Romans 12:7: He who teaches, in teaching;
Spiritual gifts are tools to build with, not toys to play with or weapons to fight with. In the church at Corinth, the believers were tearing down the ministry because they were abusing spiritual gifts. They were using their gifts as ends in themselves and not as a means toward the end of building up the church. They so emphasized their spiritual gifts that they lost their spiritual graces! They had the gifts of the Spirit but were lacking in the fruit of the spirit—love, joy, peace, etc. (Gal. 5:22–23) 1
Application
- Look at all seven gifts listed in verses 6–8. Which one is your strongest gift? How do you use that gift to build up others?
- How is the grace of God a part of your ministry to others? What fruit do you expect to come from your ministry in the next few months?
Prayer
Lord, may Your grace be more dominate than my gift.
1. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.