The Practice of Spiritual Gifts

in the Local Church (10)

I. The Test of Authenticity: The Reality of Counterfeit Spiritual Gifts (12:1-3)

II. The Overview: The Source, Purpose, and Nature of Spiritual Gifts (12:4-11)

III. The Explanation: The Realities of the Body (12:12-31)

A. The Construction of the Body (12:12-19)

B. The Interdependency of the Body’s Members (12:20-26)

C. Some Important Implications of these Realities (12:27-31)

1. The Reality of Christ’s Body (12:27)

2. Implication One: God’s Sovereignty over the Composition (12:28)

a. The Character of God’s Control (12:28a)

b. The Manifestation of God’s Control (Orderliness) (12:28b)

1) Apostles

2) Teachers

a) The Gift

b) The Gift’s Practice

(1) His Content

(2) His Nourishment

(3) His Character

(4) His Zeal

3) Helps

a) Its Meaning

! helps to grasp, to take up a matter

b) Its Expression

c) Its Importance

4) Administrations

a) Its Meaning

! administrations steerage, guidance

b) Its Expression

3. Implication Two: God’s Diversifying of the Composition (12:29-30)

4. Implication Three: The Priority of Teaching Gifts (12:31a)

5. Implication Four: The Priority of Love (12:31b)

! excellent exceed, surpass, superior

! show point out, make known