1 Corinthians 12:11

DISCOURSE: 1982
THE OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1 Corinthians 12:11. All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

THE Corinthian Church was richly endowed with gifts: but the persons so endowed were not pro-portionably enriched with grace. Hence their gifts in too many instances administered only to strife and disorder; creating pride in some, who gratified themselves with an ostentatious display of their preternatural powers; and calling forth envy in others, whose powers were only of an inferior order. To counteract and rectify these disorders, St. Paul directed the people’s attention to the origin and use of all these gifts which had been conferred upon them. He shewed that they were all imparted by the Spirit of God according to his own sovereign will and pleasure, without any reference to the merits or attainments of the people themselves; and that they were bestowed on them, not for the aggrandisement of the favoured individuals, but for the benefit of the whole Church. This is the precise import of the whole chapter, as it is also of the fourteenth chapter, wherein the subject is still further prosecuted: it is confined, I say, to the gifts of the Spirit, without referring to the graces. Yet we shall take occasion from our text to notice also the graces of the Spirit, because they will be treated of with peculiar advantage in this connexion.

We will consider then the work of the Holy Spirit generally; and notice,

I. His miraculous operations—

The powers communicated by him to the Church were extremely various—
[At this time it is not easy to say what was the precise difference between some of the powers specified in the preceding context, though doubtless, when the epistle was written, they were well understood. “The word of wisdom,” probably refers to a large and comprehensive view of the great mysteries of redemption: and “the word of knowledge,” to a more particular insight into the types and prophecies, with an ability to explain them for the edification of others. “The faith,” there mentioned, was such a confidence in God, as emboldened a person to go forward in the midst of all dangers undaunted and undismayed. “The gift of healing,” was a power merely confined to the healing of disorders; whilst “the working of miracles” was operative on a larger scale. The gift of “prophecy,” was a power of foretelling future and contingent events: the power of “discerning spirits,” enabled a person to estimate with certainty and precision the motives by which others were actuated: the gift of “divers tongues,” qualified a person to speak in languages which he had never learned: and “the interpretation of tongues,” was a power of instantly interpreting such discourses to other persons in a language which they understood: so that, whilst some of the audience were addressed in a language familiar to them, the rest might also have the benefit of the discourse, by having it interpreted to them in their vernacular tongue; by which means, a mixed assembly, belonging to different countries, might all be instructed and edified by the same discourse.
If in this brief attempt to assign to each word its proper import we should not have exactly marked the precise meaning of each, it will be of little consequence; our object being, not so much to enter into a critical examination of doubtful points, as to mark that in which all are agreed; namely, that all the miraculous gifts, of whatever kind they were, proceeded from “that one and the self-same Spirit,” the Third Person in the ever-blessed Trinity. And here we wish it to be distinctly noticed, how repeatedly that adorable Person is mentioned as the author of all the gifts: “To one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another, faith, by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit;” and then, after the mention of many other gifts, “All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit.” This shews what a holy jealousy the Apostle felt for the honour of that Divine Agent; and how anxious he was that the people might not for a single moment forget, to whom, and to whom alone, they were indebted for every gift that they enjoyed.]

By him also all the gifts were bestowed according to his own sovereign will and pleasure—
[Doubtless whatever God does is founded, not in a mere arbitrary will, but in the inscrutable counsels of his own wisdom: still however, as far as we are concerned, the effect is the same as if his will alone were the ground of his actions; because the counsels by which they are regulated are known to himself alone. He has no respect to any thing in us as the ground of his preference: he is not influenced either by our merits, or our attainments; but dispenses his gifts to whomsoever he will, and in the measure that he sees fit: bestowing on some the higher gifts; on others, the lower; and on others, none at all. This is beautifully illustrated by a reference to the natural body [Note: ver. 12–27.]. The body consists of different members, to each of which is assigned some peculiar office, together with appropriate powers for the discharge of it. The eye, the ear, the hands, the feet, have all their own peculiar structure, fitted for the uses for which they were designed by God himself. The different powers were not given to any one of them on account of its own superior goodness, or for its own use alone: but all were given for the use of the whole; “God having set every one of them in the body as it hath pleased him [Note: ver. 18.].” In relation to these, every one sees plainly, that God alone determined what powers to create, and where to place them in the body, and what measure of influence every member should possess: and, in the whole of it, nothing is for a moment contemplated but the wisdom, the power, and the goodness of the Creator. Never does any one entertain a thought that any one member has the least reason to glory over another, since all owe their respective powers to the same Divine Author; and all are mutually dependent on each other for such aid as they are severally fitted to impart. A more apt illustration could not have entered into the mind of man. The members of the Corinthian Church composed all one body in Christ: and their respective talents, whether of a higher or inferior order, were committed to them by the Spirit of God, not for their own use or honour, but for the good of the whole: God himself in the whole of the dispensation, having consulted only his own wisdom, and acted only according to his own sovereign will [Note: Hebrews 2:4.]

In connexion with the miraculous operations of the Spirit, we have proposed to consider also,

II.

His spiritual influences—

These also are greatly diversified—
[We have several mentioned by St. Paul: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, peace, joy, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [Note: Galatians 5:22.].” In truth, every holy disposition is from him, even “from that self-same Spirit,” “from whom cometh every good and perfect gift.” The illumination of the mind is from him; for it is he whom “the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ gives to us, as the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him [Note: Ephesians 1:17.].” The sanctification of the soul is from him: for “God has chosen us through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience [Note: 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:2.].” From him also is all spiritual consolation: for it is on this very account that He is called “The Comforter [Note: John 14:16.].” From the very beginning to the end of our salvation, it is He who “worketh all in all.” Are we born again? it is “of the Spirit [Note: John 3:5.].” Are we helped in our infirmities? it is “by the same Spirit [Note: Romans 8:26.].” Are we progressively changed into the Divine image from one degree of glory to another? it is “by the same Spirit [Note: 2 Corinthians 3:18.].” Have we in our souls a sure testimony of our adoption into God’s family? it is “from the same Spirit [Note: Romans 8:15.].” Are we sealed unto the day of redemption [Note: Ephesians 1:13.]? it is by the same Spirit, who alone “worketh all our works in us [Note: Isaiah 26:12.].”]

They are given too according to his own sovereign will and pleasure—
[We are expressly told, that he “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will [Note: Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 1:9; Ephesians 1:11.];” and that he “worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure [Note: Philippians 1:13.].” We see how sovereignly he dispensed his blessings in the days of old, giving to Abraham, faith; to Moses, meekness; to Job, patience; to Daniel, wisdom; to Paul, zeal and love. Whence was it that these were so eminent for those particular graces by which they were severally distinguished? Whence was it that a few poor fishermen were chosen to be the depositaries of divine knowledge in preference to any of the Scribes and Pharisees, or any of the philosophers of Greece and Rome? Whence in every age has God “revealed to babes and suck-lings the things which he has hid from the wise and prudent?” There is but one answer to be given to it all; “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight [Note: Matthew 11:25.].” “God’s grace is his own [Note: Matthew 20:15.];” and he imparts it to whomsoever he will, “according to the measure of the gift of Christ [Note: Ephesians 4:7.];” that is, in the time, and manner, and measure that he sees fit. From the whole of his work human merit is absolutely excluded as the procuring cause [Note: Titus 3:5.], as human strength is as the efficient cause [Note: 1 Corinthians 15:10.], that no flesh should glory in his presence, but all the glory be given to God alone [Note: 1 Corinthians 4:7.]

Let us learn from hence
1.

What we are to think of this great Agent—

[Volition is inseparable from personality: and such actions, as are here ascribed to the Holy Spirit, proceed from none other than God. The enabling of men to work all kinds of miracles is beyond the power of any finite and created intelligence to effect. Here then we have a demonstration of the personality and divinity of the Holy Spirit. This passage alone establishes this doctrine beyond a doubt. And when we recollect, that all our hope is from Him; that, as our justification is altogether from the Lord Jesus Christ, so our sanctification is altogether from the Holy Spirit; it is of infinite importance that our minds be rightly instructed in reference to this point: for as, if Christ be not God, we can have no hope from his death, so, if the Holy Spirit be not God, we can have no hope from his agency. Let this truth then be settled in our minds; that He who, in the economy of redemption, has engaged to supply the place of Christ on earth [Note: John 16:7.], is very God [Note: See Acts 5:3.] and able to effect for us, and in us, the whole work which he has undertaken.]

2. Whither we are to look for all needful assistance—

[To this Divine Agent must we look, and not in any respect to ourselves. He it was who wrought the whole work in the days of the Apostles, and has continued to work in the Church even to the present hour. To him therefore must we look. Let us suppose the present assembly to be in the very state in which that assembly was on the day of Pentecost; our eyes as blind, our hearts as hard, yea, our hands yet reeking with the Saviour’s blood: must we despair? No: He, who converted thousands of them in one single day, can work effectually on us also, and accomplish in us all that our necessities require — — — Let us pray then that the Spirit may be poured out upon us as he was upon them: and then may we expect the same moral change on our hearts as was wrought on theirs. Let but “the word come to us in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” and all will be done for us that shall be necessary for our sanctification and our complete salvation.]

3. To whom we must give the glory of all that is good in us—

[“He that hath wrought us to the self-same thing, is God:” and he must be acknowledged as the sole author of all good. As in the miraculous powers that were imparted, “he was all in all;” and as in the faculties which our different members possess, “he is all in all;” so must he be in all that is wrought in our souls [Note: ver. 6.]. Whatever then be our faculties of mind or body, they must be improved for him, that he may be glorified in all: and, whatever graces we possess, they must be exercised, not for our own honour, but for his, “that God in all things may be glorified through Christ Jesus.”