Daily Bread 6/21/2022

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Daily Bread – June 21, 2022 (The Third Day – Genesis 1:9-13) 1 Corinthians 12:4 – Now there are divisions of charismata, but the same Spirit. Charismata Charismata is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit which is revealed as we interact with Jesus. We must be careful not to think of charismata as a ‘gift’ in the traditional sense as though it was something we possessed independent of the operation of the Holy Spirit. Without the direct working and manifestation of the Holy Spirit, there is no charismata. One of the hallmark manifestations of charismata is tongues of fire and prophecy – both of which are the immediate effects of the Holy Spirit at work through a yielded vessel (Acts 2:4; 1 Corinthians 12:6,11; Joel 2:28; Numbers 11:25; 1 Samuel 10:6). God’s desire is that we not lack any of the charismata (1 Corinthians 1:7). There are varieties of charismata manifested by the Holy Spirit through our lives as we yield to Him which are all for the purpose of revealing the presence of the risen Savior, Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:8-10; John 16:13-16). Finally, the charismata may be imparted by prophecy and the laying on of hands (1 Timothy 4:14). Although this word is used to refer to the gift of salvation in Romans 5:15,16 and 6:23, it is also used of the spiritual manifestations of prophecy, faith, and ministry in Romans 12:6-7. Paul opens up his letter to the Corinthians with this word and recognizes how those at Corinth had the testimony of Christ confirmed in them by the ‘charismata’ (1 Corinthians 1:6-7). Charismata is used five times in the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians, all with respect to the activities of the Holy Spirit manifested as signs and wonders in the Church for the purpose of revealing Jesus (1 Corinthians 12:4,9,28,30,31). Because of the lack of reference to charismata outside of the New Testament, we must rely on its usage in the New Testament to understand its meaning. Philo made a distinction between gift (dorea) and acts of grace (charisma), “For all things in the world and the world itself is a free gift (dorea), and act of kindness (euergesia) and grace (charisma) on God’s part” Philo All. iii.78 Legum AllegoriaeBalz, H. R., & Schneider, G. (1990-c1993)- Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament. Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen