The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Corinthians — Section 405

V. THEIR TEST IS ONE. They are tested by their relation to Christ (ver. 3). Spurious gifts may appear, or good gifts may be perverted. In early days the test of utterance was, " \Vhat saith it of Christ?" Did it declare him to be anathema-accursed ~ Then it declared itself to be not of God. "By their fruits ye shall know them." Aud this test applies to all spiritual gifts ancient and modern. Unless they tend to the exaltation and honour of Christ, they are not what they profess to be. If genuine, they are under the control and administration of the Holy Ghost, and he who was sent to glorify Christ (John xvi. 14) will never abase and dishonour him. If men have all other credentials, yet cast reproach upon the Head of the Church, we must instantly reject their testimony and regard them as charlatans. Here is the supreme end of our spiritual gifts-" that he may be glorified." "Try the spirits." VI. THEIR oOKTROL AND EXERCISE ARE ONE. They came from God and they are still in the hands of God. They are very various, but they are unified in the One who gave them and the One who directs their use. "Diversities, . . . but the same Spirit, . . . the same Lord, . . . the same God" (vers. 4-6). 'l'he control and exercise of spiritual gifts are of the Triune Jehovah-" God," "Lord," "Spirit." When our spiritual gifts are rightly employed, God works throu.gh us. As we have the gifts from God, so it is only as we have God with the gifts that they can be rightly and usefully employed. We are channels for Divine power to run in. Our impotence apart from God is strikingly shown in ver. 3, "No man can say that Jes1.Js is the Lord, but by [or, 'in'] the Holy Ghost." v'i7e may use the words, but we cannot feel their power, receive their truth, or bear the effective witness to Christ, apart from the Divine Spirit. How ennobled and inestimably precious do spiritual gifts appear in this light! How careful should we be not to resist the working of God through us! And we may profitably remember that be uses the smaller gifts as well as the larger ; nay, sometimes uses the former the more. The more dazzling gifts are not always the most useful.-H. Vers. 12-27.-The body of Christ. A striking figure. Christians are not separate, unrelated units; they are compacted together and form one whole, which is" the body of Christ." Of this body Christ is the Head (Col. ii. 19)-the central controlling and directing Power, and each believer is some member of the body. In this passage the apostle is speaking of the members of the body rather than of the Head-of Christians rather than directly of Christ. Note- I. THE NUMBER AJ,.-D v ARIETY OF THE MEMBERS. This makes the body rich and beautiful. In scenery and in paintings we do not love monotony. A fair landscape possesses almost infinite variety of tint and form; that is not a painting which is composed of one colour, however brilliant. The Church is enriched by the diversities in condilion, age ability, of its members. Yet though one member differ strikingly from another, all are'equally of the body (ver. 15). We must not despair because we are unlike some other Christians; if all the members of the body were as even the chief and most bonow-ed members, the symmetry, usefulness, and beauty of the body would be greatly impaired (ver. 17). We must not seek to occ~py a place for which we are not fitted. We are admitted to the body of Christ by God, and he places us (ver. 18). We must not move; if we are to be moved, he will move U8, 'l'o choose a place for ourselves would be to put ourselves out of place. II. THE VARIED DUTY. This explains the variety of place and power. The Church offers the utmost variety of work; there is something suitable for every capacity. As in the body all parts and members perform their special and appropriate duties, so in the Church each believer has his appointed task: "To every man bis work." Somo are troubled because they seem to be "inferior" mew bers; but note, an inferior member can often do its tcork better than a superior member could do that work. Each member is specially adapted to perform its functions; each Christian in the Church is specially fitted for the performance of his duties. No man can fill your place as you can. III. THI!: INTIMATE CONNECTION, In the human body what vital union there is between the several parts! There should be a corresponding connection between the members of the body of Christ. Christians are not to be like grains of sand, or isolated trees or detached houses. We admit that our union with Christ should be real; equaiiy real should be our union with fellow-believers. 'l'he anomaly of Christians not cu. xu. 1-31.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTlIIANS. 413