1. We have been studying I Corinthians and last time we started into chapter 12 and this important section on spiritual gifts, or gifts from the Holy Spirit.
2. I think we have arrived at this section at a very propitious time and I am referring to our meetings with Bro. Van Gelderen and his emphasis on the filling of the Holy Spirit, and the conference in Lancaster, California.
3. We might spend a lot of time here because it is so vitally important. I am convinced most Christians are at a low ebb spiritually because they do not understand what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit (cf. Eph.5:18).

1. GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO BE IGNORANT CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS (I COR.12:1)
2. BEFORE WE WERE CONVERTED WE DID NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT (12:2,3)
3. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ARE FOR SERVICE (12:4-11)

1. Paul uses this expression, "I would not have you ignorant" several times in his epistles (cf. 10:1; I Thess.4:13).
2. But unfortunately many Christians are ignorant of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the person of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Holy Spirit, and the filling of the Holy Spirit, etc.
3. Let me state emphatically that the Pentecostal or charismatic doctrine of speaking in tongues as the evidence of the Holy Spirit is unscriptural. If you study your Bible you will see that they are teaching error.
4. Jesus promised to send His disciples the Holy Spirit (cf. John 14:16,17; 15:26,27; 16:7-15). This was fulfilled in a marvelous way on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:8; 2:1-4).
5. Acts 2:4 has been used as a proof-text for the Pentecostal teaching that tongues are the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. But by reading the book of Acts (and the rest of the Bible) we will see that this is not the proper interpretation.
6. The key to the filling is found in Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power." Tongues can be counterfeited but genuine Holy Spirit power cannot. Consider this:

• Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and preached with power (Acts 4:8ff). Tongues are not mentioned.
• Believers were filled with the Holy Spirit "and they spake the word of God with boldness" (Acts 4:31).
• Deacons are to be "full of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 6:3).
• Stephen was one of these deacons (Acts 6:5). He preached the Gospel fearlessly and was martyred (Acts 7:51-60).
• Paul was "filled with the Holy Ghost," got baptized and started preaching (Acts 9:17-20).
• Barnabas was "full of the Holy Ghost" and ministered faithfully (Acts 11:24-26).
• Paul was "filled with the Holy Ghost" and exercised spiritual discernment (Acts 13:6-12).
• "And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 13:52).

7. Tongues are not the only problem with the charismatics. There are many unscriptural dangers associated with them. For example, the latest fad is the "laughing revival" (cf. I Cor.14:33,40). Any so-called manifestation of the spirit that leads to bedlam and chaos is not from God because the fruit of the Spirit is temperance, which means self-control (cf. Gal.5:22,23; Eph.5:18).

2. BEFORE WE WERE CONVERTED WE DID NOT HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT (12:2,3).

1. The Corinthians were Gentile idol-worshippers (12:2). The term "carried away" suggests they were under the power of Satan. We must remember that idolatry is demonic (cf. 10:20).
2. There is a frightening demonic power working in every idolatrous system, whether it be Romanism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, or whatever.
3. I recently witnessed to a Hindu lady who reminded me that the RCC was just as idolatrous as Hinduism.
4. Several of our members are under attack from Muslim people. I saw a video about the Philippines and in this video a Muslim says they plan to take over the Philippine Islands.
5. Rock music is demonic, and the term "carried away" describes the crowd at a typical rock concert. Only the grace of God can deliver someone from this type of devilish bondage.
6. Let me explain what Paul is saying here in verse 3. JW’s, Muslims, Jews, and other false religionists might not go so far as to say, "Jesus is accursed" (12:3), but for all practical purposes that is what they are saying when they deny that He is God.
7. It is by the Holy Spirit that we "can say Jesus is the Lord." Recognizing His Lordship is more than just acknowledging His deity. It means recognizing His absolute authority over our hearts and lives.
8. As we get deeper into these three chapters (12-14), we will deal with the tongues controversy. But before moving ahead, I would like to point something out concerning 12:3. In tongues meetings, it has been revealed that some people were cursing the Lord Jesus Christ in a foreign language. This obviously proves that the manifestation was demonic.
9. Furthermore, often when the tongues people use the name Jesus, it appears that it is a different "Jesus."
10. M.R. DeHaan wrote this back in 1956: "Some blasphemous and wicked utterances by individuals, under the spurious ecstasy of so-called ‘tongues,’ were uttered, as having been inspired by the Spirit of God Himself. The name of Jesus was the most common expression among them. It was Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, while they rejected His Lordship and His authority. They evidently seldom or never used the name, Lord Jesus, but only the name of Jesus."
11. In an article written by H.A. Ironside, and published in 1945, he comments on the doctrinal statement of a Pentecostal group and says, "Observe that in this whole confession Jesus is never called Lord, nor God Father." {cf. I Cor.12:3}
12. Let me say this before moving on. Every true Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (12:7,11; cf. Rom.8:9) but not every Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit. If every Christian was already filled with the Spirit, it would be unnecessary for Paul to say, "Be filled with the Spirit" in Eph.5:18.
13. Not every Christian is being led by the Holy Spirit. Note that in I Cor.12:2, the Corinthians (before they were saved) "were led" by "dumb idols." Now Paul is going to bring out that they need to be led by the Holy Spirit.

3. THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ARE FOR SERVICE

1. "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit" (I Cor.12:4; cf. Scofield margin note).
2. The Holy Spirit manifests Himself through the church in different ways. Not all Christians have the same gift; we do not all have the same ministry.
3. True Christian ministry, i.e. service, consists of the exercise of the spiritual gifts, which have been bestowed upon all believers.
4. "And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord" (12:5). In other words, when it comes to using these gifts all must be in subjection to the Lordship of Christ.
5. Next Paul says that "there are diversities of operations ("workings" – margin), but it is the same God which worketh all in all" (12:6).
6. There is no true Christian who does not have a function to perform in the local church (12:7, cf. vs. 11).

CONCLUSION: