Miraculous Gifts

1 Cor. 12:4-11

Intro.

A. In addition to the baptism of the Spirit, miraculous gifts were given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands.

1. Only Jesus could give the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:11).

2. Men administered the miraculous gifts through laying on of hands (Acts 8:18; 19:6).

B. Miraculous gifts were necessary to reveal and confirm the new revelation.

1. Jesus was proved to be the Messiah by miracles (Jn. 20:30,31).

2. The gospel He first spoke, was confirmed by miracles (Heb. 2:1-4).

3. This lesson will show why we do not need such proof being repeated today.

Body:

A. The gifts enumerated (1 Cor. 12:4-11).

1. Wisdom - special supernatural insight in applying knowledge.

2. Knowledge - miraculous information (including visions, Acts 16:6-10).

3. Faith - not the faith that all believers must have (Heb. 11:6; Rom. 10:17), but a miracle- working faith (1 Cor. 13:2).

4. Healing - restoring health to a sick body (Acts 19:11,12).

5. Miracles - casting out of demons, infliction of divine judgments (Mk. 16:17,18; Acts 13:11)

6. Prophecy - speaking by inspiration, in own tongue (1 Cor. 14:3; 2 Pet. 1:20,21).

7. Discerning of spirits (prophets, 1 Jn. 4:1) - miraculous ability to distinguish true and false teachers.

8. Tongues - miraculous ability to speak in languages they had not studied.

a. Definition (Acts 2:4-11).

b. 1 Cor. 14 - does not change that: not jabbar, but not understood by the hearer (vs. 2,9,10,18,19); the tongues in v. 21 referred to language of Assyrians (Is. 28:2,11; 8:7).

c. Men not to speak unless interpreter (v. 28); women keep silent (vs. 34,35).

d. Tongues of men and angels (1 Cor. 13:1) - superlative gift of tongues (angels spoke in languages understood by men - no such thing as “angelic language” or “prayer language” - non-language jabbar, in the Bible.)

9. Interpretation (translation) - miraculous ability to translate from one language to another (implies tongue is language)

a. Mk. 15:34 - “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” translated....)   (Unu, doi, trei, patru, cinci - or buna dimineatsa - good morning; buna seara - evening)

            b. Pentecostals (mis-nomer - not what happened on Pentecost) - must have translators

their language (tongue) is unknown!

B. When did the miraculous gifts cease?

1. When means of receiving them ceased

a. Holy Spirit baptism ceased (served its purposes to apostles and Gentiles).

b. When no apostles to lay hands on people (Acts 8:18).

2. Paul said they would cease - when the perfect came (1 Cor. 13:8-13).




a. Prophecies and knowledge - abolished (fail/vanish away) from same Greek word - “rendered of no effect after their temporary use was fulfilled...the last enemy that shall be abolished, or reduced to inactivity, is death” (1 Cor. 15:26)...”the veil is done away in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:14). Prophecy and knowledge were replaced by “that which is perfect.” (Cp. Heb. 10:1-4 - sacrifices ceased - replaced by a greater one.)

b. Tongues ceased - “to stop, to make an end” -  The contrast between love which never

fails (v. 8) and the miraculous gifts.  They were a sign to unbelievers (1 Cor. 14:22; now people can read and believe, Jn. 20:30,31). Note: the sign given to Peter an the six Jews who went with him to the house of Cornelius was not repeated at Jerusalem (Acts 15), nor today. One time proved truth for all time. Tongues stopped because they fulfilled their purpose.

3. Chart on 1 Cor. 13:

Time of Immaturity                                                                 Time of Maturity

Childhood                                                                               Manhood

Mirror                                                                                      Face to face

In part                                                                                     Fully

a. In part (Jn. 19:23 soldiers “made four parts, to each soldier a part,”); (Eph. 4:16 “every part does its share”); (Acts 23:6 “one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees”).

b. The three gifts - knowledge, prophecy and tongues given for all the miraculous gifts -

which were “in part.” Have to do with revealing and confirming the new revelation.

c. The perfect (complete) - is the result of the things in part.

d. Know “just as I am known” (fully) - does not mean perfect knowledge, but mature.

(1 Tim. 4:3 “by those who believe and know the truth,” 2 Pet. 2:21; Lk. 1:3,4).

4. In part (miraculous gifts) - perfect (gifts ceased)  - eternity (love remains, Heb. 11:1; Rom.

8:24,25).

Pentecost                “In part”                      “Perfect”                   Eternity

                              miraculous gifts           gifts ceased                

             Faith, hope and love remain                                      Love continues

Concl.

A. The purposes of Holy Spirit baptism were fulfilled and it ceased; the purposes of miraculous gifts were fulfilled and they ceased.

B. The means of receiving miraculous gifts ceased.

C. Paul said the miraculous gifts would cease when the perfect came and it came. We can believe

without seeing miracles (Jn. 20:29).