True Confessions
Saints Sinners Soldiers
July 21, 2019
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul confronts church division over spiritual gifts, teaching that true spirituality is shown by confessing Jesus as Lord, avoiding ignorance and idolatry, and faithfully building the church rather than envying others.
Summary
Chapter 12 begins a three-chapter discussion about speaking gifts and addresses a deeper problem in the Corinthian church: envy, misunderstanding, and ignorance about who is truly doing God's work. Paul answers that those who are filled with the Spirit and accomplish God's will are those who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. He warns that their former pagan darkness and ongoing idol-worship reveal their lack of spiritual understanding, so Christians must continually grow in knowledge of God through Scripture; anger or bitterness toward Christ is sin and incapacitates one from building for him, whereas those who confess Jesus are workers in the Church of God.
Key Points
- 1 Corinthians 12 starts a three-chapter discussion on spiritual/speaking gifts and addresses church conflict.
- The root problem is envy, minimization of others' gifts, and ignorance about who truly serves God.
- Paul defines the spiritually-minded: those who have Jesus Christ as Lord and are filled with the Spirit.
- Confessing "Jesus is Lord" is the mark that distinguishes true spirituality from mere outward show.
- Their former pagan darkness and idol worship reveal why they remain ignorant; ongoing idolatry shows underestimated ignorance.
- Christians must pursue growing knowledge of God through Scripture to overcome ignorance.
- Anger or bitterness toward God is sin and prevents meaningful building for Christ.
- Those who confess Jesus as Lord are the genuine workers building the Church of God.
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