1 Corinthians 12: 4 - 11 NKJV
I was never a big Harry Potter fan. To me, spending two or more hours watching some dude doing his best Mary Poppins imitation just wasn't for me. I know that there are most likely legions of Potterites out there who will swear by the validity of their hero, but I just don't get it. Judging from recent years, I'm guessing that the folks at the academy awards agree with me as well. However, it seems that there are indeed folks in christian circles out there who tout their beliefs on this type of hocus pocus junk. As usual, the weekly podcast from Wayne Jacobsen has provided me with still more material to do what I do. It seems that there is indeed many a Harry Potter today in christian circles. This week Wayne discussed the reality of certain spiritual gifts and just how christians could use them for good and/or ministry. Now, before anyone goes and checks just what spiritual super power they possess in our Lords everlasting world ministry, we should be asking ourselves just what these "gifts" are intended for. Wayne tells of the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry located in Redding, California. Supernatural ministry...really? To me, the term supernatural denotes things like ghosts, spirits and other things one would normally associate with Halloween and not christianity, but that's just me. Do those who possess and practice these spiritual gifts of black magic ministry go trick or treating to win souls? I wonder. Even though I am inclined to believe that, as the apostle Paul claims, there are those who have been blessed with certain "gifts" which are to be helpful in the telling of the truth of Christ Jesus. However, I also believe that we need to stop and take notice of something else Paul tells us here. That being that the manifestation of the Spirit (notice the capital "S" here denoting the holy Spirit) is given to each of us for the profit of all {1 Corinthians 12:7}. Obviosuly, these spiritual gifts are not something we should take pride in or hold over someone...as that would not benefit anyone but the spiritually gifted person.
3For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 12: 3 - 8 NKJV
To someone who adheres to this Bethel School theology I would ask one simple question. Is what you have a gift, or are you simply manifesting those characteristics of He who is already in you? Indeed, Paul tells us in Galations that it is no longer we who live...but that Christ Jesus lives in us {Galations 2:20}. We are, in fact, created in His very image {Genesis 1:27}. For it is Christ Jesus Himself who is the image of our invisible God {Colossions 1:15}. Therefore, if Christ lives in us, are we not simply manifesting Him and not our own so called gifts? I would put more stock in this than some Harry Potter ministry hype. That's not to say that we do not possess our own spiritual gifts, but once again it comes down to how we see them. I would tend to lean more towards that manifestation of Christ Jesus in us before something which would ultimately bring glory to us and not Him. Again, that's just me. Yet there are those who believe in this Harry Potter school of thought. Paul tells us in Colossions of that great mystery among the gentiles. That which has been revealed unto us as Christ Jesus in us, the hope of glory {Colossions 1:27}. I'd tend to agree with ol' Paul here, for to me this was indeed a mystery until it was revealed in me. It wasn't some miraculous, magical spiritual gift which opened my eyes to the truth of Christ Jesus in me. It wasn't some Bethel school Harry Potter minister who swooped in on his flying broom in order that he could claim glory for himself by somehow showing me the way to Christ. No, for this was revealed unto me by my heavenly Father. It is those gifts which we are all too often so proud of which are simply the manifestation of He who is already in us.
26the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: iwhich is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossions 1: 26 - 27 NKJV
~Scott~
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