Spiritual Gifts — Stephen Kaung

Spiritual Gifts and the Fellowship of Christ

Will you please turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 31. 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 31. But desire earnestly the greater gifts, and yet shew I unto you a way of more surpassing excellence. But desire earnestly the greater gifts, and yet shew I unto you a way of more surpassing excellence.

Dear Lord, as we continue in thy presence, our hearts bow before thee, thanking thee of thy amazing love towards us. Thou dost love us, and love us to the uttermost. Thou hast not withheld anything from us.

Lord, how can we hold back from thee? We want to hear thy voice. We want thy word to search our hearts. We want thee to bring us out of any everything that stands in thy way. And we want thee to have thy rightful place in our life.

Lord, thou hast redeemed us with a prize. We are thine, and we want thee to fully possess us. Open our understanding. Open our hearts, that thy word may fall into good ground that will bear fruit unto yourself.

To the praise of your name, we ask in thy precious name. We will continue on. First Corinthians, we have all been called into the fellowship of God's Son, Jesus Christ. And I do hope that every one of us will really realize what an honor, what a glory, and what measureless love is behind this.

That God, our Lord Jesus, shall open up their fellowship to us. That we may share the same with our Lord Jesus and with our Heavenly Father, our God. No one can measure the riches of that fellowship. And because that fellowship is so precious, therefore you find anything that is contradictory to that fellowship has to be dealt with.

And that is First Corinthians. The Corinthian believers, they are the Lord's. They are saved. And yet, unfortunately, they still want to continue on with their old lives. And it was a contradiction. So by the grace of God, He will deliver us from such situation.

Church Life as Fellowship and Body Life

Now, we have mentioned last time that the last six chapters of First Corinthians is concerned with this matter of church life. Church life is fellowship life. Church life is body life. And in this fellowship life, in this body life, there are a number of things that are very essential.

In Acts chapter 2 verse 42, we are told that they, those who believe in the Lord Jesus, because whether you have believed in the Lord for years or you just believe in the Lord, but all who believe in the Lord Jesus will continue in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles.

The teaching and the fellowship of the apostles are none other than the teaching and the fellowship of Christ. And the two things that express this obedience to the fellowship and teaching of our Lord are the breaking of bread and prayers.

We mentioned last time about the breaking of bread. You know, the breaking of bread is a corporate thing. You cannot break the bread, remember the Lord all by yourself. You need at least two. So it's a corporate expression.

And so is the prayer. We may have our private prayer, personal prayer, and we should. We should have a prayer life. But more than that, we should come together and pray together, a corporate prayer. Now these are the two most essential and practical ways of expressing our body life, fellowship life, church life.

Now there are a number of things in these six chapters that we can share with. But because the Corinthian believers, they wrote to Apostle Paul. And they wrote about certain things. And one of the things they wrote to him is concerning the spiritual.

Now in chapter 12, you'll find the heading is, but concerning spirituals. That's the original. And the spirituals here, you'll find, it is explained as spiritual manifestations or spiritual gifts. The Corinthian believers, in the first chapter, you'll find Paul said to them, you are rich in words and knowledge.

They are very rich in doctrines, in teachings. They are very rich in knowledge. Not only worldly knowledge, but even knowledge of the word of God. And not only that, but Paul said, you are short in no gift.

The Corinthian church is very gifted. You know, naturally, Corinth is famous for its eloquence. And here you'll find even in the church, they are rich in words and knowledge. And they are no short of gifts.

Very gifted assembly. Now when you think that if an assembly is rich in words and knowledge, and is not short of any gift, now that will be a tremendous, wonderful assembly. But on the contrary, in spite of all their endowments, we find that their lives are corrupt, and they abuse the gifts that God has given to them.

So the Corinthian church wrote to Paul, asked him about spiritual gifts. They are not asking about whether they have gifts or not. Because of their many gifts, lots of confusion come into their midst.

So it is not a matter of whether they have gifts or not. It is a matter of how to exercise their gifts. It's all given for the sake of the building of the church, the body of Christ. So whenever gifts are separated from the body, in other words, when gifts become a personal thing instead of a corporate thing, then there is bound to be problems.

You cannot separate gifts from the body, because spiritual gifts are given for the building of the body of Christ. Now, I think even today, there are lots of confusions among God's people about this matter of spiritual gifts.

So I think it is very timely that we should really go into these few chapters, from chapter 12 to chapter 14, and find out some basic understanding that will help us from being confused, and help us how to exercise our gifts for the purpose that God has, purpose for it.

Natural Talents and Spiritual Gifts

Number one. What are spiritual gifts? What is spiritual gift? Now, I think if we want to understand this, we have to go back. When God created man, God gave gifts to man. When we are born, God has already endowed us with natural talents.

Otherwise, how can we live? How can we live in a society? Because God's purpose is that we may live together, and without natural endowment. If a person is born without any ability given to him, without any natural talents, he will not be able to live.

He will not be able to behave, and to fulfill his responsibility in society. So, in other words, everyone that is born to this world has been gifted by God with natural talents. Now, our natural talents are all different, because God loves variety.

And when you put all these remarkable varieties together, it is fullness. Now, that is naturally speaking. But then, after we are born from above, we are born again. We are born into the house of God, the family of God.

So, God will give us spiritual gifts, so that we may be able to live among God's people, to behave, and to build up one another. So, there is a difference between natural talent and spiritual gift. Spiritual gifts are not natural talents.

Sometimes you may find that the natural talents and spiritual gifts seem to coincide. But at other times, you find spiritual gifts can be just the opposite of your natural talents. But whether they are together, one thing is certain.

If you read the Word of God, you find natural talents is for our living in the world. And spiritual gifts are given that we may live in the spiritual world, that is, the Church, the Assembly, the Fellowship, the Body of Christ.

They are two different things working in two different areas. The problem comes among God's people when they mix up natural talent and spiritual gift. You know, it is very common in Christianity. Suppose you are naturally endowed with executive talent.

Now, because you have that talent, so in the world you can be an executive. Now, after you are saved, you will find in Christianity today, where they say you have natural talents, you are an executive.

Come and be an elder in the Church. So you can use your talent to serve God. Naturally, maybe you are very musical. So after you are saved, use your talent to serve God. Now, that is the exhortation you find in Christianity.

But if you read the Word of God, you find it is totally against God's Word. Moses, for instance, he was endowed with natural talents. Not only that, but God seemed to arrange him with such environment to develop his natural talents.

He was mighty in words and in deeds. Now, he had a heart for God. He knew that God had a purpose in his life. So he wanted to use his natural talents to accomplish God's purpose. He tried to save his people with his mighty in words and mighty in deeds.

You remember how he killed an Egyptian to save a Hebrew? You remember how he used his eloquence tried to decide the struggle between two Hebrew brothers? But God allowed him to be a total failure. Now, what if he should succeed?

Then the children of Israel would never leave Egypt. Probably, they will take over Egypt. So God allowed him to fall, to fail completely. He had to spend 40 years in the wilderness to unlearn everything that he had naturally learned before.

Until he couldn't speak. And that's true. After you spoke to a few sheep for 40 years, you lost your eloquence. He said, who am I to go to face Pharaoh, the king? I'm nothing. He was 80 years old. And he himself wrote in Psalm 90, if a man lives in this world, usually it's 70 years.

If you're strong, you can be 80 years. And he was 80 years old at that time. He was at the end of his natural life. And then God appeared to him. God said, I'm with you. I will be your eloquence. I will be your ability.

The Spirit of God came upon him. And he was able to fulfill God's work. So brothers and sisters, it doesn't mean that God will totally discard your natural talent. Because if you read the story of Moses, you'll find that for a person to lead a million people 40 years in the wilderness, that requires really some ability.

God can use. But it has to go through death and be resurrected. In other words, it shouldn't be in your hand anymore. It is in the hand of God. So brothers and sisters, let us remember one thing. That there is a tremendous difference.

Difference of heaven and earth between natural talent and spiritual gift. Sometimes God can just do the opposite. But when they seem to work together, you read the history and you'll find it always has to go through death and resurrection.

All your natural talent has to go through death. And God will pick it up and use it. So I think this is the first thing that we need to understand. Spiritual gifts are given for the purpose that we may live and function in the body of Christ.

Spiritual gifts are never given for personal reason. You know the church, the Corinthian believers, they made a big mistake. They take spiritual gift as their personal, you know, for their personal purpose.

And for that reason, the gift that they sought after was speaking of tongues. Because speaking in tongues is miraculous. It can easily display themselves. So they have a kind of misunderstanding. You know that's the reason why in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul is concerning the spirituals.

Why? Because they are asking Paul. How can we be spiritual? How can we prove we are spiritual? If we can speak in tongues. That's being spiritual. Because that's not natural. So they mix up speaking of tongues as the sign, the sign of being spiritual.

And you know even today, you have the same error among God's people. So Paul has to remind them. Before you believe in the Lord, you worship the idols. You worship the demons. And you have your spirit, your so-called spiritual experience.

Now here it is entirely different. Now you are in the Holy Spirit. Not in the evil spirit, you know. So there is a tremendous difference. If you are in the Holy Spirit, you will say Jesus is Lord. If you cannot say Jesus is Lord in the spirit, that's the evil spirit.

And that's a way to test the spirit. And we find out that every time you test the spirit in that way, it works. Because if it's a demon possession or evil possession, he will never recognize Jesus is Lord.

But remember, you have to address the spirit and not the person. Because the person may be a believer. So he will say Jesus is Lord. But if you hold on to the spirit, then the spirit will refuse to say Jesus is Lord.

Every time we find it is true. So it doesn't mean because you can speak in tongues, therefore instantly, instantly, you become spiritual. Not at all. Spiritual gifts are given because we are in the body of Christ.

Spiritual Gifts and the Body of Christ

So when you read 1 Corinthians 12, you find when Paul mentioned about spiritual gifts, immediately he connected with the body. The body is one. But there are many members. Many members, but one body. So also is the Christ.

That is the body of Christ. So brothers and sisters, another thing we need to remember. Whenever you speak of spiritual gift, it has to be related to the body. Because spiritual gifts are not given. Yes, they are given to individuals.

Why? Because these individuals are members of the body of Christ. They are given because you are members. Because you are in the body. And being in the body, you have a function to fulfill. And how can you fulfill your part as the member of the body of Christ?

You fulfill it by the spiritual gift you received. And that's how you are able to function. In our natural body, we have different members make up this natural body. You have hands, you have feet, you have inner organs, you have all these outward organs, you have all various members.

And no member of your physical body lives for itself. All the members of your physical body live for the body. The eye cannot say to the ear, I do not need you. Nor the ear say to the eye, because I'm not an eye, I'm not of the body.

So here you'll find that all the members of the body are different. God has arranged it. It is God who gave us this body. And it is his will to make this body of all the different members. He puts us there.

And spiritually, in the body of Christ, the same thing. In the body of Christ there are many members, much more than this physical body. But not all the bodies are the same. All the members of the body are different.

Some may be like hands, some may be like feet, some may be like mouth, some may be like ear, because if it's all one member, where is the body? So brothers and sisters remember this, that we are members of the one body of Christ.

Not only members, but we are different members. Members in particular. And this is not our choice. This is God's arrangement. God put us in the body of Christ. And wherever he puts you, that's the best place.

Do not admire other people. Be faithful in what God has given to you. So you can see here that the purpose of spiritual gift is just like the purpose of natural talent. The purpose of natural talent is for your body.

That you may live and function properly. That you may grow. And the purpose of spiritual gift is exactly the same. But it's in a different area. It is in the spiritual body of Christ. And we are all members one of another.

Receiving and Developing Spiritual Gifts

So remember this. Now, when do we receive spiritual gifts? Now this become a very confusing thing among God's people today. Some say you receive spiritual gift when you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Others say you receive spiritual gift when people lay hands upon you. And then others say you receive spiritual gift when you are born again. Then others say, how do you know you have spiritual gift unless you speak in tongues?

Because speaking in tongues is the gift, the sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit. So you have all kinds of confused ideas. Now do you know why? God's word is always very simple. We men make everything complicated.

Now if you only remember how God gives you natural talent, then that solves the whole problem. You know when a baby is born, God so arranged that a baby has eyes, has nose, has mouth, has ears, has hands, has feet, and you know organs, everything.

Every member of your natural body had been given. And when you are born, every organ in your body, every member in your body has already been endowed by God a natural talent. He gives your eye. And can God give your eye and not give you the gift of seeing?

Then what's the eye is for? He gives you ear. And can you believe that he make you an ear and does not at the same time give you the gift of hearing? Then what's the use of the ear? So brothers and sisters, when we are coming out of the womb of our mother, all the organs are there.

And all the gifts are there. But a baby just born cannot see. He has eyes, but cannot see. The baby have hands, but he cannot handle. The baby have feet, but he cannot walk. But as long as there is life there, all these things will come as you grow.

In a few days, he began to see. In the beginning, he cannot walk. And he thought that he has to walk on four. So he climbed. But then gradually he discovered if he does not use his hands to help, he can walk better.

So why use the head? He has mouth. He cannot eat hard food. Only milk from the mother. But gradually through exercising, he is able to take solid food. He cannot speak. But gradually he find he can utter voices, sounds, and then words.

Brothers and sisters, may I ask you a question? Is it because when you can see, so that's the time the gift of seeing is given. No. They were all given when you were born. But they were dormant. They were dormant.

He needs the life to take over and grow. And then all these gifts will be manifested. And the more you exercise your gift, the better it will be. Like your eye. Some people can exercise their eye to such an extent they can see things in darkness.

Why? Through exercise. Now brothers and sisters, is that simple? When you come to the body of Christ, it is the same rule. Same rule. In other words, when do you receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit?

You receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit when you are born again. Think of your new birth. When you are born into the family of God, what happens? The Bible tells us we are born of the Spirit. He that is born of the Spirit is Spirit.

That is new birth. So you find the Holy Spirit begets us. And we are born of the Holy Spirit. Our dead spirit, spirit that is dead in sins and transgressions, that dead spirit is being raised into life.

A new spirit. And with that new spirit, we cry out to God, Abba, Father. Right? More than that. You are not just born from above. You are born into the family of God. When do you born into the family of God?

At your new birth. Whenever you are born again, immediately, you are born into the family of God. And that can be easily proven. Because when you meet another brother or sister and realize that he or she is also a brother or sister in the Lord, immediately there is a bond there.

And that bond is stronger than the natural bond with your natural brothers and sisters. So, the Holy Spirit, this is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. What is the meaning of the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

It is not a sight. It is not a sound. It is a bond into the family of God. So in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 13, For also in one Spirit ye were baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bondmen or freemen, and have all been given to drink of one Spirit.

That is the meaning of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. You are baptized in one Spirit into one body. So, we who are born again, we are baptized into the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit not only begets us, after He begets us with a new Spirit, He comes and dwells in our new Spirit and becomes our comforter, our paracletos, being with us, never leave us, teaches us, direct us, transform us, conform us to Christ Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, and at the same time, He has put us in the family of God. So, that's what happens when you are born again. And can you be born again and not be given corresponding spiritual gifts?

Otherwise, God's work is incomplete. How can He put me in the body of Christ as a member and He does not give me any gift to fulfill my function? Unthinkable. So, according to the Word of God, our spiritual gifts have already been given when we are being born again, born into the body of Christ.

It's already there. You know, God never does a work half done. Whenever He works, it's fully done. So, remember, brothers and sisters, today I think lots of brothers and sisters are confused. They are asking, now, what is my spiritual gift?

Can you tell me what is my spiritual gift? Do you need anyone to tell you what is your spiritual gift? You should know. Now, why don't you know? There is a reason. You do not grow. If your life does not grow, your spiritual gift will not be manifested.

It will be dormant forever. So, we have a responsibility, brothers and sisters. We do not need to ask, what is my spiritual gift? We need to ask ourselves, are we growing in the Lord? If after you are saved, you really follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in you, somehow, as you grow, the Lord will impress upon you something.

Or to put it another way, He will burden you with something that is related to your brothers and sisters, to the house of God. People, other people may not notice it, but you notice it. And that is your calling.

God is calling you to fulfill your function in this area. You know, brothers and sisters, spiritual gifts are given for service. We are not born into the family of God just to be a burden to our brothers and sisters, to the family.

We are born into the family of God to be a contributor. Every member is to function, to contribute something to the welfare of the body, to the building up of the body of Christ. In other words, we are not born again for our selfish reason.

We are born again for God and for God's house. Otherwise, why should we be born again? We are born to serve. Let my people go that they may serve me. We are not to serve our own purpose anymore. We are to serve the purpose of God.

And the purpose of God is the building of His house, the full growing of the body of Christ. That is God's purpose. So that's why spiritual gifts are given. Now, if we really have a heart for God, when you are among God's people, supernaturally, naturally, He will burden you with something.

And that's the direction He is guiding you. Do it for the Lord. And as you begin to do it, you will find God's blessing follows. Not only in you, but on your brothers and sisters. And if God's blessing follows, go further.

That's how your gifts are developed. And that's how your gifts are being functioned. Unfortunately, some today, God's people, they are saved just for themselves, not for God. Not for the house of God.

And therefore, their gifts are buried. That's the way to bury it. Every servant of God is given talents. Some five talents, some two talents, some one talent. But at least one talent. The problem is, do you trade with it?

Or do you bury it? Be faithful. You know why? You need a so-called experience of baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to have that gift released. Why? It is because in your daily lives, you do not live a consecrated life.

You do not live a life for the Lord. Therefore, you need a special time of reviving in order that what has been dormant can be released. From time to time, you need a revival. And when revival comes, it seems as if your gift is manifested.

And when you are getting low before the Lord, that gift is being buried again. And you need another revival to stir you up. Brothers and sisters, that shouldn't be the case. If you read Romans chapter 12, it is very true.

Consecration is related to functioning. Because after one is consecrated, present your body as a living sacrifice. Then he realizes he is in the body and he begins to function. That's Romans 12. So, brothers and sisters, the reason why most believers are not functioning in the body of Christ, it is because they are not growing in the Lord.

Seek the Lord. Give yourself to the Lord. Allow him, allow his spirit to work in you, so that the dormant gifts may be manifested and never isolated from the body of Christ. Well, how should our spiritual gifts be exercised?

Love, Spiritual Maturity, and the Exercise of Gifts

You know, the Corinthian believers, they have lots of gifts. They are not short in gifts. But because there are too many gifts, on the contrary, the body is not built, the body is being destroyed. So the Apostle Paul said, good, you have gifts, but do you know how to exercise it?

I will show you a way, more passing. You know, the Apostle Paul has to use such a double, triple emphasis. We say excellence should be enough. An excellent way. No, he said a more surpassing excellent way.

So that must be pretty excellent. And what is the excellent way? You know, when you read 1 Corinthians, chapter 12 is on the body and the gifts in the members of the body. Chapter 14 is the exercising of the gifts in the body.

But chapter 13 is the more excellent way. Now, what is the more excellent way? It's love. It's love. Not the love that we usually call love, but the love. The love of Christ. The Godly love. The love that only comes from God.

The love that comes with the life he gives to us. In other words, if you want to make the distinction, it is grace. Grace is for life. Gift is for service. Gift is power. But that power needs to be handled with care, with the right life.

If you give a knife to a little child, his life is not mature enough to handle that knife. He may hurt people and hurt himself, but a knife in the hand of a grown-up is so useful. So, brothers and sisters, remember this.

All the confusions that you find in Christianity today, it is because the emphasis is on gift and forget about life. God gives us life. That's grace. And God means that this life is to handle this gift.

If the life is immature, the greater the gift, the more disastrous it becomes. And you find it everywhere. Because you do not have a corresponding life to use the gift. There is a tremendous error among God's people.

And the error is, you cannot test the Spirit. The Bible tells us there is a great difference between the person of the Holy Spirit and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The person of the Holy Spirit is divine.

He is God. The manifestations of the Holy Spirit in gifts is not personal. To the person of the Holy Spirit we need to obey. In Acts chapter 5, verse 32, God gave the Holy Spirit to those who obeyed Him.

We need to obey the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit who dwells in us is God, is divine, is the person. We need to honor Him. We need to obey Him. We need, we shouldn't grieve Him. We shouldn't quench Him.

We should obey Him. But the gift is His manifestation, not His person. And so far as gifts are concerned, the gifts need to be handled by the one who has the gifts. So you find in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, verse 32, the Spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophet.

In other words, you who are gifted, you are supposed to handle this gift, not to be handled by the gift. So when people think they are having their baptism, they dare not test the Spirit, because they feel, well, if you test the Spirit, you seem to dishonor the Holy Spirit.

Not so. The gift has to be handled by you. The Spirit of the prophets, obey the Spirit. You can manage it. You know, sometimes when people speak in tongues, they dare not stop. They speak in a wrong situation.

Just like the Bible said, in a gathering you speak in tongues, and no interpreter. The Word said, if there is no interpreter, speak to yourself. Be silent. But you know, in our experience, people think because they are in the Spirit, they are, so they have to allow the Spirit to continue.

No control. That is absolutely wrong. We have gone through this and suffer for that. Brothers and sisters, manifestations are impersonals. Therefore, those who are gifted need to handle them, control them, use them wisely, calmly, and orderly.

Now, if only we can see the difference, I think that will help us from falling into all kinds of confusions. But a question will be asked. Isn't that in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the last verse, 31, desire earnestly the greater gifts?

In chapter 14, verse 1, follow after love and be amulous of spiritual manifestation, but rather than ye may prophesy. Now, if spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit, as we find in chapter 12, verse 11, but all these things are offered to one and the same Spirit, dividing to each in particular according as he pleases.

So, it pleases the Holy Spirit to give this person a word of knowledge, to give that member a word of wisdom, to give to this one prophecy, to give the other one tongues, and the other one interpret tongue, is according to the desire of the Holy Spirit.

You cannot choose. Then why is it that he said desire earnestly the greater gifts? Amulous of spiritual manifestation, but rather than ye may prophesy. Prophesy as if we can do that. Is there a contradiction?

Not at all. Why? Because gifts, spiritual gifts, can be increased. You know the one with five talents? He earned five more. Two talents earn two more. But if the one talent, you are not trading it, is buried, is still one talent, that's the problem.

If you really are faithful to what the Spirit of God has apportioned to you, your talent, spiritual gifts, will increase. And the reason why, it is because you are no longer a babe. A babe seeks only for his display.

But when you grow up, when your mind is growing, you're thinking of others. You're thinking of the body of Christ. You're thinking of how to help, how to contribute. And because your mind has been transformed, and you're growing in the Lord, therefore, God will give you greater gifts, so you can serve.

Isn't that strange? When people whose eye cannot see, blind people, their other senses seem to be keener and take some of the function Isn't that wonderful? I recently heard a person who can see color with his ear, because he's blind.

But when people describe to him the color, somehow he can see it. So brothers and sisters, you know, spiritual gifts can be so developed, increased to the glory of God. But remember, not for your sake, all the gifts are for the edification of the body of Christ.

Not edification, as Brother Spock would say, but edification. All gifts are for the beauty of the body of Christ. So there is no contradiction. You know, people may speak in tongue, but in the assembly, it's much better to speak five words with intelligence than ten thousand words in tongues.

Why? For the beauty of the body of Christ. Dear brothers and sisters, we need to be delivered from making gifts as a personal thing. Gifts are not for ourselves, but for the building up of the body of Christ.

And all gifts need to be exercised by the life of Christ in us. And if the life of Christ is in control, everything will be done calmly and in an orderly. So dear brothers and sisters, these are very basic, and I hope that we can have a right understanding concerning spiritual gifts.

Dear Lord, we commit these few words into Thy hand. If they are Thine, use them to build Thy church. O Lord, forgive us, deliver us from being always self-centered. Pray that we may be Christ-centered, and body, we ask in Thy precious name.