Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/67

Contributor - J. Opmeer

Title - The Spirit And The Church

Topic -Church

A Bible study on I Corinthians 12 : 12-31

Enthusiasm can lead to chaos; spiritual gifts can lead to pride, unrest and even division in the church. This is the situation in Corinth with which Paul is dealing in chapters 12 to 14 of his letter. He is dealing with it in a firm yet truly pastoral manner.

In the opening verses he has explained how to recognize the Holy Spirit. Then, in the first main section, he has shown now the one Spirit can operate in many different ways in the church. In the rest of the chapter he works this out in more detail, using the illustration of the human body.,In a marvelous way he uses this illustration to point out both strength and weakness in the Corinthian church. You should have no problem applying this to your church at Greatsville.

12-13 Baptized into one body

The church is not like a heap of sand - all parts alike and complete in themselves. Nor like a cage of wild animals - all different, but without unity. The church, says Paul, is like the human body, which has many parts, yet is one organic whole. Or rather Paul speaks of Christ, where we would have expected the word "church". "Just as the body is one and has many members . . . so it is with Christ."

Perhaps we speak and think too easily of the church as a human institution. But Paul does not want us to think of the church apart from Christ. If we would follow his example, a good part of indifference and confusion would clear up. Christ identifies Himself with the church. Who has no use for her has no use for Him. And also: who loves Him, loves the church. The church, then, not only resembles a body, she is the body of Christ. And that not as an honorary title, but as a reality. It is a reality into which we are baptized. What kind of baptism is this? The baptism of the Spirit, as distinguished by some from the baptism of repentance and faith? As far as I know not even the Pentecostal brethren would claim this here. No, Paul refers to baptism as the sacrament which was administered to the members of the church at Corinth when they became members of Christ.

The Spirit is involved in baptism, or there is no baptism. Paul states this twice in verse 13. To be baptized is to be immersed in the Spirit, in Whom we are one body. To be baptized is also to be made to drink of the Spirit. There is a possible reference here to the receiving of spiritual gifts connected with baptism. Or the word "drink" may be another way of speaking about baptism itself. In either case, Paul speaks of a definite occasion in the life of every Christian. Twice he uses the word "all". Praise God, the Holy Spirit is given to one and all. Away with confusion: all those who belong to Christ drink from the life-giving Spirit. You are no exception, unless you close your heart to the working of the Spirit.

15-20 Unrest in the Church

Why does Paul hammer on this theme? Because unrest had entered the church at Corinth. There were some who had not received any special gift, or who had received one that they considered of a lower rank. The comparison with others, more "gifted", robbed them of their assurance of salvation. They began to wonder about their standing in the church. Some felt very unhappy that they could not speak in tongues; others longed for the gift of healing. They began to feel "less" Christian than those who had a high ranking gift. In all this, gratitude was the first victim. They forgot what they had received already in the Spirit. Not satisfied with being a "foot", some wanted to be "hand", or else .... Many an "ear" in, the congregation would rather be an "eye"; and if not an ",eye", than the "ear" felt itself to be a complete failure!

Paul has a word of admonition and comfort for such. They should not think like this. They are part of the Church, yes a valuable part. They are not inferior at all to those who have the gift of healing or can speak in tongues. And the latter have no right to think that they are "further." than the others and don't need them. They better realize that they are no church without the "inferior" members. "If all were a single organ, where would the body be?" asks Paul. To be all "eye" is not to be a body. If all want to be the "eye", the body is ruined. To strive after certain gifts because they are the sign that you have "arrived" as a Christian is to break the church down.

21-27 "I have no need of you"

Comfort and criticism are handed out with good measure by Paul to all who need it, whether "inferior" or "superior". He makes good use of irony, yet his arrows are pointed. He knows the danger. The danger of schism, a breaking of the unity of the church. As soon as the "eye" begins to say to the "hand", "I have no need of you", the devil has entered the church.

An exclusive club of Christians is no church, and has no future. It overlooks, to its own damage, how God operates in the church, giving the "greater honour to the inferior part" (vs. 24). Much schism in the church is the result of pride on the part of those who have received spiritual gifts. Some time the schism is open, and leads to a separate church, a church without future unless there is repentance. Usually the schism is hidden within the congregation: a small group, the inner circle of people who do everything, and consider themselves the ones who keep the church going. And the rest, upon whom the "in" group looks down as at best second rate Christians. How uncomfortably close are the words, "I have no need of you" to those familiar words, "I better do this myself "! Such a church lacks the unity of the body of Christ, and has not much future either.

In this manner, Paul is comforting and criticizing the members of the church. Perhaps you need the comfort most. Perhaps the criticism. But be sure to understand that Paul says to YOU, "you are the body of Christ". Whether you are the foot or the hand or the eye, you belong to an organic whole that needs all the individual members.

27-31 Ordination and spiritual gifts

Paul concludes this section with a list of some of the different members of the one body. Again, it must be said that this is a snapshot of a church in motion. The list should not be absolutized.

We have a little difficulty with the list because it mentions what we call ordained officers side by side with spiritual gifts. In the Reformed Church we distinguish 3 or 4 officers. Paul mentions a whole list of offices and functions in the church, and it is difficult to make a distinction between office and function. There is no doubt that we have lost much of what Paul describes in verses 28 to 30. It would seem that our structure is much more rigid than in the early church. Apparently unconcerned for "bylaws", Paul lists a number of offices without so much as attempting to be complete. And these offices are at the same time spiritual gifts. Too often in our congregational elections the church officers are considered to be a kind of an executive. Many a church is slowed down in its in reach and outreach because of office bearers who seem to be unprepared for spiritual work.

Now let us have a look at the functions Paul mentions. First, apostles. Apostles are witnesses of Christ's resurrection. They were not present in each local congregation, but worked in the church at large. The office of apostle is limited to the early church, for obvious reasons. Then follows a list of "gifts" which is much larger than our fourfold: minister, elder, deacon, professor of theology. Are they offices, or are they spiritual gifts? No distinction is made by Paul. Each office in the church is a spiritual gift " This means that the bearer or Holder is gifted by the Holy Spirit for his office.

There are more "services" in the church than offices, for each gift in the church is for the service of all. Not all of the gifted people can be office bearers. As long as it is understood that the gifts and the offices serve the same purpose: the building up of the church.

The offices and services mentioned include some that we do not ordinarily associate with a gift of the Holy Spirit. Such as "helpers" and "administrators". We do not know exactly what Paul had in mind, but it is a good thing that we read about them. Perhaps our idea of a spiritual gift needs corrections. And furthermore: if speaking in tongues is considered by some a sure sign of what they call baptism of the Holy Spirit, then "administration is just as good a sign according to Paul. How unexciting!

One closing remark. In chapter 12 we read about something which is often overlooked in our churches. Namely, that what some call baptism of the Holy Spirit is indeed a reality in the church. It is the reality of being filled with the Spirit. Our Pentecostal brethren are right in insisting on this reality. They are wrong - I say it in a spirit of love - when they also insist that this is a second baptism, something different from conversion and being united to Christ. The apostle Paul does not speak of this at all. But he does speak of a being filled with the Spirit. Have we not neglected this too much? Is there not a lack of spiritual power in our congregations as a result of such neglect ? Have we not explained away the spiritual gifts, or put them in a museum: look, this is the way God used to operate .... ? Let us not be too concerned for peace and order and bylaws. The new life in Christ is a being filled with the Spirit. Let us be open and ready for the leading of the Spirit. Let us earnestly desire the gifts through which God builds up the church. And let us be truly thankful for what we daily receive in the Spirit.

Now ... One Bible for Protestants and Catholics

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