UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS PART I

                                         UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Introduction: The British author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien, was a devout Christian who wanted his books to awaken people to the biblical struggle between good and evil. Tolkien also humbly believed that all his creativity was a "supreme gift" which came straight from God. While he was working as a university professor, Tolkien had the following experience, which was the beginning of The Hobbit and then eventually The Lord of the Rings:

            "I was doing the dull work of correcting exam papers when I came upon a blank page someone had turned in—a boon to all exam makers. I turned it over and wrote on the back, "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit" [that sentence would become the first line for The Hobbit]. I'd never even heard of a hobbit or used the word before. Said Tolkien"[1]

            That divine inspiration of Tolkien on that dull morning had to be from God. We know its outcome. Through his writings, he helped lead his friend and an atheist, C.S. Lewis, to Christ. The rest is history; these two literary giants have influenced so many people worldwide.

            Here is one example of someone exercising his God-given extraordinary ability. God gives such exceptional capabilities to some people, but to all of us, He gives a unique ability or gift that would benefit us and others. How many successful people these days attribute their success to God? In our passage, the Apostle Paul highlights such God-given special abilities and their intended purpose. They are referred to as Spiritual Gifts.

            It appears that the Corinthian believers were ignorant of the source and the intended use of Spiritual gifts. Not only the Corinthian Church but many Christians in the 21^st century misunderstand these gifts. I want to clear such misconceptions first and lay a foundation for understanding Spiritual Gifts.  I Corinthians 12:1-7

            Vs. 1, "Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don't want you to misunderstand this." Paul was addressing here a question of the Corinthian believers regarding the special abilities the Spirit gives us. We don't know the exact question, but reading the rest of the passage gives us a clue that it was about discernment.

            They wanted to know whether a specific manifestation was from the Holy Spirit or an evil Spirit. They needed discernment. Don't we all need discernment? Especially when we are making decisions about life or death. Don't we want to know whether we are being led by the Holy Spirit or led astray by evil spirits? Did you know discernment is a gift from God?

            Vs.2 "You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols." Many Corinthians were pagans before they followed Christ. They were, worshipping idols and were being led astray by evil spirits. Some were being carried away by those evil spirits yet claimed to be prophesying in the Spirit.

 

I. How do we discern the Holy Spirit from Evil spirits?

            Vs.3, "So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit." Paul gives them a clue on how to find out whether or not someone was speaking by the Holy Spirit. What a person believes and says about Jesus Christ is proof of whether he speaks from the Holy Spirit.

            If the speaker affirms the Lordship of Jesus, it is from the Holy Spirit. Satan always attacks the person of Jesus, whereas the Holy Spirit affirms Jesus' Lordship. John 16: 13-15, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard…He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said,

            "The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me." Even today, if we want to discern whether a specific manifestation is from the Holy Spirit, observe who is it glorifying, Jesus Christ or someone else?

 

II. Who is the giver of the spiritual gifts, and what is the intended purpose? 

            After clarifying their misunderstanding, he explains the giver and the intent of the giver of Spiritual Gifts. Vs. 4-6, "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us."

            There is so much packed in these three verses. Paul referred "to different kinds of spiritual gifts, telling us that there is more than one gift. How many? We will look at it later. He also referred to "different kinds of service." Indicating that there are varieties of services, and these gifts help us serve one another and the cause of Christ in our communities.

            He also shows us the interaction of the Triune God in administering these gifts. In Vs. 4 we see, "The Holy Spirit." In Vs. 5, "The Lord Jesus." In Vs. 6, "God the Father." The Greek grammar in verse six points to God the Father. Therefore, it is better not to call these gifts of the Holy Spirit. They are spiritual gifts given as much by Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit. A point of observation, in verse 1, the word "gift" is inserted. The translation should be: "Now concerning spiritual matters," i.e., anything about the spiritual welfare of man.

            We see this translation in Young Literal Translation, which reads, "And concerning the spiritual things, brethren, I do not wish you to be ignorant." So, when we discuss spiritual gifts, they must be viewed primarily as concerning spiritual welfare. It doesn't mean that they don't have implications for our physical and emotional wellbeing.  What is a spiritual gift? A spiritual gift? A spiritual gift is a unique ability empowered by the triune God to accomplish a specific purpose of God in the time frame which God permits. For example.

 

III. Where did Samson get his power from to do great exploits in the OT?

Samson was born in a crucial time of Israel's history to accomplish a divine mission of God. As he grew up, "The Spirit of the Lord began to stir him." On three occasions, the Spirit of the Lord powerfully came upon him, "he ripped a lion's jaw with bare hands, killed thirty men one time and with the jawbone of a donkey, killed, one thousand Philistines. (Judges13-16)

            After some time, he falls in love with Delilah. You know the rest of the story. The Lord leaves him for a while by handing him over into the hands of the Philistines. One last time in a state of blindness and utter helplessness, he cries out to the Lord to strengthen him so that he can take vengeance on Philistines. Then Samson pushes the two center pillars that held up the temple. The temple came down, along with Philistines, killing everyone, including Samson.

            It is said, "he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime." Samson's story is one example that God empowers specific individuals with unique abilities to accomplish his purposes in that given time frame. Besides achieving his objectives, what else has God in mind by giving spiritual gifts to people?

            Vs. 7, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." Spiritual gifts are given not just for our benefit but to help each other to grow into the fulness of Christ. How can we help each other in Hope Church? By serving one another. I Peter 4:10, "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."   

 

            Serving comes in different forms. To do that effectively, God gives a variety of gifts to His people. What can we take away from this passage? Not every manifestation is from the Holy Spirit, and we need discernment to test the spirits. God gives different gifts to different people, but in the end, it is God who works in and through all of us. When we exercise our God-given spiritual gifts well, everyone benefits both inside and outside the Church. Amen! 

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[1] Bradley J. Birzer, J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth (ISI Books, 2009), p. 26

THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY

                                                                THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY

            The singing of our national anthems evokes patriotism and nostalgia. Tim Keller writes: "When the Star-Spangled Banner is sung at sporting events, the closing phrase comes to an elongated high note: "O'er the land of the freeee …." The cheers begin here. Even though the song goes on to talk about "the brave," this is an afterthought. Both the melody line and our culture highlights freedom as the central theme and value of our society.

            Freedom has come to be defined as the absence of any limitations or constraints on us. By this definition, the fewer boundaries we have on our choices and actions, the freer we feel ourselves to be. I want to argue that the narrative has gone wrong and is doing damage.

            Modern freedom is the freedom of self-assertion. I am free if I may do whatever I want. But defining freedom this way is unworkable because it is an impossibility. We need some moral norms and constraints on our actions if we are to live together."[1]

            We can be living in the land of the free and home of the brave, yet we can be bound by fear. We can sing and shout all we want about freedom, but that doesn't make one truly free. If an average American views freedom as self-assertion and develops an attitude of "I can do and have whatever I want, without limits and boundaries," how do Christians view freedom?

            What responsibilities come with freedom? The Apostle Paul, while answering questions concerning food sacrificed to the idols, refutes a famous saying of the Corinthians by explaining the ultimate purpose of THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY I Corinthians 10-23-33.

            Liberty, a synonym for the word freedom means, the quality or state of being free. The power to do as one pleases. Freedom from an oppressive regime. The enjoyment of social, political, or economic rights and privileges and the power of choice."[2] What is Biblical Liberty?

 

I.THE BIBLICAL LIBERTY.

            In the Bible, Liberty is expressed in several concepts. First, it is the freedom from the penalty of Sin; by faith in Jesus Christ. Through his death on the Cross, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. When we believe in him, we are freed from the penalty of Sin. Romans 6:23, "Sin pays its servants: the wage is death. But God gives to those who serve him: his free gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." J.B Philips NT

            Second, Biblical Liberty is the freedom from the power of Sin. Paul, writing to the Ephesian believers, explains the miserable condition of every unsaved person.  Ephesians 2:1-2 "Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in Sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God."

            The power of Sin is broken when Christ sets us free. Romans 6:5-7, "Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that Sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to Sin. For when we died with Christ, we were set free from the power of Sin."

            Third, Biblical Liberty means freedom from the oppressive power of the Jewish Law. Galatians 3:13, "But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the Law. When he was hung on the Cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing."

            What responsibilities come along with Liberty? Romans 7:4, "So, my dear brothers and sisters: You died to the power of the Law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead.

            As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God." Building on this understanding, the Apostle Paul shifts the focus of the Corinthians from trivial matters to what, in the end, brings glory to God.

 

II. THE LIMITS OF LIBERTY

            The Apostle Paul refutes the misplaced idea of Corinthian believers' Liberty. They had a famous saying which went like this, I Cor 10:23, "You say, "I am allowed to do anything," but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything," but not everything is beneficial." (I Cor 6:12). Paul voluntarily put limits on his Liberty by saying, "Even though I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything." I Cor 6:12.

            Freedom doesn't necessarily mean that you can do any and everything you want to. Indeed, the laws of our government can restrict and even punish you when freedom is abused. Just because I have the freedom to eat anything, if I go ahead and misuse that freedom and eat all kinds of junk food, I am abusing my body. Therefore, I apply certain limits on my Liberty.

            God did not make us like robots; instead, he gave us the free will to choose. God expects us to make good and wise decisions and avoid harmful ones. God's appeal to humanity is to decide what is right. Deut 30:19, "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life so that you and your descendants might live!

            We know from reading the history of Adam and Eve, human beings tend to go after the forbidden fruit to their detriment. We think, for some odd reasons, Proverbs 9:17, "Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant." Though this text discusses sexual immorality, it conveys that "doing the wrong thing or committing sins in secrecy is exciting and thrilling.

            The Apostle urged the Corinthians not to misuse their freedom to indulge in sexual sins or offend their weaker brothers and sisters by eating food offered to idols. He urged them instead to focus on the Kingdom. Rom14:17-19, "For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

            If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up." One of the goals of Christian's Liberty is that we strive towards unity by building each other up.

 

III. THE CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY. (Vs 24 & 33)

            Vs.24, "Don't be concerned for your own good but for the good of others." This verse explains the primary focus and the ultimate purpose of the Christian's Liberty. People in the world look at Liberty through a lens of self-assertion. They focus on asserting their rights, claims, or opinions by maintaining their superiority over others.

            In contrast, Christians see through the lenses of self-denial, sacrifice, and concern for others. No one else matches our Lord Jesus Christ when it comes to being concerned for the good of others. In His life and death, he ultimately laid down self-interest. In his teachings, he highlighted the importance of others, and he demonstrated it through actions.

            Matthew 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for man," John 13:34-35, "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."

            How did Jesus love us? Voluntarily and sacrificially giving up his life for us. I John 3:16. "We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.

            So, we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters." If Christ showed his love for us not just in words only but through actions, are we called to do anything less than what our Lord has done?

            All the disciples of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, the early church believers, and scores of missionaries throughout the centuries knew what this sacrificial love was all about. They did any and everything within their power so that many people would come to know Jesus.

 

IV. CHRISTIAN'S LIBERTY IN ACTION

            Christian Liberty is an integral part of our Christian faith. Where do we begin exercising our Christian Liberty? It starts at the Cross. We are only free from our slavery to sin by believing in Jesus and receiving forgiveness for our sins. As Jesus promised, If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36). Have you been set free? Only Christians know true freedom.

            What does Christian Liberty look like in a practical sense? How does it affect our daily choices? What are we free to do and not to do? That was what the Apostle Paul labored to explain to the Corinthian believers in the previous chapters. In the end, he concluded by saying, Vs. 31, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

            Therefore, let us ask ourselves, are my actions or non-actions glorifying God or only gratifying my needs? How do we know what glorifies God? When we love one another as Christ loved us when we serve others, when we respect people as made in the image of God. When we don't infringe on others' freedoms while maintaining our God-given liberties.

             Let us exercise our Christian Liberty not to harm others but to do the maximum good to the maximum number of people possible. That was what Paul strived to do when he said, "Vs. 33, " I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don't just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved." What can we do to bless our community?

            I find what Poland is doing fascinating. They made the first "Happy to Chat" bench (gaduławka), encouraging strangers to sit and talk in Kraków. The initiative is intended to tackle loneliness and rebuild a sense of community as people emerge from the pandemic. How about we start a "Happy to Chat Bench in Sharon."?  These days, many people are lonely and struggling with mental health issues. Living lives that are void of hope and filled with fear. Let us use our Christian Liberty and reach out to them with the message of hope and love. Amen!

 

 

 

 

             

 

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[1] Tim Keller, Making Sense of God, (Penguin Books, 2018), p. 97-105

[2] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberty

FOUR THINGS THAT MAKE A CHRISTIAN CRASH

 

FOUR THINGS THAT MAKE A CHRISTIAN CRASH

            In 1929 and 2008, economic experts everywhere claimed to know precisely what they were doing, yet not a single person could fix the series of mistakes that crashed the world's economy. After these financial crises, many were rightfully furious--at the fraudulent bankers, who systematically destroyed the world economy for their gain; at the Wall Street brokers who received bailouts and little to no jail time, while millions lost everything.

            To avoid future financial catastrophes, a library in Edinburgh, Scotland, has compiled a collection of sensible economic literature that aims to educate the next generation of economists. The Library of Mistakes contains over 2,000 books, such as "Crash of the Titans, The Crunch, Debt Shock, Too Big to Fail, and The Manipulators—all relating to economics and finance.

            According to the library's curators, the Library of Mistakes served as a perfect example of how, according to the library's curators, "smart people keep doing stupid things." The library's curators argue that the only way to build a strong economy is to learn from our mistakes.      Ultimately, the Library of Mistakes encourages self-reflection and the study of History. In the words of George Santayana, "for those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." And given the turbulent state of the world today, such advice could be timely."[1]

            God has written the historical sections of the Bible for this very reason--so that we would learn not to repeat the mistakes of others. The clear message is, "don't let this happen to you." In Chapter ten, the apostle Paul pulls out four pages from ancient Israel's History and warns the Corinthian believers not to repeat the mistakes committed by their forefathers. I will share "Four Things That Make A Christian Crash." I Corinthians 10:1-14

 

ANCIENT ISRAEL'S HISTORY

            After 430 years of hardship in the land of Egypt, as promised, God delivered the Israelites from their slavery. Under the able leadership of Moses, Aron, Miriam, and Joshua, over 600,000 Israelites and a multitude of non-Israelites left Egypt for a land flowing with milk and honey, the land of Canaan. (Ex 12: 27-41). In his final sermon in Deuteronomy, Moses calls the Israelites to remember God's dealings with them in the wilderness. Duet 8:2.

            Centuries later, Paul calls out the Corinthian believers, especially those from the Jewish faith, to learn lessons from their common History. You might be saying, why should I know about Israel’s History? By being the followers of Christ, we have become the children of Abraham. We have inherited the exact promises of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. We become a part of their shared story; therefore, we must pay attention to it. 

            The Apostle Paul encourages the Corinthian believers as to why God has deliberately left those dark chapters of Israel's History. Vs. 6, "These things happened as a warning to us so that we would not crave evil things as they did." He summarizes those evil things into 4 categories.

 

I. IDOLATRY IS FORBIDDEN. Vs.7

            Vs.7, "Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry." NIV Or "Do not serve or worship idols." The theme of worshiping idols or Idolatry seems to be a reoccurring one in I Corinthians.

            Paul was referring here to an incident that happened precisely two months after the Israelites left Egypt. They camped at Mount Sinai, and Moses had gone up to the top of the mountain to receive instructions from God.

            When people saw it took too long, they pressured Aaron saying, "make us some gods who can lead us." Aaron made a golden calf. The Israelites shouted, "O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 32:4

             Ex 32:6, "The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry." In worshipping the calf, they violated the first two of the ten commandments.

            Before He commanded them not to have any other gods or make for themselves any idol of any kind and not bow down to them or worship them, He established a truth. "I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery." Ex 20:1-5.

            God wanted Israelites to know in absolute terms it was Him and no one who else delivered them from 430 years of slavery.  He wanted to continue to be their God and lead them on in their journey to the promised land. On the contrary, what did the Israelites do?

            They told Aaron it was Moses who led them out of Egypt, and in the future, they wanted some gods (not the almighty God Jehovah) to lead them on. That angered God very much. As you read through History, we see how God swiftly dealt with Israelite's Idolatry.

            Recalling these blatant violations and God's firm dealings with the Israelites, Paul warned the Corinthian believers, again and again, to flee from idolatry. You may say to me I am neither like the Israelites nor the Corinthians. I don't eat meat offered to idols, let alone serving and worshipping them. That may be true, but idolatry doesn't have to do with just bowing to idols. What does modern-day idolatry look like? How does then this fleeing from idolatry apply to me?  Modern-day idols come in all forms. What is it that takes most of our time, attention, and resources? In addition to deliberately worshipping man-made objects, Idolatry is equated with greed. Paul, writing to Ephesians, explains how greed amounts to Idolatry. Ephesians 5:5, "You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world." What is greed?

            It is an intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food. Greed often is the driving force behind many politicians and those who want to become famous and successful. If you are driven by greed, you are an idolator; hence, you must flee from greed.

            What happens if you don't overcome greed? You will shipwreck your life. I Timothy 6:10, "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows."

 

II. FLEE FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY

            Vs.8 "And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day." Here Paul was referring to a specific incident in Numbers 25:1-3

 While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women.

            These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord's anger to blaze against his people."  What is sexual immorality?

            Sexual immorality is having sex before and outside of marriage. Is sex between two legally married men and women, okay?  No! It amounts to sexual immorality; hence it is a Sin. If you want to avoid a crash, exercise self-control and flee from all forms of sexual immorality.

III DO NOT PUT THE LORD TO TEST

            Vs.9, "Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites." Paul uses the example of the complaining of Israel against the Lord for bringing them out of Egypt, for which the Lord punished them severely, and many died of snake bites (Nu 21:6).  At another time, Israelites complained against Moses, "Give us water to drink. Moses replied, why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord."

            In the end, Moses struck the rock in anger, and water came out. Moses named that place Massah, which means "test." Ex 17:7. It seemed testing the Lord became a pattern in Israelites lives. By saying "we," Paul includes himself in cautioning the Corinthians against complaining and testing the Lord to see what he will do. We, too, are capable of testing the Lord.  

 

IV. DON'T BE A SULLEN GRUMBLER

             Vs. 10, "And don't grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death." This incident is recorded in Num. 16:3–41. At one point, the sons of Korah incited a rebellion against Moses and Aaron's leadership. The earth was opened up and swallowed people.      Then the whole community of Israel began to murmur against Moses, saying, you have killed the Lord's people. The Lord took up the case of his servants Moses and Aaron and sent a plague that killed 14,700 people. So, think for yourself, is it worth grumbling?

            Who is a grumbler? A grumbler is someone who is given to excessive complaints and fretting and whining. There are some people no matter what they always grumble about something or someone. Did you ever meet a grumbler? They are not pleasant people to be around. God hates murmuring and complaining! He does not take it lightly. Numbers 11:1-5

            Grumbling often comes from discontentment. You are discontent about your current situation, and you complain and grumble. James 5:9, "Don't grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

            We must take these lessons from Israel's History to heart to avoid a crash. No doubt, you and I, at times, will be tempted to serve and worship the idols we set ourselves, to test the Lord, to be given to sexual immorality, and to grumble. Temptation is not sin but yielding to it is a sin. Be encouraged. Christ was tempted in the same ways you and I are being tempted yet remained sinless. He understands us when we are tempted and sends help on our way. Amen!

             

 

 

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[1] Adapted from: Deborah Chu, “How the Great Recession Inspired Edinburgh’s Library of Mistakes,” Culture Trip (12-18-17); Staff, “Library of Mistakes,” Atlas Obscura (Accessed 5/27/21); Douglas Fraser, “The Library of Mistakes,” BBC (2-16-19)