Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—1 Corinthians 12:27-31
by: Jerry Johnson.
The Body of Christ is made of many individual components which exercise various spiritual gifts in order to build up that Body. Paul listed gifts (see also Romans 12:4-8 and Ephesians 4:11-12) and instructed us to “earnestly desire the higher gifts” (v.31, ESV). Some say this means to seek the most important gifts, like an order of merit. Others say that we should ask God to give us gifts to promote love—chapter 13’s theme. A final group appeals to 1 Corinthians 14:12 and 19 to assert that Paul was imploring us to pursue gifts that build up and instruct the church. Are you using the gifts God has given you to promote love and growth in the body?