Action and Ministry Gifts in the Body of Christ
Today we are going to begin by looking at 1 Corinthians 12:4,7, 9, and 10a, "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ... 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ... 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles," In these verses we discover three gifts that "do" something. We will call them the action gifts. We have the gift of faith, the gifts of healings, and the working of miracles. Since these are "gifts of the Holy Spirit" they work more boldly than the manifestation of these things through our faith as we pray, when not accompanied by the presence of the gift. When the Holy Spirit moves through His gift, you can be sure whatever His will, desire, and work is in any given situation, it will be accomplished.
The gift of faith is a unique form of faith that goes beyond natural or saving faith. It supernaturally trusts and does not doubt in regard to the specific matters involved.
The gifts of healings are those healings that God performs apart from our level of faith. He supernaturally performs the healing because sovereignly, He chooses to do so. The plural use of the word, healings, indicates that since there are many sicknesses, diseases, and disorders that many healings can occur.
The working of miracles is a manifestation of power that goes beyond the ordinary course of natural law. It is a divine enablement to do something that could not be done naturally.
I have defined these gifts before giving examples because it seems, more often than not, they work in conjunction with each other.
When we look at the miracles in the Old Testament, we see the gift of faith enabling the gift or miracles or healings. Moses performed many miracles as recorded in the book of Exodus. One example is found in Exodus 14:21, "Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided." I encourage you to read through the book of Exodus and see how many you can find.
There are so many examples in the Old Testament that they are too many to list here. The books of 1st and 2nd Kings tells us of many miracles and healings performed by Elijah and Elisha.
1 Kings 17:21,22, "And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, I pray, let this child's soul come back to him." 22 Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived."
2 Kings 6:5,6, "But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, master! For it was borrowed." 6 So the man of God (Elisha) said, "Where did it fall?" And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float."
We also see miracles performed by Isaiah in 2 Kings 20:7 and 11, "Then Isaiah said, "Take a lump of figs." So they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered." ...and then, verse 11 "So Isaiah the prophet cried out to the Lord, and He brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Ahaz."
Of course, we can also discover many accounts of miracles and healings performed, by faith, in the New Testament by Jesus, Paul, and Peter.
By Jesus - John 2:7,9, "Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. ... 9 When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom."
By Paul - Acts 20:9 and 10, "And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, "Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him."
By Peter - Acts 9:40 and 41 "But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
As with all the gifts of the Spirit, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to "each one" for the profit of all. 1 Corinthians 12:7," But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." and He distributes to "each one" individually as He wills (verse11).
As we have seen, the body of Christ has many members. We also see that not every member has the same function. 1 Corinthians 12:12-26, "For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it." These verses of scripture compares the church or the body of Christ to the human body. We can readily see if a "member" of our physical body, i.e. an eye, thumb, little toe, arm, leg, or kidney, for example, is not functioning... it affects the entire body. Likewise, the church, as the body of Christ, needs to have all of it's members functioning to have a healthy body. This includes having the presence of the various gifts of the Spirit in operation.
In addition to the spiritual gifts we have discussed thus far, ministry gifts and the fruits of the Spirit have also been given to the church.
Galatians 5:22,23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."The fruits of the Spirit are for everyone. We need to understand though, that just as fruit grows from a bud to fully ripe fruit, we also are to grow into maturity in these fruits.
As we look at ministry gifts, we see that they vary, just as the spiritual gifts do. Not everyone operates in or has been given the same gift. These gifts are recorded in several portions of scripture.
1 Corinthians 12:27 and 28 includes both ministry and spiritual gifts. "27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues." The ministry gifts listed here include: apostles, prophets, teachers, helps and administrations.
Let us look at Ephesians 4: 8,11, and 12. Starting with verse 8 "Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." ... 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ," Notice in verse 8 it says that He gave gifts to men. Then verse 11 tells us that the gifts were: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastor and teachers, for equipping the saints for the work of ministry. We need to understand that some of these gifts therefore, are a calling to an office in the church.
Added to the list of ministry gifts are prophesy, ministry, exhortation, giving, leading and mercy, as seen in Romans 12:6-8. "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."
As we have seen, not every member of the body of Christ has the same gift or gifts, yet, it is important to note that all of them are necessary to the ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. No one gift is more important than another, and as explained in 1 Corinthians 12, all are needed . No one individual has all of the gifts, however, in order for the body to function fully, all of the gifts need to be recognized and applied.
If certain members or gifts are diminished, the entire body will be weakened and will not attain it's full potential. Not everyone has been gifted to be a pastor, prophet, evangelist or teacher, however, that is absolutely okay, because, the church cannot function properly without the ones gifted in other areas such as giving, helps or mercy.
As a member of the body of Christ, you are invaluable! You are necessary! You are needed! If you do not know or have not recognized what function the Lord wants you to fulfill, think of how He has enabled you. Then move in that gifting.
None of us should feel threatened or any lesser because of the gifts we see in others. Each gift is vital! Nor should anyone pridefully lord if over others, feeling they are more important, because, that is not the truth. We all need each other. The body of Christ needs your strengths!
Praying for each of us to successfully fulfill our function in the body of Christ.
Let love rule!