THE KING’S BUSINESS
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between Christ and the Holy Spirit and their relative witness to each other. The Holy Spirit bears witness to Christ, and such testimony is recognized as genuine by its harmony with what is revealed o f Christ in the’ Scriptures., (6 ) The Origin, Nature and Power o f the Spiritual Gifts (xii. 4-11). The purpose o f this section is to show that the Holy Spirit is the Sovereign Dis tributor o f spiritual gifts to the Church and that for this reason there, should not be disContent nor discouragement on the one hand because the gifts were small and unostentatious, nor should there be pride and vain glory on the other hand because the gifts happened to be great and bril liant, Both these attitudes, which are wrong and sinful, come from a failure to recognize the wisdom, goodness, and sovereignty o f' the Holy Spirit, the wisdom and plan .of the divine purpose, and that the one function, o f each member of the body is to render its appointed service in its divinely designated place in the body o f Christ, which is the Church. The gifts o f the Spirit include variety, but they exclude contrariety. Three diversities are spoken o f in these verses : Firsf/’ a diversity o f gifts,- thereby indicating that such abilities- are really gifts o f divine grace and not human at tainments. Second, a diversity o f minis trations, suggesting that the means, or instruments, by which the desired purpose o f these gifts is accomplished are also of the working o f God’s. Spirit. Third, a diversity o f operations, informing us that the effects produced by the use o f these spiritual gifts are to be attributed to divine, and.riot human power. Note how prominently the doctrine of the Trinity is set forth in these verses— especially xii. 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 22, 28. We have the Trinity in diversity, personality, and unity. God is the Source o f the g ifts; hence the operations are o f Him. Christ is the Ordainer o f the gifts; hence the ministrations are o f Him. The Holy Spirit is the Imparter o f the gifts; hence the gifts
are from Him. Thus the triune God bestows, controls, and makes effective the spiritual operations o f the Church. - . (c ) The Divine Conception o f the Rela tion o f Spiritual Gifts One to the'Other and to the Body o f Christ as a. Whole (xii. 12-31).. ; In general, it may be said that the gifts are not for schism but for unity in the Church. Probably the difference in gifts was one o f the contributing causes to the oartv spirit in the Co-rinthian church. Two dangers were to be avoided in this- connection: that o f causing separation by the proud use o f the gifts o f the Spirit, and that o f hiding, or burying, them because o f a spirit o f discontent by reason o f cer tain gifts being o f a humble, less con spicuous nature, The apostle would have the Corinthians understand that no man is permitted to use his gifts for his own individual interests but for the general welfare o f the body. Just as-the power of< vision is not for the benefit, o f the eye but for the good o f the whole man,, so all spiritual gifts are not for individual but for the collective bless ing o f the Church. To misuse spiritual gifts is a sin against God, the Giver, and those for whose edification the gifts were intended. W e are here taught that the Church is an organism. There is a difference between an organism and an organization. No man can join- the Church as he would join a society, or lodge, for example. The life o f the , Christ, the Head o f the Church, must bd in the heart o f a man ere he is. eligible to belong to vthe Church o f Christ' The Church as the body of Christ is taught in many scriptures: Ephesians i. 23; ii; 16 ; iv. 4, 12, 16; v. 23, 30; cf. Colossians i.~18, 24; ii. 19; iii. 15. The Church o f Christ is an organism—a spiritual body. As the physical body is one whcjle, so is the Church one spiritual body. As the body is pervaded by one living power, so is the Church pervaded by the Spirit o f the Head, Jesus Christ. As the different members o f the human 'body have
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