Four words and four principles.
There are in the New Testament four words that describe the gifts God has given to the church. First of all, they are called “spiritual gifts,” reminding us that they are given by the Spirit of God and can only be used rightly in the spiritual realm. They are called “gifts of grace,” and that means that they are given by the unmerited favor of God. Then they are called “ministries,” and by that word it is inferred that they are intended for the blessing of others. They are also called “powers,” because they are employed by the Spirit of God to accomplish the high purposes for which they are given.
Look at the divine Trinity as they link themselves with spiritual gift: the same Spirit (1 Cor. 12:4); the same Lord (v. 5); and the same God (v. 6). Thus the divine Trinity enriches the church with gift. We are told that “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” That is, there is a variety of gift and that variety of gift is given to meet a variety of need. In verse 5, “There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.” There is a variety of service, and yet behind that variety there is one Lord. Then in verse 6, “There are diversities of operations.” There is a variety of ways of going about our ministry. So there is a variety of gift, and a variety of ministry, and a variety of operations; but behind that variety there is the one Spirit, the one Lord, and the one God.
There are two earmarks of faithful ministry. The first is in verse 3: It will always sanctify Christ as Lord. The second is in verse 7: It will always be to the edifying of God’s people. Wherever spiritual gift is in exercise, Christ will be set apart as Lord, and God’s people will be edified—built up in their most holy faith.
Now let us look at four principles that operate in the body of Christ. The first is that every member of the body has some gift through which he might function in the body of Christ. Look at verses 15 to 18: “If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? … But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.” In this variety of gift, the first principle that operates in the body of Christ is this: every member has some gift so that each might function for God where God places us. Let us write over that principle: no laziness.
The next principle in this chapter is that there is a variety of gift. Look at verse 17. The body is not one great eye. It is not one great hand. The body of Christ is made up of many members. There is variety of gift in the assembly. Let us write over that principle: no monotony. There is not the monotony of a one-man ministry—not one great eye—but a variety of gift, so the variety of need will be met.
Look at another principle in verse 21: “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee.” Let us write over that principle: no independency. All gift is necessary so that God’s people and God’s assembly may appreciate the riches of God for the enrichment of each other. There is independency in government—every assembly stands upon its own base and is responsible to God alone, but there is an interdependency in fellowship. We are all the complement of each other.
But now we see another principle in verses 25 and 27: “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another … Now ye are the body of Christ.” That is, you at Corinth are part of this great whole. We write over this principle: no jealousy. God has so fitted the body of Christ that we all need each other.
This variety of gift is baptized in the sea of love in chapter 13, and it rises to resurrection ground to function under the superintendency of the divine Spirit of God.