The purpose of this study is merely to introduce these three areas of study showing
the Holy Spirit's provision. Also, the purpose is to distinguish between the three.
I. The "signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12)
A. These were called "signs, wonders and mighty deeds." Christ previously promised the
twelve "these signs shall follow . . . . so then after the Lord had spoken unto them"
(only the eleven apostles, according to Mark 16:14), "they went forth and preached
everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following"
(Mk 16:19-20).
B. Paul added the "great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord .
. . . was confirmed unto us (the Hebrews) by them that heard him (apostles), God also
bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the
Holy Spirit, according to his own will" (Heb 2:3-4).
C. It is a Scriptural fact these "signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12) never followed
anyone else but the apostles. Not one single Scripture can be produced proving they
followed anyone else.
D. Their design and purpose was merely to "confirm the word" the apostles were
teaching "everywhere" and so these "signs" did "follow them" everywhere.
E. Today, the entire Word of God has already been confirmed and does not need to be
confirmed again today. Furthermore, it is not being confirmed today!
II. "The gifts of the Holy Spirit" (I Cor 12:1-8).
A. These "gifts" were "given by the Holy Spirit" (I Cor 12:8).
B. They were never received as a result of mourning or praying at an altar and etc.
They were only given by "the laying on of the hands of an apostle" (Acts 8:18-19).
C. Certain "gifts" appear to have had a particular attractiveness causing those who
possessed them to be more highly esteemed while those with the less "showy" gifts were
despised or looked down upon.
D. Each member of the church had one gift and he could and should have made a strong
contribution toward the well-being of the whole body.
E. None of the "spiritual gifts" were in any way attributable to the "talent" or
"ability" of the one possessing it. No believer was without them (I Cor 12:7; 11; 27)
yet the distribution and selection of the gift given to each man was according to the
free and completely sovereign will of the Holy Spirit (vs 11). There was no
"self-choosing." Hence, while they were diverse (different), (vs 6; 8-10; 28-30), they
were all equally important and honorable. The giving of the gifts to the individual
believers was never based on the faith of the individual but was "according to grace"
(Rm 12:6).
F. Take the example of Acts 8:5-25. "Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and
preached Christ unto them" (8:5). But he did more than merely speak the words of the
Lord, in view of the fact that "the people with one accord gave heed . . . . hearing
and seeing the miracles which he did" (8:6). Now certainly Philip was not an apostle,
yet he is here seen performing "miracles." How did he do it? The Holy Word says, "the
twelve said, Brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the
Holy Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:2-3). "The saying pleased the whole multitude" and
"they chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip" (Acts
6:5). "Whom they set before the apostles: and when they (apostles) had prayed they
laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:6). Then (6:8) informs that "Stephen, full of faith
and power did great wonders and miracles among the people."
Similarly Philip, after the laying on of apostolic hands, did "miracles" in Samaria.
When Simon, who formerly "bewitched the people" by use of "sorcery" (Acts 8:9), saw
and heard Philip, he "himself believed also . . . . and was baptized . . . . and
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles" (8:13).
In a brief time, "the apostles which were at jer4usalem, heard" about this and so
dispatched "Peter and John" unto them (8:14). "Who, when they were come . . . . laid
their hands on them, and they received the (gifts) of the Holy Spirit" (8:15; 17).
Now bear in mind Philip had preached, baptized the believers and performed miracles
but he could not and did not confer this "power" on any of them. This was true because
that "power" was only vouchsafed in the apostles. Even Simon could see this. Notice,
"When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the (gifts of) the Holy
Spirit was given, he offered them money saying, give me also this power" (9:18-19).
But he could have "neither part nor lot in this matter (8:21), since God had
determined this only for the apostles.
Accordingly, Philip could no more have part nor lot in "this matter" than could Simon.
For "this matter" involved those things (as the laying on of hands and giving out the
gifts of the Spirit) which constituted "the signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12),
serving as proofs of apostleship.
G. However the "gifts" served the purpose of "edifying the church" only until the
"more excellent way" arrived (I Cor 12:31). (That "way" incidentally was the completed
and finished Bible which "throughly furnishes the man of God unto all good works" (II
Tim 3:16-17). This alone today enables God's saints and His churches to be "perfect"
(complete).
H. The "gifts," enumerated in I Corinthians 12:8-10, were never and cannot today ever
be had or exercised apart from the ministry of the apostles. The "power" exercised by
Peter and John in Acts 8:14-16 had been promised only to the apostles (acts 1:8). (SEE
also Lk 24:9-10). Only they were instructed to "tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be
endured with power from on high." And only they obtained that "power" on the day of
Pentecost. No one else received it.
I. We will go into each of these further, as the Lord leads but in summary of the
gifts, Paul in I Corinthians shows:
1. I Corinthians 12 reveals the provision of the gifts in the church and deals with
the Lord's plan for their proper use.
2. I Corinthians 13 supplies the principle that must prevail and govern their practice
if God is to be pleased and dealing with the definite time they would cease.
3. I Corinthians 14 gives the purpose the gifts were to accomplish within the church.
III. Finally we have also "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22).
A. It is "love" as in I Corinthians 13. Love does and is all of those additional
things listed in Galatians 5:22-23.
B. An apple tree does not work to produce apples--it simply "yields." So a believer
does not work to produce "the fruit of the Spirit"--he simply "yields."
C. This enables us to "walk in the Spirit" (Gal 5:16), to "walk worthy" (Eph 4:1), to
"walk in love" (Eph 5:1), to "walk as children of light" (Eph 5:8) and to "walk
circumspectly" (Eph 5:15). Only then are we "strengthened . . . . by his Spirit" (Eph
3:16), found sowing "to the Spirit" (Gal 6:7-8) and "led by the Spirit" (Rm 8:14).
D. The absence of such "fruit" causes men to:
1. "Grieve" the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30)
2. "Lie" to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3)
3. "Quench" the Holy Spirit (I Thess 5:19) JM
the Holy Spirit's provision. Also, the purpose is to distinguish between the three.
I. The "signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12)
A. These were called "signs, wonders and mighty deeds." Christ previously promised the
twelve "these signs shall follow . . . . so then after the Lord had spoken unto them"
(only the eleven apostles, according to Mark 16:14), "they went forth and preached
everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following"
(Mk 16:19-20).
B. Paul added the "great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord .
. . . was confirmed unto us (the Hebrews) by them that heard him (apostles), God also
bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the
Holy Spirit, according to his own will" (Heb 2:3-4).
C. It is a Scriptural fact these "signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12) never followed
anyone else but the apostles. Not one single Scripture can be produced proving they
followed anyone else.
D. Their design and purpose was merely to "confirm the word" the apostles were
teaching "everywhere" and so these "signs" did "follow them" everywhere.
E. Today, the entire Word of God has already been confirmed and does not need to be
confirmed again today. Furthermore, it is not being confirmed today!
II. "The gifts of the Holy Spirit" (I Cor 12:1-8).
A. These "gifts" were "given by the Holy Spirit" (I Cor 12:8).
B. They were never received as a result of mourning or praying at an altar and etc.
They were only given by "the laying on of the hands of an apostle" (Acts 8:18-19).
C. Certain "gifts" appear to have had a particular attractiveness causing those who
possessed them to be more highly esteemed while those with the less "showy" gifts were
despised or looked down upon.
D. Each member of the church had one gift and he could and should have made a strong
contribution toward the well-being of the whole body.
E. None of the "spiritual gifts" were in any way attributable to the "talent" or
"ability" of the one possessing it. No believer was without them (I Cor 12:7; 11; 27)
yet the distribution and selection of the gift given to each man was according to the
free and completely sovereign will of the Holy Spirit (vs 11). There was no
"self-choosing." Hence, while they were diverse (different), (vs 6; 8-10; 28-30), they
were all equally important and honorable. The giving of the gifts to the individual
believers was never based on the faith of the individual but was "according to grace"
(Rm 12:6).
F. Take the example of Acts 8:5-25. "Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and
preached Christ unto them" (8:5). But he did more than merely speak the words of the
Lord, in view of the fact that "the people with one accord gave heed . . . . hearing
and seeing the miracles which he did" (8:6). Now certainly Philip was not an apostle,
yet he is here seen performing "miracles." How did he do it? The Holy Word says, "the
twelve said, Brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the
Holy Spirit and wisdom" (Acts 6:2-3). "The saying pleased the whole multitude" and
"they chose Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip" (Acts
6:5). "Whom they set before the apostles: and when they (apostles) had prayed they
laid their hands on them" (Acts 6:6). Then (6:8) informs that "Stephen, full of faith
and power did great wonders and miracles among the people."
Similarly Philip, after the laying on of apostolic hands, did "miracles" in Samaria.
When Simon, who formerly "bewitched the people" by use of "sorcery" (Acts 8:9), saw
and heard Philip, he "himself believed also . . . . and was baptized . . . . and
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles" (8:13).
In a brief time, "the apostles which were at jer4usalem, heard" about this and so
dispatched "Peter and John" unto them (8:14). "Who, when they were come . . . . laid
their hands on them, and they received the (gifts) of the Holy Spirit" (8:15; 17).
Now bear in mind Philip had preached, baptized the believers and performed miracles
but he could not and did not confer this "power" on any of them. This was true because
that "power" was only vouchsafed in the apostles. Even Simon could see this. Notice,
"When Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the (gifts of) the Holy
Spirit was given, he offered them money saying, give me also this power" (9:18-19).
But he could have "neither part nor lot in this matter (8:21), since God had
determined this only for the apostles.
Accordingly, Philip could no more have part nor lot in "this matter" than could Simon.
For "this matter" involved those things (as the laying on of hands and giving out the
gifts of the Spirit) which constituted "the signs of an apostle" (II Cor 12:12),
serving as proofs of apostleship.
G. However the "gifts" served the purpose of "edifying the church" only until the
"more excellent way" arrived (I Cor 12:31). (That "way" incidentally was the completed
and finished Bible which "throughly furnishes the man of God unto all good works" (II
Tim 3:16-17). This alone today enables God's saints and His churches to be "perfect"
(complete).
H. The "gifts," enumerated in I Corinthians 12:8-10, were never and cannot today ever
be had or exercised apart from the ministry of the apostles. The "power" exercised by
Peter and John in Acts 8:14-16 had been promised only to the apostles (acts 1:8). (SEE
also Lk 24:9-10). Only they were instructed to "tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be
endured with power from on high." And only they obtained that "power" on the day of
Pentecost. No one else received it.
I. We will go into each of these further, as the Lord leads but in summary of the
gifts, Paul in I Corinthians shows:
1. I Corinthians 12 reveals the provision of the gifts in the church and deals with
the Lord's plan for their proper use.
2. I Corinthians 13 supplies the principle that must prevail and govern their practice
if God is to be pleased and dealing with the definite time they would cease.
3. I Corinthians 14 gives the purpose the gifts were to accomplish within the church.
III. Finally we have also "the fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22).
A. It is "love" as in I Corinthians 13. Love does and is all of those additional
things listed in Galatians 5:22-23.
B. An apple tree does not work to produce apples--it simply "yields." So a believer
does not work to produce "the fruit of the Spirit"--he simply "yields."
C. This enables us to "walk in the Spirit" (Gal 5:16), to "walk worthy" (Eph 4:1), to
"walk in love" (Eph 5:1), to "walk as children of light" (Eph 5:8) and to "walk
circumspectly" (Eph 5:15). Only then are we "strengthened . . . . by his Spirit" (Eph
3:16), found sowing "to the Spirit" (Gal 6:7-8) and "led by the Spirit" (Rm 8:14).
D. The absence of such "fruit" causes men to:
1. "Grieve" the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30)
2. "Lie" to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3)
3. "Quench" the Holy Spirit (I Thess 5:19) JM
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| The Work of the Holy Spirit -- Part IV "The Differences between the Signs, Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit" CHAPTER 13 By John C. Morgan |