To Make Disciples is to Transform How We Serve

Making disciples means

actively cooperating with the Spirit

in his work of transforming people

to become more like Jesus Christ.

Spiritual gifts are one more way for you to cooperate with the Spirit.

As we shall see, this is not so much about you serving as it is about the Spirit serving through you.

 

A recap

We have been building on 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV):

And we … are being transformed into [Jesus Christ’s] likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

In an earlier post, we learned that “being transformed” translates the Greek word from which we get metamorphosis. That action invites us to cooperate with the Spirit in His work of transforming us to become more and more like Jesus Christ—the activity we know as making disciples.

The hypothesis is that the initial audience at Corinth could be equipped to cooperate with the Spirit by absorbing Paul’s teaching about the Holy Spirit. One thing they could do is listen carefully to the many “S/spirit*” or pneum* words in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians.

A rich cluster of 22 pneum* words occurs in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Focusing on 1 Corinthians 12, we find 13 appearances of these pneum* words. Let’s examine this passage to see how we can cooperate with the Spirit as He transforms us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

 

A new topic

In 1 Corinthians, the phrase “now concerning” or “now about” (peri de) signals a new topic. Paul opens with 12:1 (NASB):

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.

Paul does not want Christians to be unaware of this significant topic. “Unaware” translates the Greek word agnoeō, the basis for our word “agnostic,” which is also rendered as “uninformed” (ESV, NET) and “ignorant” (NKJ, NIV). Paul intends that we be aware and informed about spiritual gifts.

Let’s begin by considering the nature of spiritual gifts.

 

The nature of spirituals

Our focus will be upon Paul’s use of “spiritual,” “gift,” and “manifestation” in 1 Corinthians 12.

1. “Spiritual*” (pneumatikos):

Here is 12:1 again:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.

Note that the word gifts is italicized, indicating that it has been added to assist the English reader. The Greek text does not include “gifts.” It says:

Now concerning spirituals [pneumatikos], brothers [and sisters], …

We explored the biblical meaning of “spiritual*” in earlier posts (“To Make Disciples Is to Transform Minds”). There, we learned that “spiritual” is defined altogether in terms of the Spirit of God.

In this context, Bible scholar Gordon Fee comments that the biblical word “spiritual(s)” is “referring to that which belongs to, or pertains to, the Spirit.”[1]

The critical point is that primarily these “spirituals” are not supernatural abilities possessed by Christians; instead, they are powerful activities of the Holy Spirit in and through His people. In other words, it is not you serving so much as the Spirit serving through you.

2. “Gift*” (charisma):

Elsewhere, Paul also refers to these “spirituals” as “gifts.” For instance, we read in 12:4:

Now there are varieties of gifts [charisma], but the same Spirit.

The Greek word for “grace” is charis. The addition of -ma (making it charisma) indicates the result of this grace.[2] Joel Green helpfully observes that:  

‘Grace’ is fundamentally a word about God: his uncoerced initiative and pervasive, extravagant demonstrations of care and favour for all.[3]

So, these gifts are the result of the “uncoerced initiative and pervasive, extravagant demonstrations of God’s care and favour for all.”

Again, it is not about your grace; instead, it is God’s grace through you.

3. “Manifest*” (phanerōsis):

In 12:7, Paul provides further insight into the nature of spiritual gifts:

But to each one is given the manifestation [phanerōsis] of the Spirit for the common good.

“Manifestation” refers to the disclosure, showing, or becoming visible of God by the Spirit. It is not you but the Spirit who is disclosing His empowering presence through you.

Drawing together these three ideas, we conclude that spiritual gifts are the powerful activities of the Spirit in and through His people.  

At this point, let me suggest an illustration.

 

A simple analogy

Imagine a living glove that does whatever it pleases. It becomes aware that it lacks purpose until one day a hand inserts itself into the glove.

The hand stretches and bends the glove in ways it never imagined. The glove does not initiate these activities; instead, the activities are performed by the hand through the glove.

One further point is that over time, the glove gradually assumes the character of the hand that fills it.

Like any analogy, this has its limitations, yet it illustrates aspects of a redeemed human who willingly submits to the indwelling Spirit of God.

Now, let’s listen to more of what Paul teaches us so we can cooperate with the Spirit’s activities in this dimension of His transformational work.

 

A brief analysis

Drawing on 1 Corinthians 12-14, here are seven insights or recommendations for greater awareness of and engagement with the Spirit:

1. The Triune God’s involvement in “spiritual gifts” (12:4-6 NET):

Now there are different gifts,          but the same Spirit.

And there are different ministries, but the same Lord.

And there are different results,      but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

2. Every believer does (or can) experience the manifestation of the Spirit, which is given for the benefit of all (12:7).

3. The Spirit determines how He will be active through you. There is a variety of these manifestations of the Spirit (12:8-11). As we compare this list of spiritual gifts with other catalogues in Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4, we see an even greater variety of gifts.

4. You are intended to participate with other believers in the same way as one body part functions within a body (12:12-14). This also means that you can neither exclude yourself from the activities of the Spirit (12:15-18), nor exclude others from their part (12:19-30).

5. The proper operation of these manifestations of the Spirit calls for the exercise of love (chapter 13) and orderly participation within a community (chapter 14).

6. Sensitivity and responsiveness to the Spirit’s activities are implicit in your willing cooperation with the Spirit. In this regard, an understanding and practice of biblical concepts, such as being filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), keeping in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25), and living through the Spirit (Romans 8), are both necessary and beneficial.

7. For those desiring to delve further into the topic of spiritual gifts, I have prepared a 12-part series, “Spiritual Gifts: Manifestations of the Spirit Through His People.” 

These are some more ways you can cooperate with the Spirit in His transforming work of making you more and more like Jesus Christ.

If you have any additional information to share, please don’t hesitate to contact me using this link.

 

BACK TO “To Make Disciples is to Transform Community”

Notes: 
[1] Gordon D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1994), 31, 29. The emphasis is added by Gordon Fee.
[2] David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2003), 575.
[3] J. B. Green, “Grace” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, ed. T. Desmond Alexander et al. (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000), 527.

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