JUST AS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS

1. JUST AS THE HOLY SPIRIT SAYS THE VALUE OF DIVERSITY JoLynn Gower 352-2458 jgower@guardingthetruth.org

2. POLITICAL CORRECTNESS • Diversity and tolerance…how do you react? • God likes diversity – His way, which has almost nothing in common with the world’s way • 1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. • Diversities (varieties): diairesis: distinctions, differences from a root that means to separately distribute • DIFFERENT KINDS OF GIFTS • 1 Corinthians 12:6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. • DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EVEN LIKE GIFTS All gifts will cause focus to be drawn to God

3. COMMON GOOD • 1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. • Each one: hekastos: every one; every person • No two people are the same—not even identical twins! • Common good: sumphero: brought together for mutual profitability • FOCUS: GOD • BENEFIT: OTHERS • The church is edified; the world is reached • KEY QUESTION: How do diverse people use diverse gifts with diverse purposes in ways that are sufficiently unified that common good is accomplished?

4. GOD ORCHESTRATES GIFTS • 1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. • Given: didomi: to give, bestow, commit • Ephesians 4:8 Therefore it says, "When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He GAVE GIFTS TO MEN." • Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; • God gives gifts according to what is needed, to people He has created to exercise the gift, serving the people He chooses

5. REQUIRED UNITY • Matthew 18:19-20 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. Forwhere two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.“ • Agree: sumphoneo: be in harmony • In My name: emon onoma: my authority • The harmony is with God • God gives gifts; God directs their use; God decides the overall plan • Like a conductor who has a score; leads the various musicians and their instruments; When everyone is playing their part according to the score and watching the conductor, the result is beautiful music • When gifts aren’t used in this way, we become the grade school band

6. THE ISSUE OF WILL • Free will vs God’s will when we are agreeing • Remember authority! 1. Given by someone to someone 2. Has a domain 3. Has rules established by the one who gave it • Free will allows us to reject the authority of Christ • Predestination vs Free Will: are they in conflict? • Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will… • Predestined: prooridzo: to limit in advance • 1 Corinthians 2:7… but we speak God's wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory;

7. GREATER GIFTS? • 1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. • Earnestly desire: zeloute: feel warmly toward; be covetous, jealous for • Greater: megas: great, abundant, more important • The rabbis believed that only “great” people had “great” gifts; those people were the “rabinnical sort” • The pagan religions believed that their “miracles” were reserved for their special people • Regular people like us would not have been expecting that anything miraculous could be done through them • Greater is a comparative word; the next phrase really says, “I will show you a way that is beyond comparison!

8. WHAT IS WITHOUT COMPARISON ? • LOVE! • 1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. • Love: agape: charitable love that puts the other person’s interest first • John 21:15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My lambs." • Love: phileo: brotherly sort of love eros: a sensual sort of love storge: affection as in parent for child

9. USAGE OF DIVERSE GIFTS • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. • Chapter 12 is about gifts; Chapter 14 is about gifts • 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. • Done away: katargeo: rendered useless • When? when the perfect comes: teleion: completion

10. WHEN IS THE COMPLETION? • 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. • Revelation 10:7…but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. • God’s wisdom in a predestined mystery (1 Corinthians 2:7) • When God’s redemption plan is completed for people, then the distributive, individual gifts will end • Why do faith, hope and love abide? • Abide: meno: to remain, to continue, to stay • Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.