Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (Christ and the Holy Spirit minister through us in Spiritual Gifts) 

What is the Divine purpose for using spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ? How do the spiritual gifts work in conjunction with the Holy Spirit renewed mind? Why is Christ's spiritual gift of discerning of spirits so essential to the Body of Christ? What is the focus of the five word communication spiritual gifts? Does not the Word say that the manifestion of the gifts, ministries, and activities is given to EACH ONE in the Body of Christ? Holy Spirit rightly divide the Word of truth today and let us see Christ, who ministers through us in partnership with you in every spiritual gift.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

"Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all . . ." (I Cor. 12:3-7).

First, Our Primary Focus Remains on Christ with all use of Spiritual Gifts
Paul opens the subject of spiritual gifts with an awakening statement, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant" (I Cor. 12:1). Paul clearly observed some misunderstanding and misuse of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian church and was led by the Spirit to make some Divine correction. Do you think there might be some misunderstanding, misuse, or refusal to use spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ today? Surely today, the Church still hasn't progressed beyond the need for a clear understanding of spiritual gifts. Paul let the Corinthians know that as Gentiles before their Spiritual rebirthing, they were carried and led away by idolatry (I Cor. 12:2). God has a definite purpose for spiritual gifts in the Church, for which we need His clear understanding. Spiritual gifts should never become our primary focus. Our primary focus always remains "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (I Cor. 2:2). Paul's summary conclusion on this whole matter of spiritual gifts was to, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (I Cor. 14:40).

Second, The Holy Spirit Came to Rebirth Us and Then to Renew the Mind
The Holy Spirit came to us initially to speak of Christ for salvation. When we believed His Word in our hearts and confessed Jesus as Lord with our lips, we were passed from death to life in our Spiritual rebirthing (Rom. 10:9-10; I Cor. 12:3). From the point of our Spiritual rebirthing and forward, the work of the Holy Spirit has become our Helper. The Holy Spirit is the Divine tutor and revealer of Christ and His finished work on the cross. The Holy Spirit's Divine purpose is to renew the mind with the revelation of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Third, The Holy Spirit Uses Three Types of Knowledge to Renew the Mind
God's Spirit is in us and complete at the rebirthing, but we have the same mind. This is why Paul says to "be renewed in the spirit of your mind" (Eph. 4:23). The spirit of the mind of the fleshly man only knows or perceives (Gk: eido) the things of man (I Cor. 2:11), and is filled with the spirit of this world (I Cor. 2:12). The Spirit of God is the only one who knows or perceives (Gk: eido) the things of God (I Cor. 2:11). The Holy Spirit reveals His knowledge (Gk: epignosis) to us and transforms the spirit of our mind (Eph. 3:3). Paul uses three (3) different types of knowledge in the Greek text to illustrate the Holy Spirit's renewal work to the mind: (1) eido, to perceive or reflect; (2) ginosko, a relationship knowing; or (3) epignosis, a full-knowledge relationship understanding. The SOURCE of the knowledge of either type is the key. Is it from God or man?

Fourth, Christ's Spiritual Gift of Discerning of Spirits
The reason for any misunderstanding, misuse, or refusal to use spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ is due to two (2) things. One, men are still using as their SOURCE of knowledge man's eido perceptions or reflections that come out of man's ginosko reasonings or religious traditions. Second, men do not fully have their mind renewed by the Holy Spirit to let Christ operate within them through the Spiritual gift of discerning of spirits. The Church truly needs the Spiritual gift of discerning of spirits by His Spirit, both to eido and to ginosko know the difference between God's voice and Satan's voice. The Church needs the gift of discerning of spirits just to rightly divide the Word of truth of God's word to clearly distinguish between: the Spirit and the soul; the eternal and the temporal; the Spirit and the flesh; God's truth and satan's lies; and even the Spiritual reality vs. man's traditions about God's purpose for and use of these Spiritual gifts.

Fifth, Christ's and Holy Spirit's Five (5) Word Communication Spiritual Gifts
Christ flows using the Holy Spirit renewed mind to provide five (5) word communication spiritual gifts. A word of wisdom speaks a word on how, how much, or why God wants something done. A word of knowledge gives us a word on when, where, or what God wants done. Both of these word gifts are given through the Spirit to other individuals or the whole body of Christ (I Cor. 12:7-8). Another Spiritual gift is the Holy Spirit speaking through some with other tongues of men or angels (I Cor. 12:10; 13:1). If this gift ever operates by His Spirit in a local assembly, it must be accompanied by the gift of the interpretation of tongues that the body may be edified (I Cor. 14:5). Paul in the whole chapter of I Corinthians 14 describes the varied and proper use of this gift. Paul says that we should desire or covet to prophecy, the Spiritual gift given to and for the edification of the Body, and to not forbid speaking with tongues (I Cor 14:39-40). True prophecy communication centers or focuses in on Christ and the Father, "For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Rev. 19:10).

Sixth, Christ's Three (3) Temporal Serving Operational Spiritual Gifts
Christ flows through the Holy Spirit renewed mind to provide three (3) temporal serving operational spiritual gifts. Christ is called, "the Faithful and True" (Rev. 19:11). Christ flows out through some with the supernatural spiritual gift of faith (I Cor. 12:9). Christ flows through some with various spiritual gifts of healings (I Cor. 12:9). Both gift and healing are given in the text in the plural in number, indicating multiple gifts and various types of healings. Christ also flows through some with the spiritual gift of the working of miracles (I Cor. 12:10).

Seventh, The Gifts and Ministries are Given to EACH ONE in the Body
There are various kinds of gifts, ministries, and activities; and truly God is working His divine purpose through all of them (I Cor. 12:4-6). The manifestation of the Spirit through every gift, ministry, and activity is given to EACH ONE to edify and profit the whole Body of Christ (I Cor. 12:7). Perhaps some have been prideful and selfish in their use of gifts, forgetting they came from Christ within them and it was to and for others. Others through fear of wildfire, just have no fire. The Church needs His fire in every gift used to edify – done in decent order.