The Holy Spirit and the Southern Baptist Convention Today (XXV): “What are ‘Spiritual Things’ (1 Cor. 12:1) and ‘Gifts of Grace?’”

The beginning of 1 Corinthians 12 says, literally, “Now concerning the spirituals… .”  The “now concerning” wording tips you off that this is a new question from the church in Corinth that Paul is dealing with, as he had previously in 7:1 (singleness and marriage) and 8:1 (eating meat sacrificed to idols), where the wording in both cases is “now concerning.”  But, what does he mean by “spirituals” (Gk. pneumatikon)?

 There are two ways to approach the issue and both have to do with context.  As I’m sure you know, one of the most basic principles of proper biblical interpretation is often stated in the following words: “A text without a context is a pretext.”  What that means, of course, is that, if a proposed interpretation of a biblical passage does not make sense in its context, then it cannot be the proper interpretation.  Instead of emerging out of the passage itself, it is being foced upon the passage.

However, while the principle of context itself is clear and very important, it is not always as easy to apply.  That is especially true when two aspects of the context conflict with the each other… as they do in this case.

What do I mean?  Well, in the immediately following context in 1 Corinthians 12, the discussion centers on spiritual gifts.  So, from that standpoint, the tendency would be to understand the “spirituals” in v. 1 as spiritual gifts.  But, if that is the case, why does Paul use the Greek term charisma throughout the rest of the passage to refer to “spiritual gifts?”

With that in mind, we at least have decent reason to consider the other factor of context to help us understand what Paul means by “spirituals” in 12:1.  In this case, “context” refers to usage in the previous part of the book.  To cut through all the other uses (2:13; 9:11; 10:3, 4[please check them out, to make sure I'm not misleading you!]), the ones most like the context in 12:1 are 2:15 and 3:1.

In 1 Corinthians 2:15, the “spiritual person” (HCSB) is contrasted with the “natural man” (HCSB) in 2:14, who is the unbeliever.  This person can be called “spiritual” in a general sense: because the Holy Spirit indwells him or her and is there to be drawn upon potentially in Christian growth.

This is apparently the way that the Corinthians understood their having the Spirit in their lives: it automatically made them “spiritual.”  However, in the immediately following use in 3:1, Paul is quick to point out that, in the more specific use of the word, it means “consciously controlled by the Spirit,” as opposed to the “carnal” Christian, who has the Spirit within, but is choosing to live in the power of the flesh (see Galatians 5:17, 19-21).

So, after this brief exegetical excursion, where do we find ourselves on the meaning of “spirituals” in 12:1?  It appears that there is good reason to conclude that Paul took the word the Corinthians used in asking the question in their letter (12:1; see 7:1), but, knowing their wrong outlook (i.e., that having the Spirit meant you were “spiritual”), he chose to immediately refocus things by substituting charisma, which, literally, means “gift of grace.”

What difference would that make?  A great deal!  The Corinthian outlook was that they were truly “spiritual” people who had these spiritual gifts and, because they were spiritual, their use of the gifts was, without question, properly motivated and lived out.  Paul’s corrective seems to be that the Corinthian Christians not only were not spiritual, but could not take any credit for the spiritual gifts that were theirs.  They were not really their possessions at all.  They were undeserved gifts, strictly of God’s grace.

Perhaps you see how this issue applies to the SBC.  We are, as a group–with wonderful exceptions, thankfully!–those who think we are far more spiritual than we are.  In fact, there are many among us who are very carnal, as exemplified by their attitudes and behavior (1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Galatians 5:19-21).  In addition, there are many who proudly employ their spiritual gifts in ministry, also thinking that makes them spiritual.

Paul, of course, would strongly disagree with both those conclusions and the lack of thankfulness that comes from taking one’s spiritual gifts for granted.  Thus, he probably would not be at all happy with most of us, were he to show up in our churches or especially at an annual SBC meeting.

May we all–myself included–listen carefully and humbly to the Apostle’s wise counsel to the church.  If we don’t, whether we are continuationists or cessationists, we will show ourselves to be as carnal as most of the Corinthian church.

Selah and Amen.

Coming Friday: “Fridays are for Newspaper Articles”