By Jeffery M. Leonard, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Samford University
God’s Will and the Church
1 Corinthians 12:1–11
My family shares a common vocabulary of movie quotes. My sons and I often speak in an obscure dialogue of quotes from “The Sandlot,” “A League of Their Own,” “Galaxy Quest” and a host of other highbrow movies of this sort.
One of our favorite quotes comes from “Forrest Gump.” In response to his drill sergeant’s question, “Gump, what’s your sole purpose in this army?” Tom Hanks’ character replies, “To do whatever you tell me, drill sergeant.” As this essentially summarizes my parenting philosophy it is a line that comes up often in our family. The scene in “Forrest Gump” from which this quote derives is one in which Forrest finds army life suits him to a tee. In his words, “I fit in the army like one of them round pegs.”
Something can be said for finding one’s place in life. As a college professor I often see students struggle through their first few semesters in a course of study that clearly wasn’t meant for them. When they finally land on the right major those same students begin to thrive.
In his first letter to the church at Corinth the Apostle Paul describes a similar dynamic when it comes to our participation in the life of the Church. One of the most important aspects of finding God’s will for our lives consists in finding God’s place for us in the body of Christ.
The Holy Spirit works and speaks through those who acknowledge the lordship of Christ. (1–3)
In 1 Corinthians the rubric under which Paul discusses our role in the Church is that of spiritual gifts. If the rest of 1 Corinthians is any guide the church at Corinth struggled a great deal with the gifts of the Spirit. High value was apparently placed on the showier gifts like tongues and prophecy. Paul goes out of his way to emphasize spiritual gifts were intended for service not for show and certainly not for personal aggrandizement. Keeping the gifts of the Spirit in this proper role of service begins with a recognition of and a commitment to the lordship of Christ.
As Paul underscores this important point he offers what seems to be an unusual warning: “No one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says ‘Jesus is accursed!’ and no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit” (v. 3). Removed as we are from the Corinthian situation it seems obvious to us that no one guided by the Spirit could ever say, “Jesus is accursed.” At issue in this passage is a particular strain of Hellenistic philosophy that had heavily influenced many Gentile believers. Greek philosophy often denigrated the physical body elevating instead the spirit and mind. Among some Christians this resulted in a strong preference for the heavenly, spiritual Christ over the earthly, physical Jesus.
Paul’s warning is grounded in a recognition that God’s Spirit would never bless a denigration of the humanity of Jesus.
The same God works through each of us in the church. (4–6)
Returning to his main discussion Paul focuses first on those things that unite us as believers. We possess various gifts but we have the same Spirit. We have various avenues for service but we have the same Lord. We hold various roles but we have the same God who helps us fill them.
The Holy Spirit speaks and works through His church in a variety of ways. (7–11)
Grounded in the notions of Jesus’ lordship and our shared empowerment by Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Paul can then move on to discuss those things that make us different. We serve the same God but that God has given to each of us different gifts for serving and different opportunities for employing those gifts.
Our task is to be sensitive to the Spirit who empowers as we seek to serve others in God’s Church.
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