Gifts and the Body of Christ

Chapters 12-14 of 1 Corinthians address spiritual gifts. Many in the church at Corinth felt that gifts made one more spiritual than another. They emphasized the importance of these gifts without cultivating the quality of love in their lives. Paul sought to correct their understanding in this area and help them function more effectively in the body of Christ. There are many important truths from these chapters that apply to believers today.

Some gifts were temporary, like healing, miracles, and speaking in tongues. They were used for a limited amount of time to authenticate the message of the Gospel and the messengers who brought it during the time of the apostles in the early church. Prophecy, in the sense of revealing new revelation from God, is no longer a gift in use today. Scripture has been completed and these gifts have ceased.

But many gifts still operate today. God is the source of these gifts, yet our desire and initiative have to do with our service as well. He does not want us to be ignorant about our gifts but to exercise them. Some are equipped to publicly exhort others with the Word of God. Others have an unusual amount of faith, or the ability to discern situations and make good decisions. What is your gift, and are you using it to benefit the church? Imagine how disappointing it would be for a child to not open the gift that his parent gave him.

Paul used the human body to illustrate the church. God has placed each member in the body as it has pleased Him. Each part of the body is important whether it is visible or whether it works behind the scenes. God intends for Christians to be plugged into a local body of believers where they can exercise their gifts and be an active and healthy member. It is simply nonsensical for a believer to try and function apart from the body.

Of course, the most important question is, are you part of the body of Christ? The only way to become part of His body is through salvation. Jesus loved the church and gave Himself for it by dying on the cross and paying the penalty for the sin of man. If you have never turned to Christ as your Savior, I hope that you will understand His love for you and accept His gift of forgiveness and salvation today.

​Pastor Ben Newman