Temple Baptist Church - 3-25-2026
I Corinthians 12:4-11
Introduction:
A. As we begin tonight, we will discuss two types of gifts given to the church by the Holy Spirit: Sign Gifts, which were passing, and Service Gifts, which are permanent.
B. We have discussed some of the problems associated with the gifts of the Spirit over the past few weeks and will continue to do so as the study of 1 Corinthians 12-14 continues.
1. God’s people are truly destroyed for lack of knowledge, and this should not happen. God’s Word clearly states the truth about spiritual gifts, and only the unregenerated, unlearned, or willfully ignorant have trouble understanding them.
2. If ignorance is bliss, as the old saying goes, then the church as a whole is certainly “blissful!” I do not want the believers at Temple Baptist to be ignorant of this important and divisive subject.
C. Spiritual gifts have a two-fold purpose within the church:
1. To glorify God, the Giver of the gifts - 1 Peter 4:10-11 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The proper use of spiritual gifts never draws attention to self, but—as the Holy Ghost Who gave them does—they point us to Christ!
2. To enable believers to edify one other in the church - Ephesians 4:11-15 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.
D. Before getting into the gifts individually, we need to see why God gave these gifts to the individuals of the church. To divide the Word of Truth rightly, we need to understand certain things.
1. First, the time frame of 1 Corinthians. This book was written during the period covered by the Book of Acts.
a) The Acts of the Apostles ran from about 33 A.D. to 63 A.D. A period of about 30 years beginning with the ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ and ending just prior to the death of the Apostle Paul in app. 66 A.D. in Rome.
b) The Gospels and the Book of Acts are what we call a transitional period. It was a time of great change from the Old to the New Testament. In the Old Testament, the Law of Moses was the guide and rule for the Jewish people. Unfortunately, through the rise of Phariseeism, the true use of the Law was perverted, and salvation for these religious zealots became a system of good works, replacing the grace of God.
c) Salvation has always been by grace and will remain so until all things are complete and eternity begins. During the time of the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, God performed some remarkable deeds to bring about this transition.
d) This was not a transition of Law to Grace but, rather, a transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant through the coming, death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
e) These signs, miracles, wonders, healing, and tongues were Apostolic.
2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
2. Secondly, many of these gifts of the Spirit were passing gifts, and by the time of the writing of 1 Corinthians, these particular gifts were already passing off the scene. Men, like the Apostle Paul, with the gifts of miracles, healings, prophecy (foretelling), and tongues with interpretation, were already losing the ability to perform these particular gifts towards the end of the Apostolic Age.
2 Timothy 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. (Paul could not heal him.)
Philippians 2:25-27 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. (26) For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. (27) For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. (No one but the Lord could heal him.)
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (Paul could not help himself.)
2 Corinthians 10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. (Paul was sickly and had his personal physician with him.)
2 Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Luke 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
3. In the list of gifts that we will go through, we will find that there are both permanent and passing gifts, both in administration and operational gifts.
4. The passing gifts were to be replaced by “that which is perfect” in chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians.
a) This is in reference to the completed canon of Scripture. Many erroneously interpret the verse in 1 Corinthians 13:10 as the Second Coming of Christ, but the context and wording of the passage make it perfectly clear that it refers to the completed Word of God, not the Second Advent.
b) The word perfect carries the meaning of being brought to its end, finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness, or being brought to full age. The Word of God had always been perfect in the sense of absolute perfection because every word of God is pure but had not been brought to completion.
c) We have in our hands today the perfectly complete Word of God and, therefore, “that which is in part” has now been done away with. Therefore, we have no need for extrabiblical revelations.
E. Now, let us take a look at these gifts, both passing and permanent. There are several portions that define the diversity of spiritual gifts. We will start with our text.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (5) And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. (6) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. (7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (8) For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; (9) To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; (10) To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (11) But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
F. We will notice from 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 that there are:
1. Verses 4-6. Diversity of gifts. Nine gifts are mentioned here. “Diversities” - varieties, distinctions, different kinds. God never designed the church to function in uniformity, but in Spirit-directed diversity. Different gifts, Different ministries, Different operations, but ONE source — God. Unity is not sameness; it is harmony under the same Lord.
2. Verses 7-11. Distribution of gifts. “Manifestation” - visible evidence of the Spirit’s work given to every man, as every believer has a function to perform, “To profit withal” or for the benefit of all. No believer is giftless; no gift is self-centered.
3. Verses 8-10. Description of gifts.
a) Word of Wisdom. This isn't what we would call normal wisdom, since we all should have that. This is supernatural wisdom, the ability to apply divine Scriptures to specific situations. In Acts 15, the first Jerusalem Council, Peter answered a question that others could not, using the Scriptures. Today, spiritual wisdom comes from the Word of God.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
b) Word of Knowledge. Supernatural insight into Scriptural truth that is missed by many. A depth of biblical knowledge with the ability to explain and share with others. Today, knowledge comes from the Word of God.
Proverbs 1:1-4 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; (2) To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; (3) To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; (4) To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Ephesians 1:15-18 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, (16) Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; (17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (18) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
c) Faith. God gives some a great measure of faith to do the unusual or extremely difficult things in the most difficult circumstances at the most difficult times. An extraordinary faith! Today, faith comes through the Word of God. God gives to every man the measure of faith. Saving faith. Living faith, etc.
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
d) Gifts of Healing. Notice that the word gifts are plural. Not a gift to heal a certain physical condition, but the divine ability to heal all sorts of physical sicknesses or physical deformities apart from natural means. No man today has the power of hands-on healing. If they did, St. Jude and the Shriners’ Hospital would be empty! Today, healing comes through the Word of God.
James 5:14-15 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: (15) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
e) Working of Miracles. Supernatural acts that defy natural law. These men could raise the dead or alter the course of nature, as with Elijah. An act that can only be done by the power of God. Today, no man can circumvent nature through miraculous intervention.
f) Prophecy. There are two types of prophecy or prophesying found in the Bible. Foretelling, which is what I do by preaching what God has already said in the scripture. This prophecy foretells the ability to discern or forecast future events. Today, no man or woman knows what tomorrow may bring. Neither Jeannie Dixon nor a fortune cookie can predict future events. Today, the Word of God alone reveals certain aspects of the future.
James 4:13-14 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
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g) Discernment of Spirits. To have the ability to distinguish between divine, human, and demonic influences. Today, we try the spirits with the Word of God.
1 John 4:1-6 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: (3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. (4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (5) They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (6) We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
h). Divers kinds of tongues. The ability to speak in languages not normally learned. Matthew 28:18-20, along with Mark 16:15, commanded God’s people to preach the gospel to every creature in every part of the world, in languages they did not know or had not previously learned. Today’s missionaries go to language school to learn languages, but these men spoke in divers tongues that they did not speak naturally to spread the gospel. We will spend one night on the gift of tongues because of the confusion in our day.
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1 Corinthians 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
i) Interpretation of tongues. Divine ability to understand and communicate the meaning of diverse tongues. Tongues were never spoken unless there was interpretation made; otherwise, the hearer was not edified. No tongues, no need to interpret tongues.
Conclusion:
Matthew 12:38-39 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. (39) But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
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