Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Different spiritual gifts come from the same Holy Spirit, who gives to each person as He wills for the profit of all. The diversities include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation, together with abilities in speaking, writing, prayer, singing, explaining Scripture, intellect, taste, skill and craftsmanship such as that given to Bezalel, Aholiab and other wise-hearted workers for the tabernacle. This diversity belongs within one body whose Head is Christ, like many members from head to feet forming one body and many branches drawing from one vine, to serve in mutual care, harmony and peace rather than quarrelling for supremacy. The gifts are given for the good, edification, unity and perfection of the whole body, and God ordered this variety to meet varied minds, so that different workers reach different people whom others cannot reach. Therefore each person is to use faithfully the gift actually received, staying in his appointed place without controlling or despising another, guarding against rivalry, pride and envy in the love taught in 1 Corinthians 13.
Sense of Gifts and Spirit
Different gifts come from the same Holy Spirit, who gives to each person as He wills and pleases for the profit of all. The differences belong within one shared service, equipping people for different kinds of service so the church may benefit as many members form one body in harmony. Varied gifts and lines of service are meant to work together in unity rather than in rivalry, independence, judging, or dictating how another must do his work. The same Spirit guides and controls all believers while giving different gifts to each, so oneness does not require sameness of gifts. This forbids haphazard work in ministry and medical missionary lines and is of vital importance to practice now above all other times, since discord and strife over it dishonors God and keeps Him from imparting the power He would give to glorify His name before the world and the heavenly universe.
The diversities divided to each as He wills are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. They also appear as readiness in speaking, readiness in writing, sincere earnest fervent prayer, singing, special power to explain the word of God with clearness, explaining Scripture, intellect, taste, skill, refinement, true elevation, and craftsmanship. God does not entrust all knowledge and wisdom to one person but gives people the abilities needed for their work, as Bezalel received wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skill in craftsmanship for building the tabernacle, and Aholiab and other wise-hearted workers were also given abilities for the task. When placed under His jurisdiction with His presence as the controlling power, with the heart blended with the heart of Christ and conformed in desires and practices to His will, even speech, intellectual ability, good taste, skill, and refinement become a great power for good. Earnestly coveting the best gifts does not mean seeking to be first, but striving earnestly for power to follow Christ's example and be heralds of His gospel in true religion, walking straight forward in His holy light despite temptations, suspicion, and evil surmising.
The same Lord stands over different administrations and the same God works through different operations, bringing the different workings into perfect harmony. The same Spirit who gives the gifts is the Spirit of Christ, who is the Head of the church and in heaven teaches the angels how to minister to its members on earth. He works by His Spirit through each person's mind while treating each person as a responsible agent, who is to use his own mind and conscience and respond freely to God's leading rather than rely wholly on another's judgment or become a mere echo of someone else. Workers should therefore develop their abilities through education and practice, seek wise counsel, and ask God for wisdom.
God sets every member in the body as He pleases, placing every person at a post of duty with a given work, and anyone unsure of his post should pray for guidance because He has expressly told that He assigns each one his work. He assigns to each member such gifts, talents, and opportunities as will best promote His glory and the advancement of His kingdom, bestowing different gifts and measures of grace and means of influence upon different individuals. Every man is to fill his own place according to his several ability and according to the measure of the gift of Christ, with interest required proportionate to the entrusted moral and spiritual capital, and God blesses a person in doing the work He appointed him to do rather than carrying crushing responsibilities not assigned to him. No one is fitted for every kind of labor, including dealing with human minds, yet God has a place and work for all and will use all His children if they surrender to Him, so no one should think he cannot be used or that he may live as an idler. There is a destined order in this from the highest angel down to finite mortals, in which each person is closely related as part of a great whole, none able to become detached and independent, with Jesus as Center and Source of all life and power pervading the whole, each member connected to all and the whole to God to promote the happiness of all, finding his own happiness in making others happy and advancing toward perfection of Christian character as he approaches nearest to Christ's character.
The verse belongs to the teaching of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, with 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 as instruction on the gifts spoken to believers gathered together in the faith. It is to be committed to memory, written in mind and heart, studied, and applied to self by church members. So received, those brought together in church capacity will be united understandingly and intelligently, with the figure of members composing the body representing the church and the relation its members should sustain to one another. The very first step of application is continuous humbling of self, denying self, taking self critically in hand beginning with self-examination, and taking up one's own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation, and self-sacrifice instead of laying it on someone else to carry.
One Body in Christ
Diversities of gifts belong within one body whose Head is Christ, with many different branches drawing nourishment from one vine and many members from head to feet forming one body with different offices yet centered in Christ. The same Spirit works in different ways through different workers in different lines of work, assigning to each member such gifts, talents and opportunities as will best promote glory and advance the kingdom, and this calls for harmonious action, mutual care, brotherly love, harmony and peace rather than working contrary to one another or seeking supremacy. The figure of members composing the body represents the church and the relation its members should sustain to one another, to be united understandingly and intelligently, with each cultivating, acting out and developing the powers and qualities given as an endowment without losing will and identity. God ordered this arrangement to meet varied makeup and minds, so the strength of one servant is not the strength of another, and a person truly united with Christ never acts as though complete in himself nor gains perfection and influence by doing another's work but by faithfully discharging his own duties as part of the great whole in humble faith.
No one worker is a complete whole and no gift alone is sufficient, for two members do not act the same part and each supplies the deficiency of another who left alone would think himself complete. No one person has all the wisdom, judgment or ability needed to manage the work or carry through a series of meetings to perfection, so one mind is not to mold and fashion the work after special ideas but a variety of gifts and agencies must be employed in harmonious cooperation, each filling an appropriate position and doing God-given work. Contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability, and different minds and gifts are to be united in counsel together with humility and teachability even when views or plans differ, combining talents in missionary, educational and evangelistic work to prepare a people for Christ's coming. This includes those of careful thought who check exaggerated action balanced against slowness and over-moderation that loses precious time, and includes encouraging and educating brethren to work and bear responsibilities, which lifts burdens from ministers, while each develops his own gifts without despising or envying the gifts and work of others.
Oneness does not require sameness of gifts, character, ideas, training, prominence or religious experience, and no one can measure another's experience by his own. Difference in disposition, temperament, manners and ability is as it should be by order and appointment, for many different minds must be met, as seen in John not being the same as Peter, and enforced sameness with all of the same stamp would leave great want of fullness in church labor. God sets every member in the body as He pleases at a post of duty with a given work, and anyone unsure of his post should pray for guidance since He assigns each one his work, bringing different workings through different administrations and operations into perfect harmony under the same Lord and same God. Difference of character is no reason to draw apart or stand in one another's way, but through grace with self sunk out of sight workers are to labor together in perfect harmony with the spirit that dwelt in Christ, each subduing peculiarities and softening temperament to help one another through belief in and sanctification of the truth, using God-given ability to the utmost without molding the work to own ideas or introducing own methods.
Varied contributions balance one another and form a beautiful harmony amid diversity toward the one aim of winning souls, with interests bound together in love, sympathy and brotherly kindness. This requires careful attention to the work entrusted to each person so different parts move in harmony, speaking truth in love for a common purpose and loving as Christ loved with self submerged, and it is the oneness of John 17 that removes selfishness and lines of color and caste so many more are converted. Differences in doctrine need not divide, for meekness, mutual forbearance and charity can reconcile believers moved by the same Spirit, and pledged union by prayer with selfishness refused and glory of God in view makes variety a complete whole unto holiness and perfection of Christ's character instead of confusion and division. Held together in councils, camp meetings and all essential meetings, different experiences and differing manifestations work unto holiness with every soul aiming at perfection, standing firm under opposition to sustain Bible truth, meeting fanaticism and forced-in heresies with glorious victories and no one launching out against another.
Because gifts differ, no member is to entertain self-sufficiency or say to another I have no need of thee. There is to be no crowding, no judging, no measuring of one gift by another, no dictating how another must do a different kind of work, no standing apart, no criticizing, and no trying to humble others. Diversity of gifts is no reason to stand apart or criticize, but those who are faithful unite in service and guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made. Each person should examine self instead and leave others to gain experience from God rather than from finite human judgment, since people do not all have the same gift and dealing with different minds requires a variety of gifts.
Given to Reach All
Diversities of gifts are given by the same Spirit for the good of the whole body, for its edification and unity and perfection. They equip people for different kinds of service that advance the kingdom, with some serving in one line of work and others in other lines, including teaching others to fit them for service. They call for the faith and understanding of every believer to become active in holy service. Those called to teach are to go cheerfully to their field of labor, following God's leading.
God ordered this variety to meet varied organizations and minds in the world, for the strength of one servant is not the strength of another. Different workers reach different people, as Franke reaches those Haskell cannot reach and Haskell reaches those Franke cannot reach, with distinctive gifts fitted to arouse wicked cities such as New York. Varied talents are to be blended in unity, kindness and love, each person following his calling under the Spirit's direction, to represent truth and lift up the Redeemer rather than to glorify the possessor or elevate any person. Each is to cultivate the gifts given him, acting out and developing the powers and qualities given as endowment without losing will and identity, and to unite with fellow laborers while depending on and helping one another in different duties. No one's strength is the measure of another's, and forcing others to conform to one person's ideas can suppress qualities God gave and hinder special work few are fitted to do, so every person must be left free for God to convict the heart, call forth its powers, and develop individual strength and experience for special work.
The gifts convict and convert sinners by God's power and gather them in church capacity, while human workers remain hidden with Christ and Christ is made central. They encourage the fainting and correct and reprove those who err, and God revives them for this purpose rather than having them slighted or neglected. Natural or acquired abilities alone cannot touch hearts or win sinners to Christ. Connected with Christ and possessing the Spirit's gifts, even the poorest and least educated, even those with only limited religious and intellectual training and the most limited workers, when laboring humbly in trust in God, can powerfully influence hearts and serve as channels of God's influence to save souls ready to perish. The church is made up of many vessels large and small, and the same Lord works through all who are willing to be used, with transformation of character shown rather than judging others.
Varied gifts mean varied work, with some preaching while others write or translate so the gospel can be preached to everyone and people of all nations hear. They include colporteur visiting and praying with families, school work, sanitarium cooperation, camp meetings where speakers proclaim truth in the Spirit's power to reach hearts, health-reform instruction, and united use of means with sanctified intellect. Each church member has a responsibility to point others to Christ and do faithfully the work given him, and when all do their part the church's influence and work for souls grow stronger. No teacher, physician or minister can ever be a complete whole alone, but God ordained people to be associated together so varied talents of many minds are blended, contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability, deficiency of one is made up by the special gift of another, and when physicians and teachers thus unite the youth under their training receive a symmetrical, well-balanced education for service.
Every member has some gift suited to particular service, and God has a place and work for all, with His interest required proportionate to entrusted capital according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Knowledge of the truth lays responsibility on every individual to be a laborer together with God and a diligent worker together with Jesus Christ, with not one excused and not one permitted to be an idler in the vineyard, for to every man is given his individual personal work. Even the smallest gift is to be valued, encouraged and used, and different traits and abilities can each serve the work and shape the people met. Gifts so used and faithfully developed increase in power and advance the cause. Together they perfect Christian character and carry forward the grand finishing work of this earth's history, with success depending on communion with God, the sanctifying power of grace on the heart, and submissive willingness to engage in appointed work.
Prophecy and Testing Gifts
The chapter shows how Christ's promise to send the Holy Spirit as Comforter and guide to lead into all truth is fulfilled to the church, with certain gifts of the Spirit placed in it for edification and instruction to the end of time. Those gifts are provision of a divine Teacher in His representative the Holy Spirit, given in both ordinary and extraordinary workings, showing care and love because the church needs the Spirit's presence as Comforter, Teacher, and Guide especially in the perils of the last days, including a special outpouring and the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy in its closing experience before Christ's appearing. There are diversities of operations through the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days of the work of the third angel's message, which is the time of the latter rain, coming when Satan works with increasing power because he knows his time is short, and including the gift of prophecy placed in the church as a living voice to counsel, admonish, instruct and guide God's people in the closing days of earth's history for the finishing work. Various gifts are placed in the church for the great work given to God's people to do in the world, the grand finishing-up work of this earth's history. Every son and daughter of God is to appreciate these gifts and act his part, giving evidence that the heart is being impressed by the Holy Spirit, with success in labor depending on communion with God, experiencing the sanctifying power of His grace on the human heart, and being submissive to the will of God and willing to engage in the work appointed for His servants to do.
The verse belongs to the Bible argument for the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, varied but from the same Spirit. These gifts should not be slighted or neglected, for God revives them to encourage the fainting and to correct and reprove those who err. Visions are among the manifestations given by the one source of the Spirit through different gifts and workings. False visions and spiritual counterfeits can mislead people, yet their existence does not mean that genuine gifts of the Spirit are absent. The Spirit's gifts and operations are genuine, though they must not be confused with fanaticism or deceptive impressions, and fanaticism can lead people both to deny the very gifts and workings of God's Spirit and to accept counterfeit manifestations, so both extremes are ruled out and claims of special gifts must be judged by sound faith and the church's ordered work.
Genuine spiritual gifts in the church come from the same Spirit despite their diversity, and no one person's gift is complete enough to meet all its needs. Claims of gifts — including unintelligible speech and noisy excitement — are not proof that God has given them, for such displays can be manufactured and must be judged by their fruits. Published visions may be judged by their fruits, and believers should not be deprived of benefits and privileges merely because they have not personally witnessed the visions, if their Christian conduct and character are otherwise sound, while those who need personal evidence should be met with patience and brotherly love. Determined opposition to gifts one has not experienced can endanger others and should be addressed so the weak are not led astray. Every talent and gift in the church should be recognized, while all gifts and claims should be tested so that only what is good is retained, a subject applied especially to the Spirit of Prophecy.
Humble Faithful Cooperation
The diversity of gifts from the same Spirit leaves no reason to stand apart, criticize, or separate into factions, but calls the faithful to unite in service and guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made. Division bears a witness that does not testify to the power of the truth, and in light of the teaching on love in chapter thirteen such separation is forbidden. Recognizing that God Himself decides the distribution as He pleases, giving one gift to one person and a different gift to another for the good of the whole body, with some serving in one line of work and others in other lines including teaching others to fit them for service, guards against rivalry, pride, envy, contempt, and carnal emulation, and strengthens unity and mutual love. Those called to teach are to go cheerfully to their field of labor following God's leading.
Each person is accountable only for faithfully trading on the moral and spiritual capital actually entrusted, using it to God's glory where he can, and no one is accountable for talents never given. One with little can be as faithful as one with much, and small gifts well used and faithfully managed gain more, while gifts are not to be treated with indifference, judged by others, or taken over by another, for each person's work belongs to that person before God. Gifts of mind and body are to be guarded from self-indulgence and misuse, because weakening any part lessens the usefulness of the whole, and not all have the same abilities, character, knowledge, or disposition. All need daily to feel the converting power of the Holy Spirit to bear much fruit, for efficiency in gospel preaching does not come from the preacher himself but from the Unseen Worker standing behind the minister who brings conviction and conversion, and serving and bearing burdens in God's work develops the experience and knowledge of His will needed to use the gifts. Because human nature is frail, ignorant, and liable to misconception, care is needed in estimating another whose ways are not one's own, and whatever the gifts all require clear insight into the practical workings of Christianity in every line in which they minister, since no one is fitted for every kind of labor including dealing with human minds.
Each has liberty to express his own gift yet must remain in his own appointed lot, place, post, and special line of service under Christ the Head, doing his own work faithfully without leaving it to interfere with, take in hand, or spoil another's work which is not precisely the same. When a laborer has found his place he should not step out to other duties, for taking on work God has not assigned can crowd out higher duties, confuse the worker, and hinder the spread of truth, and God does not expect one person to carry responsibilities others can and should bear. Grave and weighty responsibility rests upon each for his own place and people, with duty to do for them in Christlike interest identified with their interest, loved and respected by them, and all are to be prepared for the work for which they are best suited and ready to serve faithfully in some capacity. Fellow workers are real men of God's appointment with the same errors, ambitions, and infirmities as ourselves, and as God's blood-bought heritage linked together by Christ they must be dealt with very carefully, with no man made master to rule mind and conscience.
Position gives no kingly authority to control, rule, order, or command fellow laborers, for men in official positions have individual responsibility but are not given power over the Lord's heritage, which the Lord Himself leads. Office is to stand as leader, adviser, counselor, and helper in carrying burdens and in offering thanksgiving, treating fellow laborers with the same consideration one would wish to receive. There is to be no human master spirit but one master Spirit, the Spirit of Him who is infinite in wisdom in whom all diverse elements meet in beautiful matchless unity, so no one mind in institutions should exert controlling power as if sufficient in itself. God works with each heart and mind in forming opinions of their own, therefore each must be encouraged to form and express his own opinions and stand in God-given accountability without having identity submerged or mind worked as a machine, and even sustaining all another's ideas as if infallible does not help him, for he then only voices another's words, manners, and thoughts. No one handling sacred responsibilities should arbitrarily forbid work the Lord by His Holy Spirit impresses workers to go to certain places to do, nor tell a fellow worker what he shall not do or must do, and the work must not be hindered nor God's people discouraged by undue exercise of human authority and presumptuous rulership, with safety only in full commitment to righteousness so that words and spirit testify to God's glory. One certain mold is not to be given to every line, but man is to keep hands off and let the Lord teach His workers in right lines under training that brings prosperity, which includes not investing too largely in one enterprise while needy fields wait but giving support so light comes to workers in needy places.
Workers must be left free for God to convict the heart, call forth its powers, and develop individual strength and experience for special work, without destroying will, identity, and independent natural traits given as endowment by governing too much or seeking to bend other minds to one's own ideas and mold judgment and character. Those traits give access to a class others could not touch, for the strength of one servant may not be the strength of another, and this diversity in the economy of God meets varied organizations and minds, illustrated by the body from head to feet whose different members with different offices all center in the Head. No one's strength is another's measure, and forcing conformity to one person's ideas can suppress qualities God gave and hinder special work few are fitted to do. Not everyone is suited to every task and differences do not make anyone faithless or unwilling, for each has distinct value and may receive a different trust, and no one should be compelled to take another's work against a sense of duty or be expected to fill every role. Varied trusts are to be respected with freedom to seek direction from God rather than having another prescribe a calling against conviction, and talents, judgment, and distinct value are to be honored whether fitted for one task or not.
Varied gifts must blend in harmonious cooperation under the Holy Spirit's control to carry the work to fullness and perfection, for no one man's method alone can mold souls and no one with his gift alone can carry through a series of meetings to perfection. God does not reveal everything to one person but teaches different people whose distinct insights benefit one another through open loving counsel, and in providence He sends various workmen to feed the flock with suitable truth, one strong on an essential point where another is weak, revealing truth a brother did not regard as essential and supplementing his work so that alone the result would be deficient. This includes those of careful thought who check exaggerated action balanced against slowness and over-moderation that loses time, and includes encouraging and educating brethren to work and bear responsibilities, which lifts burdens from ministers and adds years to the cooperating worker's life. All are to draw together to the same result though not laboring in the same way, with some strong in one line and others fitted for another line or different way, and no worker should require fellows to labor exactly as he does. Fellow laborers must be received and respected because to refuse God's messenger is to refuse Jesus, and gifts must be expressed in pledged union by prayer with equal interest, refusing selfishness and keeping God's glory in view, especially in councils, camp meetings, and all essential meetings for meeting fanaticism and forced-in heresies, lest variety become confusion and division.
Application begins with continuous humbling of self, self-examination, denying self and taking up one's own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation, and self-sacrifice instead of laying it on another to carry, as taught by the twelfth and thirteenth chapters to be studied and applied. God does not assign all the same work but intends variety joined in unity, and following this plan brings less friction in church work. Differences in doctrine and appointed work need not divide when believers are moved by the same Spirit toward winning souls, for meekness, mutual forbearance, and charity can reconcile them. Gifts are never to be used to separate believers into parties under different heads, no minister is to be conscience for others or gain experience for them, and where contention and party spirit appear investigation must call things by right names, for all dissension is born of narrow unsanctified conceptions and dividing work needs reformation. Because positions, offices, talents, capabilities, and gifts come by Christ's appointment, each must use entrusted talents faithfully without envy, suspicion, or demeriting another's gift and work, recognizing the position and capabilities God gives to another. No one can measure another's experience by his own, for God does not mean all to be of the same mind or have the same religious experience, and sameness would leave great want of fullness in church labor; the call is for more of Jesus and less of self, with bridled lips thinking and speaking evil of no one.
Held together, different experiences and differing manifestations of the Spirit all work unto holiness as every soul aims at perfection of Christ's character, standing firm under opposition to sustain Bible truth with no one launching out against another, and this brings glorious victories. Different gifts such as speaking, writing, prayer, singing, explaining Scripture, wisdom, knowledge, and faith lead to different kinds of work under the same Head and Spirit, reaching different people, and joined in harmonious service with kindness and love their unity answers Christ's prayer and shows the world they are His disciples. Different workers without the same work blend together to form God's building, each filling the place God designs, and seeking to fulfill Christ's prayer for unity brings growth in grace fitting them for the eternal world. Unity in diversity comes when believers are bound to one another and to God by the breath of the higher life breathed into life-work, when Christ's love brings love as He loved, though they will be tried by fellow workers' ways, so what is written on unity must be searched out and read often. When mind, heart, and soul are surrendered the first lesson is to find what the Master would have each do at his own post in sacred or secular lines, in business, ministry of the Word, or trades, in connection with other laborers under God's supervision so the work goes soundly and healthfully, and done in wholehearted love recognizing His ownership this consecration invests life with sacredness, making every act gentle, kind, courteous, and consecrated with holiness unto the Lord as its motto in training for the higher grade above.
Different spiritual gifts come from the same Holy Spirit, who gives to each person as He wills for the profit of all. The diversities include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation, together with abilities in speaking, writing, prayer, singing, explaining Scripture, intellect, taste, skill and craftsmanship such as that given to Bezalel, Aholiab and other wise-hearted workers for the tabernacle. This diversity belongs within one body whose Head is Christ, like many members from head to feet forming one body and many branches drawing from one vine, to serve in mutual care, harmony and peace rather than quarrelling for supremacy. The gifts are given for the good, edification, unity and perfection of the whole body, and God ordered this variety to meet varied minds, so that different workers reach different people whom others cannot reach. Therefore each person is to use faithfully the gift actually received, staying in his appointed place without controlling or despising another, guarding against rivalry, pride and envy in the love taught in 1 Corinthians 13.
Sense of Gifts and Spirit
Different gifts come from the same Holy Spirit, who gives to each person as He wills and pleases for the profit of all. The differences belong within one shared service, equipping people for different kinds of service so the church may benefit as many members form one body in harmony. Varied gifts and lines of service are meant to work together in unity rather than in rivalry, independence, judging, or dictating how another must do his work. The same Spirit guides and controls all believers while giving different gifts to each, so oneness does not require sameness of gifts. This forbids haphazard work in ministry and medical missionary lines and is of vital importance to practice now above all other times, since discord and strife over it dishonors God and keeps Him from imparting the power He would give to glorify His name before the world and the heavenly universe.
The diversities divided to each as He wills are wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. They also appear as readiness in speaking, readiness in writing, sincere earnest fervent prayer, singing, special power to explain the word of God with clearness, explaining Scripture, intellect, taste, skill, refinement, true elevation, and craftsmanship. God does not entrust all knowledge and wisdom to one person but gives people the abilities needed for their work, as Bezalel received wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skill in craftsmanship for building the tabernacle, and Aholiab and other wise-hearted workers were also given abilities for the task. When placed under His jurisdiction with His presence as the controlling power, with the heart blended with the heart of Christ and conformed in desires and practices to His will, even speech, intellectual ability, good taste, skill, and refinement become a great power for good. Earnestly coveting the best gifts does not mean seeking to be first, but striving earnestly for power to follow Christ's example and be heralds of His gospel in true religion, walking straight forward in His holy light despite temptations, suspicion, and evil surmising.
The same Lord stands over different administrations and the same God works through different operations, bringing the different workings into perfect harmony. The same Spirit who gives the gifts is the Spirit of Christ, who is the Head of the church and in heaven teaches the angels how to minister to its members on earth. He works by His Spirit through each person's mind while treating each person as a responsible agent, who is to use his own mind and conscience and respond freely to God's leading rather than rely wholly on another's judgment or become a mere echo of someone else. Workers should therefore develop their abilities through education and practice, seek wise counsel, and ask God for wisdom.
God sets every member in the body as He pleases, placing every person at a post of duty with a given work, and anyone unsure of his post should pray for guidance because He has expressly told that He assigns each one his work. He assigns to each member such gifts, talents, and opportunities as will best promote His glory and the advancement of His kingdom, bestowing different gifts and measures of grace and means of influence upon different individuals. Every man is to fill his own place according to his several ability and according to the measure of the gift of Christ, with interest required proportionate to the entrusted moral and spiritual capital, and God blesses a person in doing the work He appointed him to do rather than carrying crushing responsibilities not assigned to him. No one is fitted for every kind of labor, including dealing with human minds, yet God has a place and work for all and will use all His children if they surrender to Him, so no one should think he cannot be used or that he may live as an idler. There is a destined order in this from the highest angel down to finite mortals, in which each person is closely related as part of a great whole, none able to become detached and independent, with Jesus as Center and Source of all life and power pervading the whole, each member connected to all and the whole to God to promote the happiness of all, finding his own happiness in making others happy and advancing toward perfection of Christian character as he approaches nearest to Christ's character.
The verse belongs to the teaching of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13, with 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 as instruction on the gifts spoken to believers gathered together in the faith. It is to be committed to memory, written in mind and heart, studied, and applied to self by church members. So received, those brought together in church capacity will be united understandingly and intelligently, with the figure of members composing the body representing the church and the relation its members should sustain to one another. The very first step of application is continuous humbling of self, denying self, taking self critically in hand beginning with self-examination, and taking up one's own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation, and self-sacrifice instead of laying it on someone else to carry.
One Body in Christ
Diversities of gifts belong within one body whose Head is Christ, with many different branches drawing nourishment from one vine and many members from head to feet forming one body with different offices yet centered in Christ. The same Spirit works in different ways through different workers in different lines of work, assigning to each member such gifts, talents and opportunities as will best promote glory and advance the kingdom, and this calls for harmonious action, mutual care, brotherly love, harmony and peace rather than working contrary to one another or seeking supremacy. The figure of members composing the body represents the church and the relation its members should sustain to one another, to be united understandingly and intelligently, with each cultivating, acting out and developing the powers and qualities given as an endowment without losing will and identity. God ordered this arrangement to meet varied makeup and minds, so the strength of one servant is not the strength of another, and a person truly united with Christ never acts as though complete in himself nor gains perfection and influence by doing another's work but by faithfully discharging his own duties as part of the great whole in humble faith.
No one worker is a complete whole and no gift alone is sufficient, for two members do not act the same part and each supplies the deficiency of another who left alone would think himself complete. No one person has all the wisdom, judgment or ability needed to manage the work or carry through a series of meetings to perfection, so one mind is not to mold and fashion the work after special ideas but a variety of gifts and agencies must be employed in harmonious cooperation, each filling an appropriate position and doing God-given work. Contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability, and different minds and gifts are to be united in counsel together with humility and teachability even when views or plans differ, combining talents in missionary, educational and evangelistic work to prepare a people for Christ's coming. This includes those of careful thought who check exaggerated action balanced against slowness and over-moderation that loses precious time, and includes encouraging and educating brethren to work and bear responsibilities, which lifts burdens from ministers, while each develops his own gifts without despising or envying the gifts and work of others.
Oneness does not require sameness of gifts, character, ideas, training, prominence or religious experience, and no one can measure another's experience by his own. Difference in disposition, temperament, manners and ability is as it should be by order and appointment, for many different minds must be met, as seen in John not being the same as Peter, and enforced sameness with all of the same stamp would leave great want of fullness in church labor. God sets every member in the body as He pleases at a post of duty with a given work, and anyone unsure of his post should pray for guidance since He assigns each one his work, bringing different workings through different administrations and operations into perfect harmony under the same Lord and same God. Difference of character is no reason to draw apart or stand in one another's way, but through grace with self sunk out of sight workers are to labor together in perfect harmony with the spirit that dwelt in Christ, each subduing peculiarities and softening temperament to help one another through belief in and sanctification of the truth, using God-given ability to the utmost without molding the work to own ideas or introducing own methods.
Varied contributions balance one another and form a beautiful harmony amid diversity toward the one aim of winning souls, with interests bound together in love, sympathy and brotherly kindness. This requires careful attention to the work entrusted to each person so different parts move in harmony, speaking truth in love for a common purpose and loving as Christ loved with self submerged, and it is the oneness of John 17 that removes selfishness and lines of color and caste so many more are converted. Differences in doctrine need not divide, for meekness, mutual forbearance and charity can reconcile believers moved by the same Spirit, and pledged union by prayer with selfishness refused and glory of God in view makes variety a complete whole unto holiness and perfection of Christ's character instead of confusion and division. Held together in councils, camp meetings and all essential meetings, different experiences and differing manifestations work unto holiness with every soul aiming at perfection, standing firm under opposition to sustain Bible truth, meeting fanaticism and forced-in heresies with glorious victories and no one launching out against another.
Because gifts differ, no member is to entertain self-sufficiency or say to another I have no need of thee. There is to be no crowding, no judging, no measuring of one gift by another, no dictating how another must do a different kind of work, no standing apart, no criticizing, and no trying to humble others. Diversity of gifts is no reason to stand apart or criticize, but those who are faithful unite in service and guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made. Each person should examine self instead and leave others to gain experience from God rather than from finite human judgment, since people do not all have the same gift and dealing with different minds requires a variety of gifts.
Given to Reach All
Diversities of gifts are given by the same Spirit for the good of the whole body, for its edification and unity and perfection. They equip people for different kinds of service that advance the kingdom, with some serving in one line of work and others in other lines, including teaching others to fit them for service. They call for the faith and understanding of every believer to become active in holy service. Those called to teach are to go cheerfully to their field of labor, following God's leading.
God ordered this variety to meet varied organizations and minds in the world, for the strength of one servant is not the strength of another. Different workers reach different people, as Franke reaches those Haskell cannot reach and Haskell reaches those Franke cannot reach, with distinctive gifts fitted to arouse wicked cities such as New York. Varied talents are to be blended in unity, kindness and love, each person following his calling under the Spirit's direction, to represent truth and lift up the Redeemer rather than to glorify the possessor or elevate any person. Each is to cultivate the gifts given him, acting out and developing the powers and qualities given as endowment without losing will and identity, and to unite with fellow laborers while depending on and helping one another in different duties. No one's strength is the measure of another's, and forcing others to conform to one person's ideas can suppress qualities God gave and hinder special work few are fitted to do, so every person must be left free for God to convict the heart, call forth its powers, and develop individual strength and experience for special work.
The gifts convict and convert sinners by God's power and gather them in church capacity, while human workers remain hidden with Christ and Christ is made central. They encourage the fainting and correct and reprove those who err, and God revives them for this purpose rather than having them slighted or neglected. Natural or acquired abilities alone cannot touch hearts or win sinners to Christ. Connected with Christ and possessing the Spirit's gifts, even the poorest and least educated, even those with only limited religious and intellectual training and the most limited workers, when laboring humbly in trust in God, can powerfully influence hearts and serve as channels of God's influence to save souls ready to perish. The church is made up of many vessels large and small, and the same Lord works through all who are willing to be used, with transformation of character shown rather than judging others.
Varied gifts mean varied work, with some preaching while others write or translate so the gospel can be preached to everyone and people of all nations hear. They include colporteur visiting and praying with families, school work, sanitarium cooperation, camp meetings where speakers proclaim truth in the Spirit's power to reach hearts, health-reform instruction, and united use of means with sanctified intellect. Each church member has a responsibility to point others to Christ and do faithfully the work given him, and when all do their part the church's influence and work for souls grow stronger. No teacher, physician or minister can ever be a complete whole alone, but God ordained people to be associated together so varied talents of many minds are blended, contact of mind with mind quickens thought and increases capability, deficiency of one is made up by the special gift of another, and when physicians and teachers thus unite the youth under their training receive a symmetrical, well-balanced education for service.
Every member has some gift suited to particular service, and God has a place and work for all, with His interest required proportionate to entrusted capital according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Knowledge of the truth lays responsibility on every individual to be a laborer together with God and a diligent worker together with Jesus Christ, with not one excused and not one permitted to be an idler in the vineyard, for to every man is given his individual personal work. Even the smallest gift is to be valued, encouraged and used, and different traits and abilities can each serve the work and shape the people met. Gifts so used and faithfully developed increase in power and advance the cause. Together they perfect Christian character and carry forward the grand finishing work of this earth's history, with success depending on communion with God, the sanctifying power of grace on the heart, and submissive willingness to engage in appointed work.
Prophecy and Testing Gifts
The chapter shows how Christ's promise to send the Holy Spirit as Comforter and guide to lead into all truth is fulfilled to the church, with certain gifts of the Spirit placed in it for edification and instruction to the end of time. Those gifts are provision of a divine Teacher in His representative the Holy Spirit, given in both ordinary and extraordinary workings, showing care and love because the church needs the Spirit's presence as Comforter, Teacher, and Guide especially in the perils of the last days, including a special outpouring and the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy in its closing experience before Christ's appearing. There are diversities of operations through the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the outpouring of the Spirit in the last days of the work of the third angel's message, which is the time of the latter rain, coming when Satan works with increasing power because he knows his time is short, and including the gift of prophecy placed in the church as a living voice to counsel, admonish, instruct and guide God's people in the closing days of earth's history for the finishing work. Various gifts are placed in the church for the great work given to God's people to do in the world, the grand finishing-up work of this earth's history. Every son and daughter of God is to appreciate these gifts and act his part, giving evidence that the heart is being impressed by the Holy Spirit, with success in labor depending on communion with God, experiencing the sanctifying power of His grace on the human heart, and being submissive to the will of God and willing to engage in the work appointed for His servants to do.
The verse belongs to the Bible argument for the perpetuity of spiritual gifts, varied but from the same Spirit. These gifts should not be slighted or neglected, for God revives them to encourage the fainting and to correct and reprove those who err. Visions are among the manifestations given by the one source of the Spirit through different gifts and workings. False visions and spiritual counterfeits can mislead people, yet their existence does not mean that genuine gifts of the Spirit are absent. The Spirit's gifts and operations are genuine, though they must not be confused with fanaticism or deceptive impressions, and fanaticism can lead people both to deny the very gifts and workings of God's Spirit and to accept counterfeit manifestations, so both extremes are ruled out and claims of special gifts must be judged by sound faith and the church's ordered work.
Genuine spiritual gifts in the church come from the same Spirit despite their diversity, and no one person's gift is complete enough to meet all its needs. Claims of gifts — including unintelligible speech and noisy excitement — are not proof that God has given them, for such displays can be manufactured and must be judged by their fruits. Published visions may be judged by their fruits, and believers should not be deprived of benefits and privileges merely because they have not personally witnessed the visions, if their Christian conduct and character are otherwise sound, while those who need personal evidence should be met with patience and brotherly love. Determined opposition to gifts one has not experienced can endanger others and should be addressed so the weak are not led astray. Every talent and gift in the church should be recognized, while all gifts and claims should be tested so that only what is good is retained, a subject applied especially to the Spirit of Prophecy.
Humble Faithful Cooperation
The diversity of gifts from the same Spirit leaves no reason to stand apart, criticize, or separate into factions, but calls the faithful to unite in service and guard one another's interests even when mistakes are made. Division bears a witness that does not testify to the power of the truth, and in light of the teaching on love in chapter thirteen such separation is forbidden. Recognizing that God Himself decides the distribution as He pleases, giving one gift to one person and a different gift to another for the good of the whole body, with some serving in one line of work and others in other lines including teaching others to fit them for service, guards against rivalry, pride, envy, contempt, and carnal emulation, and strengthens unity and mutual love. Those called to teach are to go cheerfully to their field of labor following God's leading.
Each person is accountable only for faithfully trading on the moral and spiritual capital actually entrusted, using it to God's glory where he can, and no one is accountable for talents never given. One with little can be as faithful as one with much, and small gifts well used and faithfully managed gain more, while gifts are not to be treated with indifference, judged by others, or taken over by another, for each person's work belongs to that person before God. Gifts of mind and body are to be guarded from self-indulgence and misuse, because weakening any part lessens the usefulness of the whole, and not all have the same abilities, character, knowledge, or disposition. All need daily to feel the converting power of the Holy Spirit to bear much fruit, for efficiency in gospel preaching does not come from the preacher himself but from the Unseen Worker standing behind the minister who brings conviction and conversion, and serving and bearing burdens in God's work develops the experience and knowledge of His will needed to use the gifts. Because human nature is frail, ignorant, and liable to misconception, care is needed in estimating another whose ways are not one's own, and whatever the gifts all require clear insight into the practical workings of Christianity in every line in which they minister, since no one is fitted for every kind of labor including dealing with human minds.
Each has liberty to express his own gift yet must remain in his own appointed lot, place, post, and special line of service under Christ the Head, doing his own work faithfully without leaving it to interfere with, take in hand, or spoil another's work which is not precisely the same. When a laborer has found his place he should not step out to other duties, for taking on work God has not assigned can crowd out higher duties, confuse the worker, and hinder the spread of truth, and God does not expect one person to carry responsibilities others can and should bear. Grave and weighty responsibility rests upon each for his own place and people, with duty to do for them in Christlike interest identified with their interest, loved and respected by them, and all are to be prepared for the work for which they are best suited and ready to serve faithfully in some capacity. Fellow workers are real men of God's appointment with the same errors, ambitions, and infirmities as ourselves, and as God's blood-bought heritage linked together by Christ they must be dealt with very carefully, with no man made master to rule mind and conscience.
Position gives no kingly authority to control, rule, order, or command fellow laborers, for men in official positions have individual responsibility but are not given power over the Lord's heritage, which the Lord Himself leads. Office is to stand as leader, adviser, counselor, and helper in carrying burdens and in offering thanksgiving, treating fellow laborers with the same consideration one would wish to receive. There is to be no human master spirit but one master Spirit, the Spirit of Him who is infinite in wisdom in whom all diverse elements meet in beautiful matchless unity, so no one mind in institutions should exert controlling power as if sufficient in itself. God works with each heart and mind in forming opinions of their own, therefore each must be encouraged to form and express his own opinions and stand in God-given accountability without having identity submerged or mind worked as a machine, and even sustaining all another's ideas as if infallible does not help him, for he then only voices another's words, manners, and thoughts. No one handling sacred responsibilities should arbitrarily forbid work the Lord by His Holy Spirit impresses workers to go to certain places to do, nor tell a fellow worker what he shall not do or must do, and the work must not be hindered nor God's people discouraged by undue exercise of human authority and presumptuous rulership, with safety only in full commitment to righteousness so that words and spirit testify to God's glory. One certain mold is not to be given to every line, but man is to keep hands off and let the Lord teach His workers in right lines under training that brings prosperity, which includes not investing too largely in one enterprise while needy fields wait but giving support so light comes to workers in needy places.
Workers must be left free for God to convict the heart, call forth its powers, and develop individual strength and experience for special work, without destroying will, identity, and independent natural traits given as endowment by governing too much or seeking to bend other minds to one's own ideas and mold judgment and character. Those traits give access to a class others could not touch, for the strength of one servant may not be the strength of another, and this diversity in the economy of God meets varied organizations and minds, illustrated by the body from head to feet whose different members with different offices all center in the Head. No one's strength is another's measure, and forcing conformity to one person's ideas can suppress qualities God gave and hinder special work few are fitted to do. Not everyone is suited to every task and differences do not make anyone faithless or unwilling, for each has distinct value and may receive a different trust, and no one should be compelled to take another's work against a sense of duty or be expected to fill every role. Varied trusts are to be respected with freedom to seek direction from God rather than having another prescribe a calling against conviction, and talents, judgment, and distinct value are to be honored whether fitted for one task or not.
Varied gifts must blend in harmonious cooperation under the Holy Spirit's control to carry the work to fullness and perfection, for no one man's method alone can mold souls and no one with his gift alone can carry through a series of meetings to perfection. God does not reveal everything to one person but teaches different people whose distinct insights benefit one another through open loving counsel, and in providence He sends various workmen to feed the flock with suitable truth, one strong on an essential point where another is weak, revealing truth a brother did not regard as essential and supplementing his work so that alone the result would be deficient. This includes those of careful thought who check exaggerated action balanced against slowness and over-moderation that loses time, and includes encouraging and educating brethren to work and bear responsibilities, which lifts burdens from ministers and adds years to the cooperating worker's life. All are to draw together to the same result though not laboring in the same way, with some strong in one line and others fitted for another line or different way, and no worker should require fellows to labor exactly as he does. Fellow laborers must be received and respected because to refuse God's messenger is to refuse Jesus, and gifts must be expressed in pledged union by prayer with equal interest, refusing selfishness and keeping God's glory in view, especially in councils, camp meetings, and all essential meetings for meeting fanaticism and forced-in heresies, lest variety become confusion and division.
Application begins with continuous humbling of self, self-examination, denying self and taking up one's own cross of self-denial, self-humiliation, and self-sacrifice instead of laying it on another to carry, as taught by the twelfth and thirteenth chapters to be studied and applied. God does not assign all the same work but intends variety joined in unity, and following this plan brings less friction in church work. Differences in doctrine and appointed work need not divide when believers are moved by the same Spirit toward winning souls, for meekness, mutual forbearance, and charity can reconcile them. Gifts are never to be used to separate believers into parties under different heads, no minister is to be conscience for others or gain experience for them, and where contention and party spirit appear investigation must call things by right names, for all dissension is born of narrow unsanctified conceptions and dividing work needs reformation. Because positions, offices, talents, capabilities, and gifts come by Christ's appointment, each must use entrusted talents faithfully without envy, suspicion, or demeriting another's gift and work, recognizing the position and capabilities God gives to another. No one can measure another's experience by his own, for God does not mean all to be of the same mind or have the same religious experience, and sameness would leave great want of fullness in church labor; the call is for more of Jesus and less of self, with bridled lips thinking and speaking evil of no one.
Held together, different experiences and differing manifestations of the Spirit all work unto holiness as every soul aims at perfection of Christ's character, standing firm under opposition to sustain Bible truth with no one launching out against another, and this brings glorious victories. Different gifts such as speaking, writing, prayer, singing, explaining Scripture, wisdom, knowledge, and faith lead to different kinds of work under the same Head and Spirit, reaching different people, and joined in harmonious service with kindness and love their unity answers Christ's prayer and shows the world they are His disciples. Different workers without the same work blend together to form God's building, each filling the place God designs, and seeking to fulfill Christ's prayer for unity brings growth in grace fitting them for the eternal world. Unity in diversity comes when believers are bound to one another and to God by the breath of the higher life breathed into life-work, when Christ's love brings love as He loved, though they will be tried by fellow workers' ways, so what is written on unity must be searched out and read often. When mind, heart, and soul are surrendered the first lesson is to find what the Master would have each do at his own post in sacred or secular lines, in business, ministry of the Word, or trades, in connection with other laborers under God's supervision so the work goes soundly and healthfully, and done in wholehearted love recognizing His ownership this consecration invests life with sacredness, making every act gentle, kind, courteous, and consecrated with holiness unto the Lord as its motto in training for the higher grade above.