“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one
for the profit of all;”
When
you look closely at this verse, you see that it’s not saying the spirit is given for the profit of all,
it’s saying the manifestation of the
spirit. The manifestation is the showing, the revealing of the Spirit. The
Spirit gives us each a gift (or maybe more than one) to manifest Himself in the
believer’s life, and thus point to Jesus.
A big,
big point I want to make here is that the role of the Holy Spirit is to point
to Jesus. He was brought into our lives to point to Jesus. He convicts us,
pushing us to Jesus who is the sacrifice to save us. He comforts us in Jesus’
promise to the world. He reminds us of the things of God. He intercedes for us
when we can only groan. The Holy Spirit’s role has always been to point us to
JESUS. The Holy Spirit manifests in our lives through the outward working of
our gifts.
The Holy Spirit would not draw
attention to Himself, only to God. How would yelling in tongues without an
interpreter, “Holy Laughter”, or disruptive worship be pointing to God? These
things only draw to the person, or to the Holy Spirit. We receive the gifts we
have because they are things that would profit all – the entire body. Tongues
used inappropriately, disruptive worship in the Spirit, and “Holy Laughter”
aren’t edifying for the body as a whole.
This verse points to the fact that
the gifts we have been given are for our use. We are to manifest the Spirit in
our lives in ways that do so; may it be teaching, leading, organizing,
encouraging, service, discernment, faith, gifts of healing, or tongues. (Yes,
tongues are okay when used appropriately; for one-on-one communication with God
when your words just aren’t enough, not for flashy disturbances.)
The goal of manifesting the Spirit
in your life (aka. using your gifts)? For the profit of ALL. Today, I will use
my gifts that I have been given in a way that will edify the entire body,
rather than using them to only point to myself.
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