We may also compare our regenerated spirit to a switch. When the switch is turned on, electricity flows into the appliances and causes them to work. A switch, therefore, is important. The flowing of electricity into a building is actually the dispensing of electricity into the building. Likewise, the flowing of the divine electricity, the flowing of the Triune God, is the dispensing of the Divine Trinity. But for this dispensing to take place, we need to “switch on” by exercising our spirit to speak. If we do this, we shall have the divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity issuing in the functions of the members in a local church.
Concerning the dispensing of the Triune God, we occupy a crucial place. We can be compared to the switch. When we speak, the switch is turned on, and the divine dispensing, the flowing of the divine electricity, takes place. When we speak, the Spirit functions, the Lord serves, and God works. As a result, the divine dispensing will take place in the church meetings, and all the members will be infused with the Triune God.
In 12:4-6 we have the Trinity. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord. There are diversities of operations, but the same God. Here we have the Spirit, the Lord, and God—the Triune God. However, the Divine Trinity is waiting for us to take the initiative to speak. When we speak, the Triune God will cooperate by carrying out the divine dispensing.
In 12:4-11 Paul speaks of the manifestation of the Spirit by different gifts. In verse 7 he says, “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profit.” All the different gifts are the manifestation of the Spirit; that is, the Spirit is manifested in the believers who have received the gifts. Such manifestation of the Spirit is for the profit of the church, the Body of Christ. The manifestation of the Spirit is for the growth in life of the members of the Body of Christ and for the building up of Christ’s Body.
In verses 8 through 10 Paul lists nine manifestations of the Spirit. Verse 8 says, “For to one through the Spirit is given a word of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit.” According to the context of this book, the word of wisdom is the word concerning Christ as the deeper things of God predestined by God for our portion (1:24, 30; 2:6-10). The word of knowledge is the word that imparts a general knowledge of things concerning God and the Lord (8:1-7). The word of wisdom is mainly of our spirit through revelation; the word of knowledge is mainly of our understanding through teaching. The former is deeper than the latter. However, the two, not the speaking in tongues nor any other miraculous gift, are listed as the first gifts and the topmost manifestation of the Spirit because these two are the most profitable ministries or services for the edification of the saints and the building up of the church to carry out God’s operation.
The word of wisdom is mainly a word from our spirit concerning Christ as God’s wisdom. In chapters one and two we see that in this Epistle wisdom refers to Christ. We need to study the Scriptures in order to learn the things concerning Christ. Christ is the wisdom from God to us, and He is also the power of God to us. This wisdom is actually God’s plan to have Christ as our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. We need to know these things so that we can speak of Christ as power from God and as the wisdom of God and also as our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This is the word of wisdom.