Introduction The Corinthian church had many problems. One of these was their pride of position. They thought that one who was used to speaking in tongues was truly spiritual. In chapter twelve of his letter, Paul defines the source, owner, and one who bestows ‎pneumatikw=n as the Holy Spirit. This is only logical since these are literally “gifts of the Spirit” (BDAG #4152). After showing that these gifts are for all saints “for the common good”, he delineated persons who, like the...

Some might wonder what the difference is between these two groups, but it is quite clear within Scripture. In fact, no place in the Bible commands the growth of the congregation. The Church, which is the Body of Christ made up solely of believers, is the focus of every passage about growth. The congregation is the same as the local church. Its members include both believers and non-believers. This situation benefits the congregation because it serves as a place for ministry and a channel...

Faith is a straightforward thing. Faith has an owner and an object. Who needs faith? The answer is anyone who cannot do something. They are the owner. The object of faith can do the thing the object needs. For example, if you (owner) cannot fix your plumbing but know a plumber (object), you need faith. Faith is made up of belief and trust. In the above example, you know the plumber exists, and if you trust that he/she will fix your plumbing (reward), you have faith in that plumber. Hebrews...