When a person becomes part of the body of The Christ, they receive a gift from the Holy Spirit. This is a gift that is intended for the common good of the Church, 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Moreover, each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit towards the common good”. Not only are we placed into the body of The Christ, we are also given the means to be able to function as the part of the body that the Holy Spirit determines is the best place for us.

Saints should not be ignorant concerning Spiritual things. There are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different services, but the same Lord. For it is God who works all things in all. We each receive only one gift in our life time, as we can only ever serve as the part of the body in which we are placed. The Holy Spirit determines what gift we receive, 1 Corinthians 12:11.

Among the gifts there are gifts of the same kind, and gifts of a different kind. The word of wisdom and knowledge are gifts of the same kind. These gifts were given so that in the beginning of the Church it had the necessary knowledge to obey God and the wisdom to correctly use that knowledge. These gifts were necessary at that time because the churches did not yet have the full revelation of Scripture to guide them as we have today. Of course, since God has provided us with the full revelation, the Church no longer has need for these gifts. In James 1:5 God states to all Christians that if we ask for wisdom, He will give it to us without reproach. He also expects every Christian to have a full experiential knowledge of who they are in Christ because through His Divine power He has given us everything we need to live a life of godliness, through the full experiential knowledge of Him, 2 Peter 1:3. Now that we have the written word, each saint can take Scripture and use it in their life, thereby gaining experiential knowledge.

A different type of gift from the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom is faith, which is taking God at His word, Hebrews 11:1 “And faith is the substance of that which is hoped for, the evidence of accomplished deeds not seen” ; Romans 8:24, 25. Since faith is always based upon a promise, this is a gift that takes the promises that are given to the Church by God and applies them correctly.  Until the Church receives the completion of the promises God gave, this gift will be an active and important part of the body.

Along with gifts that provided the Church with instructions prior to the completion of Scripture, were ones that proved the message bring told was from God. Healing and the working of miracles, distinguishing of Spirit, speaking in another language, interpretation of another language, are among the gifts used to verify the message, for a sign to the Jews, and to determine the source of the message. Since we now have the full revelation, the Church no longer requires the use of these gifts; therefore, they are not active today. Later in the book of 1 Corinthians Paul states that prophecy and speaking in another language will cease when we have the full revelation, 1 Corinthians 13: 8-10.

The gifts that do remain, such as Pastor / teacher, Evangelist, Teacher, Administrator, Faith, Mercy, Helps, Exhorting, and Giving are all for the edification of the saints so that they grow into a oneness of faith – not a unity, but since there is only one true faith, saints are to come together in this faith – and unto the full stature of who we are in Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13; Romans 12:1-8.

1 Corinthians 12: 1-14

12.1 Now concerning Spiritual things, Brethren, I desire that you are not ignorant. 12.2 You intuitively know that when you were Gentiles you were facing dumb idols, just as you were led, being led astray. 12.3 Wherefore I make known to you, that no one by the Spirit of God speaks, saying “ set aside Jesus1 ” and no one has the natural ability to say, “Lord Jesus” except by the Holy Spirit. 12.4 There are a variety of gracious gifts, but the same Spirit. 12.5 And there are a variety of services (ministries) and the same Lord. 12.6 And there are a variety of works, but it is the same God, the one working all things in all. 12.7 Moreover, each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit towards the common good2. 12.8 For the one through the Spirit is given the word of wisdom, and to another the word of experiential knowledge, according to the same Spirit. 12.9 But to a different one, faith by the same Spirit, and to another a gracious gift of healing by the same Spirit. 12:10 To another the working of miracles3, but to another prophecy, but to another distinguishing of spirits, but to a different one, various kinds of languages, but to another interpretation of languages. 12.11 But the one and same Spirit working all these, dividing to each just as He determines. 12:12 For just as the body is one, and it has many members, and all the members of the one body, being many, are one body, thus also is The Christ. 12.13 For also by one Spirit we are all immersed into one body, whether Jew, whether Greek, whether slave, whether free, and all drink of one Spirit. 12.14 For also the body is not one member, but many.

1 Although some translations us “accursed” as the meaning of this word, it originally refers to a thing set up or laid by in order to be kept as something consecrated to a god that was hung on the walls of the temple, or in some other conspicuous place. It hence carries the meaning of being doomed to destruction (such as an animal that will be slain). From this concept grows the definition of detestable or accursed. It is something that is to be set aside as having no value to the Christian life.
2 Together profit 3 Inherent abilities