Now about the spiritual gifts (the special endowments of supernatural energy), brethren, I do not want you to be misinformed.
1 Corinthians 12:1, AMPC
The first thing to note about the gifts of the Holy Spirit are the fact that they are more accurately described as manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Yes, these manifestations are given as gifts, but it is important to note what the Greek text actually says in 1 Corinthians 12:1 as Paul introduces teaching along these lines.
If you have a KJV or NKJV Bible, you will notice that in the phrase spiritual gifts, the word gifts is italicized–which means that the word gifts was not part of the original text, but was added by translators in an attempt at clarity. However, we find that the word spiritual does not imply any kind of gift, but rather it describes things of and pertaining to the Holy Spirit.
The Greek word for spiritual [gifts] is the word pneumatikos, which describes things that emanate from the Divine Spirit, or things that exhibit effects and so His character. The list of the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit that we find in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 are actually ways in which the Holy Spirit “shows up” for the purpose of arresting men, that is, catching their attention and bringing glory and light to the gospel of Jesus.
This is significant, because many people see these gifts (that is, manifestations) of the Spirit as separate from the Person of the Holy Spirit. People who view these spiritual manifestations assert that, because they see them as gifts that can be abused, they should be avoided.
The Holy Spirit is a wonderful Person Who can be grieved and saddened, (see Ephesians 4:30) but you can’t use, abuse or manipulate Him. In fact, one of the ways we do grieve Him is to forbid Him to work His wonderful manifestations in our midst!
Notice now the word misinformed, or in the KJV, ignorant in 1 Corinthians 12:1. This is the word agnoeō, which is the word noeō with the letter alpha in front. The word noeō means to exercise the mind (observe); (figuratively) to comprehend, heed; or to consider, perceive, think, understand. When the letter a is applied to the beginning of a word, it changes the original word into the opposite meaning!
If the original word, noeō, meant to exercise the mind, to consider, or to understand, putting the letter a on the front of it changes this word to mean to not exercise the mind, to not consider, or to occupy the place of one who does not understand.
Paul is saying here, by the Holy Spirit, that the Lord would not have us to be ignorant, or without comprehension concerning the way these pneumatikos are intended to operate in His Church. That is why I am so adamant about bringing solid, Scriptural teaching on the subject of these pneumatikos–these things pertaining to and of the Holy Spirit.
Here are some questions to consider in light of what we’ve learned today:
- Have you ever thought of the gifts of the Spirit as secondary, or even tertiary things that could be used and abused, and therefore are things that should be avoided?
- How has your view of these gifts of the Spirit, or pneumatikos, changed in light of today’s teaching?
- Have you considered that we can actually grieve the Holy Spirit (He is a Person!) by not placing value on the things that God clearly thought valuable enough to teach us about in His Word?
- What is one thing you can do today to increase your understanding about the pneumatikos of the Holy Spirit and to engage with the Lord regarding these things?
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