understand or accept, the active gifts of the Spirit, as we know them. Face it. If God wanted them to so function, they would. If He intended for all of us to operate the same way, why then would He remind us here that we don't? Again, Gifts don't make a man holy, any more than the Law did. Righteousness, as this book tells us so clearly, is the result of obedience to faith in Christ. Be thankful to God for the gifts He gives you. Be thankful to God for the gifts He has given others. Be thankful for all who teach the sound truth of Scripture, for they are all manifestly obedient to God's call upon them in so doing, by the means He has provided them.

Now, it bears noting that in the course of these recommendations, three degrees of love are commended to the Christian as duties of grace. At the top, of course, stands the love we call agape, the love that is so selfless that it no longer acts out of a desire for reciprocation, no longer acts out of a desire to make its recipient happy, but rather acts to provide for the need of the loved one, whether said loved one desires it or not. This love we are to display without hypocrisy, we are to have it in truth and in evidence. Next, we are called to devotion to each other, displaying brotherly love - philadelphia, the love shared by brothers and sisters, the bonds of a common spirit. Devotion, itself, stands as another variant of love, representing the love shared by parents and their children. These two forms of love are of a reciprocal nature, for they each display a love that is shared, that gives back in like kind. Finally, there is mention of that love known as hospitality. This is love reaching out into the unknown, as it were, love shown to strangers. It is not that selfless love that is our primary goal, for it certainly hopes to be appreciated by its recipient. This degree of love is one of the stamps of approval for the deacon, for the church elder; a required fruit of one who would minister in God's house, to God's people. Love in all its facets stands as the goal for God's people. 1Ti 1:5 lists love, alongside faith and conscience, as the goal of all Christian instruction. The instruction is given to the promotion of these things, and its earnest reception cannot fail to lead to them. It is the command of Christ, himself (Jn 13:34), the visible mark of His disciples, identifying them to all men as belonging to Christ. Note, also, that these loves build upon each other. 2Pe 1:7 tells us that as godliness of character cannot but lead to brotherly love, so brotherly love cannot but lead to higher love. These are the final phases of the progression to godly character, as Peter declares them to us, of greater worth, in the end then faith and knowledge, for faith and knowledge are foundations, where love is the pinnacle.

Lord, all Your gifts, all Your vocations, all Your efforts on our behalf are to bring us to this point: that we come to Love. You are Love. It is not something You know, nor something You have. Love is of Your very essence, without it You would cease to be. Our purpose is to become more and more like You. How then, could we help but grow towards perfection of Love in ourselves? Yet, Lord, I am ever reminded that this is the most difficult of tasks. So much within us and around us is unlovely. Daily, my actions fail of my goal. Daily, I manage to hurt those who should most know my love. Daily, pride and anxiety cause missteps. God, how needy I am. But I cling to the promise of 2 Peter. You have planted in me the seed of faith. You are clearly at work in building up my morality from the morass it once was. You have set me on this path of searching out knowledge of Your truths. I know that these will lead to fruits of self control and perseverance, for You have promised it here. And I know that all You are doing in me will bring me eventually to that place of godliness, brotherly love, and godly love. Oh, but I pray You would bring it more swiftly. But Father, You know best. You know my limits better than I do myself, and You are far more wise than I. So I pray that You would keep me steadfast in submission to Your desires, in service at Your command. Thank You, that I know You hear me, for Your answers do come in Your time.