Together in Christ: 'The Same Spirit' — 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Christians in Corinth turned using their spiritual gifts into a reason for personal boasting. ^[1] They based their self-importance on the gift they had been given. Then, they compared their gift with others' gifts, elevating and diminishing the importance of others based on their gift. ^[2] Some even suggested that everyone needed a specific gift to prove they were truly spiritual. ^[3] Paul made clear in his letter to the Corinthians that their bickering, comparing, and boasting was wrong and worldly, ^[4] not spiritual.

Both Paul and Peter insisted that each of us has a gift from the Spirit. ^[5] The gifts differ, and those gifts are given based on the will and design of God — Father, Son, and Spirit. ^[6] We do not all have the same gift, and we must not elevate one gift above another. We must not require a specific gift as necessary to be considered spiritual or a follower of Jesus. ^[7] The same Holy Spirit, in each believer, is the One who gives the respective gifts to people. We need these different gifts in the body of Christ so that each of us will use our gifts to bless others. ^[8] We seek to use our gift to build up the body of Christ so that it functions as Jesus' ministering presence in the world.

After his extensive discussion of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says that love is more important than any of the gifts and then, in another place, made it clear that love comes from the Spirit. ^[9]

Let's rejoice in the diversity of gifts the Spirit gives us. The same Spirit gives the different gifts so God can do His work in all of us. Let's affirm each other in the use of our gifts and praise God for how He uses each of us to do the work of Jesus!