In this message we shall begin to consider 1 Corinthians 12. This is a difficult chapter to understand. Over the years I have spent a great deal of time on this chapter, but I do not yet have a thorough understanding of it.
In 12:1 Paul says, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.” In 12:1—14:40 Paul deals with the problem of spiritual gifts in relation to God’s administration and operation.
In 12:3 Paul says, “Wherefore I make known to you that no one speaking in the Spirit of God says, Jesus is accursed; and no one can say, Lord Jesus, except in the Holy Spirit.” The apostle’s thought here is that the dumb, voiceless idols in verse 2 make their worshippers dumb and voiceless. But the living God causes His worshippers to speak in His Spirit. This kind of speaking is related to the spiritual gifts. No one who speaks in the Spirit of God would say, “Jesus is accursed”; he would like to say, and he is able to say, “Lord Jesus.” Worshippers of God should not be silent; rather, they should speak forth the Lord Jesus in the Spirit of God. This—to speak the Lord Jesus—is the main function of all the spiritual gifts.
In verse 3 Paul tells us that no one can say, “Lord Jesus,” except in the Holy Spirit. This indicates that when we say with a proper spirit, “Jesus is Lord,” we are in the Holy Spirit. Hence, to call on the Lord Jesus is the way to participate in, enjoy, and experience the Holy Spirit.
In 12:2 Paul tells the Corinthians, “You know that when you were of the nations, you were led away to dumb idols, however you were led.” The worshippers in an idol temple do not speak; rather, they are silent, or dumb. They are voiceless worshippers, seeming not to have a mouth. But the living God causes His worshippers to speak in His Spirit. One important difference between those who worship idols and those who worship the living God is this: idol worshippers are silent, but those who worship the living God speak of the Lord in the Spirit.
Throughout the centuries, many Christians have been influenced by the silent worship of idols. As the result of this influence, the majority of those who enter into so-called places of worship are silent. Usually, they hire a pastor to do the speaking for them. The congregation remains silent, or dumb, and the speaking is done by the hired ones. This is the actual situation among many believers today.
The situation was very different in the days of the apostles. During the time of the apostles, when Christians came together, they made noise by speaking in the Spirit. They did not worship God in silence. As the psalmist said, they made a joyful noise to the Lord (Psa. 95:1). Hence, Paul’s thought in 1 Corinthians 12, a chapter concerned with the function of the members in the church meeting, is that we all should speak in the Spirit.
Speaking in the Holy Spirit is a matter related to spiritual gifts. When Christians today talk about spiritual gifts, they usually have in mind the gifts of speaking in tongues, healing, and miracles. However, in this chapter Paul indicates that the spiritual gifts are mainly related to speaking. Paul lists nine gifts, and of these nine five involve speaking: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, prophesying, tongue-speaking, and the interpretation of tongues. The other four gifts listed by Paul are faith, healings, works of power, and the discerning of spirits. These four gifts are related to activity, not to speaking.
According to the New Testament understanding, a church meeting in which the spiritual gifts are exercised is a meeting in which there is much speaking. Suppose we come together for a meeting, and we all are silent. In such a meeting, there would not be any exercise of spiritual gifts. In order for the gifts to be exercised in a meeting of the church, we need to speak. I can testify that when I speak, I exercise my gift. Therefore, to exercise our gift means that we are exercised in speaking.