“The basic idea [of spiritual gifts] is that each believer is a living part of Christ’s body, and each one has a spiritual function to perform. Each believer has a gift (or gifts) to be used for the building up of the body and the perfecting of the other members of the body. In short, we belong to each other, we minister to each other, and we need each other”–Warren Wiersbe.

“Studies have shown that in the average church, 15 percent are truly active both in terms of working in the church and in terms of giving. If only 15 percent of our body parts functioned, we would be virtually comatose. In the same way, our churches are crippled by the unwillingness of so many members to use their gifts to minister to each other (Eph. 4:12). Yet this is only possible when we recognize we are one body . . . in Christ. It is only in union with him that we can gain the humility and the strength to function in unity”–Grant R. Osborne.

“Spiritual gifts are tools to build with, not toys to play with or weapons to fight with. In the church at Corinth, the believers were tearing down the ministry because they were abusing spiritual gifts. They were using their gifts as ends in themselves and not as a means toward the end of building up the church. They so emphasized their spiritual gifts that they lost their spiritual graces! They had the gifts of the Spirit but were lacking in the fruit of the Spirit–love, joy, peace, etc. (Gal. 5:22-23)”–Warren Wiersbe.

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