1 CORINTHIANS 12 — SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND THE ONE BODY

Yes. Paul never says that these gifts will cease before the return of Christ, and he describes them as ordinary parts of the church's life. Throughout the book of Acts, the church experiences the gifts, and Paul expects the Corinthians to seek them. The continuationist position, shared by Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, holds that all gifts are available today, to be exercised in love and under Scripture. Other Christians hold different views, but the church should avoid division over this question and instead test every manifestation by Scripture.

Christians understand this verse differently. The text says that all believers are incorporated into the body of Christ by the Spirit, which is the work of the Spirit in conversion. Paul does not here address the empowering experience that Luke describes in Acts. Pentecostal and charismatic Christians hold that there is an empowering baptism in the Holy Spirit available to believers, and that the New Testament examples show it can be distinct from the initial reception of the Spirit. This verse affirms the unity of all believers in Christ, and it does not deny that further fillings and empowerments are available.

Verse 30 is part of a passage about the gifts that God has distributed for the common good, and the question is about the gift of tongues in public ministry. In chapter 14, Paul says that he wishes that all would speak in tongues (14:5) and that he himself does so in private prayer more than any of them (14:18). Pentecostal teaching distinguishes between the public gift and the personal devotional use. The important point is that no believer should be made to feel inferior, and no believer should be denied the opportunity to seek this gift.

The Bible gives no formal test. The usual pattern is to serve actively in the church, to pray for gifts (14:1), to listen to the encouragement and confirmation of others, and to notice where the Spirit's work seems to flow through you. Gifts are given for service, and they are often discovered in service.

Paul means that the church is the living organism through which Christ is present and active in the world. It is not merely an organization, but a body with a unity based on union with Christ.