Spiritual Gifts Or Spiritual Maturity?

One of the most common passages used to talk about spiritual gifts is none other than 1 Corinthians 12.

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." - 1 Cor 12:7-11

We somehow mistakenly think that the apostle Paul was talking about spiritual gifts, and we start to classify them into different gifts (9 gifts) to coincide with the fruit of the Spirit (9 fruits in Galatians 5).

First of all, there is only one fruit - Love (John 15:9-17). All other characteristics in Galatians 5:22-23 flow out of LOVE. See also 1 Cor 13:4-7. You can't walk in love and not have all other characteristics as mentioned below.

But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. - Gal 5:22-23 (emphasis added)

There is no law against LOVE, because Love is the fulfillment of the Law.

Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. - Romans 13:10

If God is love (1 John 4:8) and we are created in His image, then we are called to become Love. That is the fruit we are supposed to bear and Love is the fruit that abides (Jn 15:16; 1 Cor 13:8). Love is the constant that doesn't change regardless of circumstances and situations.

With this in mind, we go back to 1 Corinthians 12. Apostle Paul was writing to a group of people who were carnally minded.

"And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal." - 1 Cor 3:1-3

In other words, the reason why Paul would even talk about 1 Corinthians 12 was because of the carnality of the Corinthians.

He began with "Now concerning spiritual (gifts), brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant." - 1 Cor 12:1 (bracket added)

The word 'gifts' is not in the original Greek. It is added by translation, which is a bad translation. It should be read as, "Now concerning the spiritual, brethen...."

Paul was talking about the realm of the Spirit. It had NOTHING TO DO with spiritual gifts.

In verse 7-11, Paul was referring to the manifestation (not spiritual gifts) of the Spirit. Verse 7 is saying that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each believer for the profit of those who need. Paul continued to list the different gifts during THE MANIFESTATION of the Spirit. Eg. Word of wisdom, gift of faith, etc.

It has nothing to do with you having a special gift of healing or gift of faith. Stop thinking highly of yourself. God so loves people that He manifests the gifts according to the needs of the people. He desires them to be made whole and you and I (every believer) are available for Him to use. 

If it is about a special gift, you will be the man of God where people look up to. If it is about the manifestation of the Spirit, then it is about the love of God that we can point people to.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He WILLS. - 1 Cor 12:11 (emphasis added)

Some people think that this verse is referring to the Holy Spirit choosing and distributing the gifts on different selected people, because they think that Paul was writing about spiritual gifts.

The word "WILLS" in Greek is the word "boulomai", which means "to plan with full resolve and determination". It underlines the predetermined (and determined) intention. It is not about the Spirit wishing or having a desire. It is about the Spirit willing it so.

In other words, the one and the same Spirit in EVERY believer works all these gifts during the manifestation, distributing to each one because He WILLS it so (He wants it for all).

You and I don't have a unique gift of faith, word of wisdom, etc.. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is He who manifests all the gifts (belonged to the Spirit) when a need arises. This means that every single one of us can move in the manifestation of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. (And I don't think the list is exhaustive).

Why is it that some people seem to move more strongly in one area of the manifestation? Where you focus on and grow in faith in, you will move more strongly. It's called stewardship.

Having said all these, there is a place to walk in where we move beyond the gifts of the manifestation of the Spirit. 

We manifest as sons. We walk in our identity.

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a MORE EXCELLENT WAY. - 1 Cor 12:31 (emphasis added)

Remember, Paul was talking about the realm of the Spirit with carnal Christians. At the end of chapter 12, he showed them a more excellent way - one that is way above moving in manifestation and gifts.

LOVE!

Love is the fruit of the Spirit. Why is it a more excellent way than manifestation and gifts? Because Love never fails (1 Cor 13:8).

You can move in the realm of the Spirit (1 Cor 12) and still be carnal, unloving, immature, etc. But when you manifest as love, you are not only spiritual and mature, you will move in a more excellent way than what manifestation and gifts can do.

For too long, the church has been separating the two: Power and Love. So they go to both extremes - only power Or only character. 

There is only One - Love. For God is love. And when we walk in love, we WILL naturally walk in power. Jesus had the most consistent results in power because He walked in love.

We can depend on manifestation and gifts to move in power. It may have some results. But it may not be consistent. The reason God uses you to make someone whole is because He loves him/her, not because you are spiritual.

But to have results like Jesus, there is a more excellent way - Love. For love never fails. Love is the fruit, that when grown, remains/stays/abides forever ----- in other words, it will be CONSTANT in every circumstance and in every situation. Love NEVER fails!

I desire to grow and walk in love to become like Him --- and all the power and manifestation will flow freely and consistently without even thinking about it.

If we want to manifest something, manifest LOVE. That is sonship. That is identity. #sonship #identity

Does The Kingdom Have To Be Taken By FORCE?

The Gospel of Matthew was written to the Jews, revealing Christ as the King of the Jews. Matthew used "the kingdom of heaven" more than the "kingdom of God", because of his first readers. He used the former 32 times, while the latter 5 times. Some believed that there is no difference between the two.

However, if we look at the context of what Matthew wrote, there seems to be a difference between the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:19-20; 11:12) and the kingdom of God (Matt 6:33; 12:28). All believers are in the kingdom of heaven but not all are in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is where the Lord reigns in and through the life of a believer on earth. It speaks of the present instead of the future.

"But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the KINGDOM OF GOD has come upon you." - Matt 12:28 (emphasis added)

Today, however, many taught and believed that the kingdom of God has to be taken or seized by force. You hear people saying, "We need to take the kingdom by force! We got to press into it! We got to contend for it!"

The verse is often quoted from Matthew 11.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." - Matt 11:12

As mentioned, a word without the context becomes the pretext for a proof text. If the kingdom of heaven is different from the kingdom of God, the common belief that you have to take it by force is not true. Because you enter the kingdom of heaven by grace through faith. There is no force needed. There is no need for contending or striving. It is based on the finished works of Christ.

However, supposed that we take the kingdom of heaven AS the kingdom of God, we need to read the context of this passage in the preceding and following verses.

“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" - Matt 11:11-15

John the Baptist was known to be the greatest man during Jesus' time, because he pointed everyone to the King (Jesus). But Jesus added, "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John." Why? John was NOT born again. He was born into earth by his mother, but he wasn't yet born again into heaven by the Spirit of God. John was living in the Old Covenant. (Note: Don't confuse New Testament with New Covenant.)

Thus, anyone IN the kingdom of heaven is greater than John because he/she is BORN AGAIN - with the Spirit of God in him/her.

Jesus continued in verse 12 - "And from the days of John the Baptist UNTIL NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force." (emphasis added)

The timeline Jesus gave is very clear. "From the days of John the Baptist UNTIL NOW" - until the time when Jesus was on earth. In other words, this period DOES NOT include the New Covenant period after Jesus' resurrection.

Verse 13 gives us the confirmation. "FOR all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (emphasis added)

The word 'for' is used as a reason. It can also be interchanged with the word 'because'. You can read it like this - "Because all the prophets and the Law prophesied until John, (therefore), from the days of John UNTIL NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force."

In the Old Testament, the prophets and the Law pointed to the coming of the King of the Jews (Jesus). However, during the Inter-Testament Period (believed to be about 400 years from prophet Malachi to John the Baptist), there was no prophetic word spoken by God to the people.

With this context, you can imagine how the people would respond when John the Baptist came preaching "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" - Matthew 3:1

Many received John's message and came forward to repent. "Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." - Matthew 3:5-6

This is why Jesus said in Matthew 11:12-13 - "And from the days of John the Baptist UNTIL NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John." (emphasis added)

The word 'violence' in Greek means 'to press into; to force; to seize." And the word 'the violent' means 'the forceful, the eager ones'.

In other words, Jesus is saying, "This is the TIME where you see the kingdom of heaven being pressed into, and those who are eager after the kingdom of heaven are seizing it."

What Jesus said is simply a confirmation of Matthew 3. People from Jerusalem, ALL Judea and ALL the region around the Jordan pressed into and seized the kingdom of heaven. They included the tax collectors and harlots. (Matt 21:31-32)

These people did not know anything about the kingdom of God because they were NOT born again. They didn't have the Spirit of God in them. God would not be able to reign IN and THROUGH their lives because the Spirit of God would only be given after Jesus resurrected. They probably only understood about entering into the kingdom of heaven.

Yet today, we are using this Scripture verse to talk about having MORE of the kingdom of God by 'forcing, pressing into, contending' for it. That, to me, is really interesting.

The whole game changed when Jesus died and resurrected. We are now living in the New Covenant. (Note: Even the Sermon on the Mount taught by Jesus was largely based on the Old Covenant.) Today, we are born again. We HAVE the Spirit of God - His fullness. The kingdom of God can reign IN and THROUGH us.

Today, we no longer take the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God by force. We don't press into or strive or contend for it. We receive the kingdom of heaven or God by grace through faith.

Because Jesus had gone to the Cross and did a perfect and complete work, we are restored as sons and daughters of the Most High (Gal 4:6). We are joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Him (Eph 1:3). We are accepted in the Beloved (Eph 1:6). It is the Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom (Lk 12:32). He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Jesus, freely and graciously GIVE US all things? (Rom 8:32)

If you still want to strive and contend for the kingdom, go ahead. I'll learn to receive because it's already my inheritance. We receive by believing. It's by grace through faith. You either wrestle or rest. 

And I choose rest. #identity #kingdom #grace #faith #believing

God Is A Personal God - He Calls You By Name

God is a personal God when He calls you by name.

I brought my iPad for repair at Tai Seng and there was only one staff attending to me. As I was talking to him, I saw a vague word “Aden.” It was so vague that if you don’t think about it, it would just pass you by.

A word of knowledge is not always clear and sharp. When it is, you can easily step out. When it is vague, it takes faith and risk.

We rather be wrong than to miss having someone encountering the personal God. If we simply want to love, getting it right or wrong is never the goal. The goal is love.

I looked at the staff and out of my mouth, I said, “You are Jaden right?” He said, “Yes!” He wasn’t surprised. He probably thought that his colleague who answered the phone few days ago had told me about his name.

Nevertheless, I knew that the God of the Universe is a personal God. He is not just the God of all. He is the God of Jaden. He is the God of one. He is YOUR God. He loves you and cares for every single detail of your life. Not a single matter in your life escapes His eyes and His heart. What concerns you concerns Him. He is FOR you and not against you. He is Love. Therefore, there is no fear despite any storm.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you BY NAME, you are Mine.” - Isaiah 43:1

#lifestylechristianity101 #daily

Offence - Is It Identity Issue?

Some truths can appear pretty offensive. But truth is only offensive when we have held onto lies so strongly that the latter becomes our identity.

Example: "If you allow sickness to remain in your body, you are denying the finished works of the Christ." - Curry Blake

This one may hit harder: "Anyone who died because of sickness is because the mind was not renewed in some areas." - Curry Blake

These appear offensive. But it's not offensive to me because I would rather first scrutinise what someone says by comparing with the Word of God, than to quickly brush it aside because of my preconceived beliefs and miss out real truth. It is better to be a truth seeker than an emotional seeker.

I would rather have truth than be offended by truth.

Hosea 4:6 says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." In other words, get knowledge and prevent destruction!

The reason why we get offended is because we are still NOT free from ourselves. If I am not free from me, I will not be free from you, and thus, I will be offended by what you say. It is an identity issue.

Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

If I am already dead, I am free from ALL offences. Truth CANNOT offend me. Truth only offends the devil because it destroys his lies, his nature and his works. So if we still get offended, guess whose side are we really on?

Be free from offence, seek truth and become it. Let our identity be built on truth and not lies. #identity

Thanksgiving

Giving thanks for what we have is called gratitude and praise.

Gratitude & praise position us to receive more.

Giving thanks for what we do not yet have is called faith.

Faith positions us to receive what we do not yet have.

Both are necessary because God can turn little into much, and nothing into something. #thanksgiving

Don’t Confuse Your Calling With Your Assignment

There are still many who think that giving or laying down your whole life for the Gospel means you should give up everything and head into the missions fields to preach the Gospel and heal the sick.

This is a mindset that doesn’t know identity in Christ and thus, has compartmentalised Christianity.

Our calling is not the missions field. Missions is just part of our assignment, though not everyone’s assignment includes missions. Everyone of us is assigned to the Great Commission. But the expressions are different, depending on what God wants you to do - that’s assignment. Some fulfilled the Great Commission in the business realm; some in the IT industry; some in the education sector, etc.

If everyone is called into missions fields and preaching of the Gospel, then who is going to generate electricity for the country? Who is going to govern the nation? Who is going to cook and provide food in eateries? Who is going to teach in schools? Who is going to clean the premises? Who is going to handle manufacturing and business industries? Who is going to make Singapore a cashless society (:p)? Who is going to work on the MRT Transport? The list just goes on. 

If we continue to teach that our church/ministry-related work is more sacred, we will see never-ending issues in the lives of people. It is much more damaging than we think it is. It creates more hypocrisy than ever.

Why is there a men’s ministry or a women’s ministry? Why is there a family life ministry? Why is there a prayer ministry? Because we have compartmentalised the Gospel, resulting in issues that need to be resolved through such ministries. We are trying to solve the problems we ourselves created. The early church and the disciples of Jesus didn’t have such ministries. They just focused on the Gospel and becoming like Christ.

Our true calling is to be conformed into the image of Christ (Rom 8:29), because Christ IN us is the Hope of (glory) the world.

Giving our whole life for the Gospel is to be an accurate representation of Christ, that is, to become love. It’s not even about preaching and healing or even raising the dead. It’s about being Love to everyone around us. That includes missions fields, preaching, healing, etc but it is not just limited to that. It’s also about loving the person who cuts the queue in front of you. It’s about being patient with your child who keeps throwing tantrum. It’s about loving the chef who prepares cold food for you instead of warm. It’s about tidying the house because your wife prefers it. And the list keeps going on.

I have met so many who are passionate to get into the missions fields. They can’t wait to preach. But they drag themselves through life in their workplace and with their family. That is a misrepresentation of the Gospel. It’s twisted. Jesus didn’t come to give you the name of a few countries to go to. Jesus came to give you LIFE and life abundantly. If people around you can’t see that Life in you, they won’t see Jesus. All they see is religion.

Having served in the “so-called sacred” ministry in church, I have found that it is so much easier to preach the Gospel and heal the sick, than to hand wash the family’s socks and take care of my son’s needs day in and day out. Tell me that the former is the Gospel and the latter is not and I will immediately know that you have compartmentalised Christianity.

Reinhard Bonnke, the great evangelist once shared, “I preach to millions of people in a crusade. I feel like a hero. But when I return home, my wife opens the door and says, ‘These are your socks and dirty clothes waiting for you to wash’, and I realise I am back to reality.”

The reality is this... there is no separation in the kingdom. If we think that church or ministry-related work is of higher spirituality or sacredness, we have compartmentalised Christianity. That in itself, is called, religion. 

It doesn’t matter how much you preach to the world and how many souls you have saved and healed. Show me that you are becoming true Love and I will respect you wholeheartedly. That is also my personal pursuit. By His Grace, I yearn to become accurate representation of Love.

I have learnt to look beyond testimonies and miracles into the life of a person. I have learnt to look beyond great exploits into the daily life of a person. That is TRUE spirituality. Take a pastor into the business realm and observe how he deals with money, integrity and loving the wicked. Take a businessman into the pastoral realm and observe how he shepherds the flocks and cares for the needy and lowly.

Without the outward position, that’s when a man reveals his heart position. Without the platform, that’s when a man is in his plain form. Plain true form. The clearest revelation always comes from the spouse and his children.

This is what the call of God and laying down of our whole life for the Gospel is - Christ IN us 24/7 loving people all around us. It’s all about becoming Love.

If we miss becoming Love, we miss our calling.

Manifesting the Perfect Will of God

Jesus manifested the perfect will of God every single time because “the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19)

We sometimes don’t manifest the same perfect will because we are not seeing what the Son sees, not because there is a mysterious will of God that we don’t understand. We don’t have a hide-and-seek God. He has made Himself known fully in the Person of Christ.

When the disciples failed to manifest God’s perfect will to the demon-possessed boy (Matthew 17), Jesus came down from Mt Transfiguration bringing the Father’s perspective. While the disciples couldn’t, Jesus manifested the perfect will of God. The boy was healed and set free.

If we can see what He sees (like the Father), we will manifest what He manifests every single time.

Romans 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and PERFECT will of God. (emphasis added)

We are not here to determine what the will of God is. We are here to prove His perfect will.

Renewing our mind to see what Christ sees is the answer to the manifestation of His perfect will.