Holy Spirit: Uniquely-gifting Person of God

Biblogic Series: 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

Did you read the verses and the context carefully?

Subtitle: The Holy Spirit: Intelligent, Volitional, Selective

Do you think having the same gift as the crowd makes you special? If you belong to Christ, you may underestimate just how unique and special you are.

Charismata: Spiritual Gifts

Verses 8-10 form a pattern. To one is given one gift. To another is given another gift. To another is given another gift. To another is given another gift. Et cetera. Based on these verses in isolation, nobody receives every gift.

Look again at the pattern in verses 8-10. None of the clauses indicate that any gift is given to everybody. Just the opposite. Based on these statements in isolation, each person receives a different gift. If there were ten million gifts and ten million members of the body of Christ, each member would receive a different gift. 

Based on a study of all the spiritual gifts, we know that there is a limited number of spiritual gifts. If everybody receives at least one spiritual gift (verses 4-7), then the Holy Spirit may consign a particular gift to multiple members of the body. This is confirmed by, for example, many people speaking in foreign languages at Pentecost and the existence of multiple prophets in apostolic times.

Comparing verses 8-10 to Romans 12, we know that this passage contains a partial list of spiritual gifts. They include:

• A message of wisdom
• A message of knowledge
• Faith
• Gifts of healing
• Energizings of power (miracles)
• Prophecy
• Distinguishing between spirits
• Kinds of tongues
• Interpretation of tongues.

Verses 8-11 indicate that the Holy Spirit is the source of all spiritual gifts.

In verses 4-6, notice the parallelism between “same Spirit,” “same Lord,” and “same God [the Father). The repetition of “same Spirit” and “one Spirit” in chapter 12 implies a need, in Corinth’s pagan, polytheistic culture, to prevent or correct a belief that different spirits would give different spiritual gifts. This stresses two conclusions:

• The same, singular Holy Spirit gives all spiritual gifts.
• There is exactly one Holy Spirit.

Verse 11 summarizes the idea, exemplified in verses 8-10, of diversity in how the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts. The verb ‘diairoun’, “dividing” or “apportioning,” is a word picture that depicts dividing something and distributing the pieces. 

The adjective ‘idia’ in verse 11 is the root word of ‘idiot.’ According to George E. Gardiner, author of The Corinthian Catastrophe (Kregel Press, 1985), to be ‘idia’ was originally complimentary. It meant you didn’t follow the herd; you were your own, unique individual. It was later that, in English, ‘idiot’ came to mean uniquely lacking in intelligence or wisdom. In verse 11, the adjective is usually translated as an adverb, “uniquely.” It means “uniquely one’s own.” Since, in the Greek, it modifies the noun translated “to each,” the phrase contrasts against a conformist, one-size-fits-all mentality. It stresses that each member’s gifts are specially selected for that member. This reinforces the message in verses 8-10 that no gift is given to all, and no member has all gifts.

Verse 11 ends with the verb ‘boulomai,’ “as He [the Holy Spirit] wills.” HELPS Word-studies says the word “is a strong term that underlines the predetermined (and determined) intention driving the planning....” It contrasts against another verb that focuses on desiring or wishing for a given outcome. In other words, the Holy Spirit plans and resolutely determines which gifts He divides among the members of the body.

If the Holy Spirit wills, resolutely determines, my gifting, does asking for different gifting indicate rebellion against God’s will and authority?

• If the Holy Spirit divides the spiritual gifts among the members of the body in accordance with a plan that He resolutely determines, then could asking for a gift that the Holy Spirit has not consigned to you imply that the Holy Spirit failed to plan for the gifts you would need? 
• Would that, in turn, imply a defect in God’s church architecture, which was the roadmap that the Holy Spirit used to choose your gifts? 
• Wouldn’t such errors imply a misalignment between the service that Christ performs through the members of the body and the determinations of the Father and the Spirit? 
• What would that then imply a failure of omniscience and a division between the Son and the Father and Spirit? 
• If the Father has designed the body and assigned your role, and the Spirit has determined what gifts to give you in accordance with the Father’s design, does asking for an additional gift imply ingratitude and rejection of God’s plan? 
• Does it imply that you think you see inadequacy in God’s planning and the Holy Spirit’s provision? 
• Since you think you see a defect in the Father’s design and the Holy Spirit’s determination, have you not elevated your wisdom above God’s?

Pneumatology: The Study of the Holy Spirit

Since the Holy Spirit determines the distribution of spiritual gifts in accordance with God's design of the body and assignment of its members to roles in the body, the Holy Spirit exercises intelligence.

Since the Holy Spirit determines to distribute spiritual gifts as He wills, He is volitional.

If the Holy Spirit is intelligent and volitional, the Holy Spirit must be a Person. An impersonal force would distribute gifts indiscriminately. 

Since there's no evidence that God delegates planning and decision-making to angels, the Holy Spirit must be divine.

Copyright 2021, Richard Wheeler. Permission granted for non-remunerated use, provided that this notice and standard bibliographic citation accompany the article.

Holy Spirit's Gifts, Common Good, and Authenticity

Biblogic Series: 1 Corinthians 12:7

Verse 7

Chapter 12

The Spirit manifests Himself through spiritual gifts given to all believers. 1 Corinthians 12:7

Only a minority of believers experience an alleged “second blessing” whereby they receive spiritual gifts.

• If the consignment of spiritual gifts were a second blessing conferred on only some, then the second blessing and the gifts it conveys would not be given to all believers.
• This would contradict the Holy Spirit’s words in the scriptures.
• Consigning spiritual gifts to all believers would require consignment at the time of conversion.
• If the Spirit speaks truth through the scriptures, then the Spirit must consign spiritual gifts at the time of conversion. 

The manifestation of the Spirit through spiritual gifts serves the common good of the body of Christ. 

• “Common good” implies that exercising spiritual gifts serves multiple members, not just the person exercising a gift. 
• Privately exercising a gift to “edify” oneself does not serve the common good. 
• Therefore, private exercise abuses the gift by violating its purpose.
• Privacy merely emphasizes that that particular usage does not edify others. Therefore, anybody exercising a spiritual gift for their own edification abuses the gift.
• One apparent exception might be gifts required for teaching, exhortation, and encouragement to build oneself up in knowledge. However, the end goal of such an exercise is -- obviously! -- to prepare oneself for teaching, exhortation, and encouragement. Knowledge for its own sake puffs up the ego and leads to injuring fellow believers (1 Corinthians 8:1). So it holds that exercising a spiritual gift for one's own edification is a selfish abuse of the gift.

Any imitation of a spiritual gift attempts to imitate the Holy Spirit, Himself.

• Any counterfeit manifestation of the Holy Spirit would constitute "bearing false witness" about God.
• Any counterfeit manifestation of the Holy Spirit that conveys error (for example, an unbiblical teaching or a prophecy that goes unfulfilled) assigns the error to the Spirit. 
• Assigning error to God the Holy Spirit through counterfeit manifestations is a form of blasphemy. 
• Counterfeit prophecies in the Holy Spirit's name render the speaker a blasphemer and a false prophet. Due to the blasphemy and the damage done by misleading hearers, the sin of counterfeiting this gift of the Spirit was dealt with very severely in the Mosaic Law. 

Copyright 2021, Richard Wheeler. Permission granted for non-remunerated use, provided that this notice and bibliographic citation accompany the article. 

Unity of Trinity in Consigning Spiritual Gifts

Biblogic Series: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

 
(Hint: When scripture mentions God in proximity to mentions of the Son or Spirit, it means the Father.)
 
(Hint 2: You might want to read the verses, read the whole chapter, and then read the verses again, before reading the rest of this post.)
 
God the Father determines various activities of the church and composes the body, like Beethoven with a gazillion-piece orchestra, only infinitely better. (See also verses 11, 18, and 24) (or is it 25?)
 
Activities of the Father are carried out by services of the Son in members (believers) of His body (the small-c church). Think of a corporation with different divisions working on different projects or operations in different markets, and each employee working on a facet of the business. 
 
The Holy Spirit assigns spiritual gifts that correspond to and empower the services to be performed by each believer.
 
If spiritual gifts are consigned only in accordance with the Father's design* and the Son's services, then:
 

• Spiritual gifts must vary from believer to believer.
• If no believer is involved in all services, then the Spirit will not consign all gifts to any believer.
• If not all believers are involved in a particular service, then the Spirit will not consign any gift to all believers.
• If not all believers receive a particular gift, then that gift cannot be a confirmation that a believer is saved.
• If each believer has an assigned service to fulfill some activity of the body, then every believer will be enabled by at least one gift.

 
(* This does not deny the possibility that the Holy Spirit would consign a gift in response to a request, provided that the motive for the request aligns with criteria in chapter 13. The motives for such requests usually don't.)
 
If some activities of the body are needed in one place but not in another, then the services and gifts will vary accordingly.
 
If some activities of the body are needed at one time but not at another, then the services and gifts will vary over time.
 
If services and gifts vary by place or over time, then the offices will also vary.

If manifestations of the Spirit are given for the common good, then the exercise of any spiritual gift should benefit the whole church, not just the one with the gift. 1 Corinthians 12:7. 

If the Spirit gives to one, one gift, to another, another gift, and to another, yet another gift (etc.), then nobody receives all gifts, and no gift is given to all. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

If the Spirit individually consigns gifts, then we should view the gifts we have as special, like a gift that was personally chosen and crafted, just for you. 1 Corinthians 12:11

If the Spirit individually determines your gift, then demanding a different gift implies questioning the sufficiency of your gift for your life as well as the Spirit’s wisdom and authority. 1 Corinthians 12:11

If the Spirit individually determines your gift based on the place in the body to which the Father assigned you, then demanding a different gift implies questioning the Father’s design, wisdom, and authority. 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11, 18, 25

Copyright 2021, Richard Wheeler. Permission granted for non-remunerated use, provided that this notice and accepted bibliographic citation accompany the article.

The Looking Glass Is God's Verbal Revelation

Response concerning the looking glass in 1 Corinthians 13:12 

(Author's name withheld to prevent embarrassment)

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

Barnes said in his commentary that Paul here may have referred to the imperfect and discolored glass which was then in extensive use in his era, for we have no reason to suppose that it was then as transparent as that which is now made. It was, doubtless, an imperfect and obscure medium, and, therefore, well adapted to illustrate the nature of our knowledge here compared with what it will be in heaven.

But then - In the fuller revelations in heaven.

Face to face - As when one looks upon an object openly, and not through an obscure and dark medium. It here means, therefore, "clearly, without obscurity." 

That would be a great illustration, but in this case, Albert Barne’s work is outdated. Mr. Barnes died 31 years before Agnes Ozman spoke in tongues and 37 years before the Azusa Street scandal began. Wesleyan teachings had evolved into a Holiness movement, but Charismatism was not on his radar. That affected his interpretation because there was, in his time, no need to respond to various interpretations of the passage. Plus, Greek scholars have learned more about the language since then.

1. The glass in 1 Corinthians 13:12 was a looking-glass rather than a window. 2072. ἔσοπτρον (esoptron) -- a mirror (i.e. an object for looking into). A completely different word is used for transparent materials such as glass and crystals (e.g., in Revelation).
   
2. The same word is used in James 1:23–24. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
   
3. The mirror is a metaphor for the verbal revelation which reveals our sins and our foolishness. Since 1 Corinthians was one of the first New Testament epistles or books written, the metaphorical mirror comprised the Old Testament, plus bit-by-bit revelation through the gifts of the Spirit (knowledge, prophecy, tongues).
   
4. 1 Corinthians 13:12 sits in the middle of three chapters focused primarily on verbal revelation, so interpreting the looking glass as the Word is consistent with that pattern.

This informs a correct interpretation of verses 9–10. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. Paul has not taken a detour into eschatology; he’s writing about verbal revelation the whole time.

The infant and juvenile church had need of special gifts of revelation because all they had was the Old Testament and the addition of the 27 books of the New Testament over the 60 years after the resurrection. But as the complete collection of written revelation became available, it was time for the church to mature and put away the showy things. When the complete writings became available, the hypothetical “I” would “know” through access to the full written revelation, even as the earliest believers had access to revelation when “face to face” with an apostle.

Bonus tidbit: Gifts of prophecy and knowledge would be done away with (passive voice) by an external condition 2673. καταργέω (katargeó) -- to render inoperative, abolish, and tongues would simply cease themselves (middle voice) 3973. παύω (pauó) -- to make to cease, hinder. This is stated in the context of a paragraph about the written revelation, the mirror, the Word, reaching completion.


Usual disclaimer: If you use this material, please give credit where credit is due.

Former and Latter Rains and Restoration of the Gifts of the Spirit

In this book, Charles Matism talks about the former and the latter rain. He establishes a pattern in the Bible of 1) Redemption and New Creation (the Former rain), and 2) Judgment (the latter rain). He then says that the New Testament times was the former and the end times are the latter. But is it possible that the latter could come at the time of judgment - like at the same time as everyone shall bow and every tongue confess?

Do the latter rains refer to a restoration of the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Abstract

The early rains, latter rains, and all rains in-between make up one season. The season occurred when Israel was restored before Christ, and may occur again during the Tribulation because former rains follow Israel's repentance. I believe the latter rains represent not judgment, but harvest and/or preparation for dry season.

Former Rains and Latter Rains -- One Season

Penn and the Tea-costals spread the idea that the former and latter rains symbolize early and end-time outpourings of the Holy Spirit. Thus, the former and latter rains become mysterious symbols in Bible eschatology.

However, that does not agree at all with Middle Eastern meteorology.

The Middle East, like many regions, has a dry season (summer) and a wet season (winter). The first rains of the wet season are called the former or early rains. The last rains of the wet season are called the latter rains.

The wet season is one continuous season. This is why, figuratively, separating the reference into separate first and second Pentecosts is so wrong.

Let me illustrate the error of Penn and the Tea-costals. Suppose you have a flat ridge that runs north and south. It would be correct to speak of the north end of the ridge and the south end of the ridge. However, Penn looks at one end and calls it North Mountain. Then he looks at the other end and calls it South Mountain. Penn tells the Tea-costals about this, and they think the ridge is two separate mountains with a big gap between them.

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first [month of the Hebrew year]. (KJV) Joel 2:23

Following the hot, dry summer, the early rains bring refreshment and soften the earth so farmers can break up the hardened soil and plant seeds. Note the word "moderately." Rains that came too lightly provided little relief. Rains that came heavily caused flooding. God gave just the right amount.

Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. (KJV) Zechariah 10:1

The latter rains precede the time of harvest and determine how much water will be available during the dry season. Light rains brought drought and heavy rains damaged crops and caused floods. Again, the Lord blesses by giving "showers."

They Shall Beat Their Precipitations into Prophecies

If we separate the early and latter rains into separate symbols, then we need first to put them in context by realizing that the dry season represents a time of testing, refining, and judgment. We also need to take the rainy season as a unit and realize that it represents a time -- a season -- of blessing.

In this model that considers the whole year rather than a pair of snapshots, the early rains typify the return of blessings and renewed activity of the Holy Spirit following the repentance and holiness that testing and judgment teach.

The latter rains represent the preparation for harvest. They also represent provision for God's people during times of testing and correction, when the Holy Spirit acts more subtly.

Also note that Joel 2:23 is surrounded by a description of what follows a good spring rain: verdant pastures, trees and vines bearing fruit, and abundant wheat, grape, and olive harvests. Although verse 23 could be symbolic, it primarily means literal rain. You know. Drops of water falling from clouds.

No difference exists between the early, middle, and latter rains themselves except that one flows into the next. Unless you live in the mountains where it snows, rain is rain. You don't get Pentecostal Blessings at the early rain and Restoration Blessings at the latter rain. You get a continuous Church Age or Age of the Gentiles. The Church does not need to pass through infancy at its beginning and later return to its infancy before the Rapture.

Restorationism... of Context

Penn puts a lot of faith in his interpretation of Joel 2:23, so let's consider its context. Joel 2:1-11 describes a time when a great armed threat comes against Israel. In verses 12-17, God commands Israel to repent. In verses 18-27, God promises rescue if Israel obeys the call to repent. Then comes verse 28.

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. (KJV) Joel 2:28-29

The events in Joel 2:28-29 describe what happened at Pentecost and in the book of Acts. God poured out His Spirit not only upon judges, prophets, and kings, as before, but upon all races, both sexes, and all social classes. But note the keywords: "And it shall come to pass afterward...." If former rain and latter rain symbolized an age, as Penn and the Tea-costals claim, it happened before Pentecost.

If former and latter rains symbolize an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it seems likely that the former rains correlated to the events surrounding Christ's birth (Mary and Joseph's dream, Elizabeth's prophecy, prophesies at the Temple), and possibly Christ's ministry, were the former rains; and the events in the Apostolic age were the latter rains. Pentecost would have been the pinnacle of that.

If verses 28-29 describe the First Century and 30-31 describe the Tribulation, couldn't the rains happen again? Yes. Much of prophecy iterates.

However, the blessings of verses 18-27 follow the repentance of verses 12-17. Israel has yet to repent. We expect that Israel will continue rebellion against Messiah and will bow to Christ only during the Tribulation. If the rains symbolize anything like a second Pentecost, it will have to happen during or after the Tribulation.

Raining on Charismatics' Party

The former and latter rains probably refer to precipitation. If they do mean outpourings of the Holy Spirit, they happened a long ago and are not yet repeating.