Bible Question:
Gods blessings on you Ray; I am always encouraged by your postings.I come away a little bit wiser and focused each time. People are so focused on tongues we wind uo throwing out the rest of the package. How about the other manifestations of Gods Spirit mentioned in (1Corinthians 12)? I would appreciate your thoughts on this brother. In Christ, lionheart |
Bible Answer: Hi lionheart, You asked about the "manifestations of God's Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12." May I point out for the sake of clarity that 1 Corinthians 12:7 reads, "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." [It doesn't read "God's Spirit"] Verses on each side say that it is the "same Spirit." Verse 4 reads, "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." Perhaps we can think of the "manifestation of the Spirit" in connection with the quote of John Calvin above. Calvin said that "the testimony of the Spirit is more excellent than all reason." The "testimony" is the words given to us. The "manifestation" is the working of all things in all persons for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:11, "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." 1 Cor 2:4, "And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not rest on the widom of men, but on the power of God." There is power in the words of God, for they make visible, make clear, make manifest the Spirit. And we have faith in that same Spirit, that same Lord, that same God. From the heart, Ray |