USE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS - I Corinthians 12 makes it clear that God has given spiritual gifts
to every Christian. And verse 7 states unmistakably that these abilities are not provided to make
you feel good; they are abilities to minister that should be used for the common good! I Peter
4:10 commands us to use spiritual gifts to help each other.
The same passage makes it clear that we meet with other Christians so they can use their gifts to
strengthen us. God’s gift of a preacher or teacher is wasted if no one comes to hear them speak.
MUTUAL MINISTRY - The church is pictured as a body in I Corinthians 12, and Paul explains
that each part of the body exists to meet the needs of other body parts. In the same way, God
intends each of us to meet the needs of other believers, using our strengths to help in their areas
of weakness. I Corinthians 12:21 expresses it this way: “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no
need of you.” Neither can a Christian claim to be self-sufficient today.
The New Testament is full of “one another” commands. We are to comfort one another (I Thes-
salonians 4:18), build up one another (I Thessalonians 5:11), confess our sins to one another
(James 5:16), pray for one another (James 5:16), and many more. How can we obey these direc-
tives if we stay away from the gathering of believers?
ACCOUNTABILITY - God designed the church as a place where spiritual leaders could watch
out for our welfare, as a shepherd guards the sheep (I Peter 5:1-4; Hebrews 13:17). A Christian
who answers only to himself can easily rationalize sinful attitudes or actions; regular contact
with other Christians can keep us sharp.
A single verse should actually be sufficient answer for this question: Hebrews 10:25 warns its
readers against “forsaking the assembly of yourselves together, as the manner of some is.”
Author: Dr. John Bechtle.
March Edition
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