This passage is not about people trying to find their gifts, but rather about a church riven by jealousy and competition in the realm of gifts. Corinthian paganism was marked by ecstatic experiences, and there were some gifts that seemed to mirror this, but not all.
These differences were seized upon by the various factions in the church to add to the dissension. This obviously misses the point of spiritual gifts, but there is a place for trying to understand our own gifts. We all are connected to God’s spiritual network and all contribute in different ways. What is natural to you? What energizes you or stresses you out? Where have you been effective in the past? It isn’t necessarily the same as what you enjoy or even where your method is impeccable, but about the results the Holy Spirit brings about through your service.
Note that spiritual gifts are different than spiritual disciplines. The latter, we are all expected to do, though there are gifts that overlap with disciplines, such as prayer and encouragement.
So back to what Paul really is talking about. He addresses two temptations he wants the Corinthians to stop falling for: rugged individualism and gift envy. Some people look at the church and, being insecure, decide that it does not need their gifts.
Others do not work in the church at all so that they do not see it or otherwise neglect their gifts. Sometimes, churches do not give people sufficient opportunity to exercise their gifts, whether it doesn’t fit into pre-existing boxes or only fits into certain roles that are already filled. Others look at the church and, being prideful, decide that they don’t need the church’s gifts. This means that their gifts aren’t represented in the church, which means other people have to step into gifts that are not theirs, leading to burn out and collapse.
Paul’s point is that the gifts that are seen as less important are actually vital, and no individual, no matter how impressive their gifts seem to be, is complete without the rest of the body. This means that “gift envy” can be just as damaging as individualism.
Paul lists a number of gifts, not in order of importance, but rather chronologically, starting with the opening of the church by the apostles and moving through the other gifts that became necessary as the church progressed. The church would not function if all of these gifts were not in play.
So, when people in the church are seeking after specific, more highly honored gifts rather than living in their own gifts, again, we get gifts lacking in the church and dysfunction, not to mention the problem that envy itself brings along with it.
Then we get to verse 31, and it seems a bit unclear. Paul has just been saying that all the gifts are a result of grace, not our desire, and that all the gifts are vital. Then, suddenly, he tells us to desire greater gifts? Most likely, this is sarcasm from Paul, again, rebuking the Corinthians, again. “You eagerly desire the ‘greater gifts’ – but I’m going to show you something better.”
There is nothing wrong with trying to get better at something or even desiring particular roles. But we are not to see some gifts as better than others, or to feel pride for our own gifts or envy for others.
–Sermon Notes, Brent Rood, Seed Church, Lynnwood, WA
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
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