1 CORINTHIANS 1:4-9
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemp-
tion” (Eph.4:30).
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Gal.4:4-6).

b. The gifts and grace of God brought a full provision to the Corinthian believers (v.7). They lacked no
spiritual gifts whatsoever; in fact, when it came to spiritual gifts, they stood equal with the strongest of
churches. They experienced not only the personal gifts such as faith, knowledge, and tongues, but the
public gifts such as miracles, healing, and prophecy; and they possessed them in abundance.

Thought 1. The believer is to “covet earnestly the best gifts” and to “desire spiritual gifts” (1 Cor.12:31; 14:1). But
the believer must always remember that possessing the gifts of the Spirit does not mean that he is necessarily strong
in the Lord. There were no more carnal believers in the early days of the church than the Corinthian believers. They
tragically abused their gifts and their abuse and subsequent judgment serves as a strong warning to all. (See outline
and notes—1 Cor.12:1-14:40.)

c. The gifts and grace of God stirred a strong longing for the return of Christ. The gifts of the Spirit give us a
foretaste of the glories of heaven.
⇒ The gift of prophecy or of preaching proclaims what heaven will be like.
⇒ The gift of ministering demonstrates the loving compassion and care that exists in heaven.
⇒ The gift of healing demonstrates the power and will of God for man to live without corruption and
pain.

When the gifts of the Spirit are active among a people, it is only natural that the return of Christ and of heaven is stirred
within their hearts; for they are constantly experiencing the presence of the Lord in their midst and receiving a foretaste of
heaven.
The more active the gifts of the Spirit are among a people, the more the people long for the Lord’s return. The more a
people talk and share about the Lord and minister to each other in the Lord, the more they long for the Lord and to be with
Him. Whatever we sow, we reap. The more we sow conversation about the Lord and the gifts of the Lord, the more we shall
long to be reaped by the Lord. The believer’s earnest longing for the Lord’s return is clearly understood. Just imagine the glo-
rious expectation he possesses!
⇒ The believer knows that he will receive a place (a home) or a mansion in heaven.

“In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go
to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn.14:2-3).

⇒ The believer knows that the sufferings of this world do not come close to comparing with the glory of the
Lord’s return and of heaven.

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Ro.8:18).

⇒ The believer knows that his corruptible body will be changed into a perfect incorruptible body when Jesus
returns.

“For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Sa-
viour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself” (Ph.3:20-21).

⇒ The believer knows that when Christ appears, he will appear with Christ in glory.

“When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory”
(Col.3:4).

⇒ The believer knows that he will be reunited with all his loved ones (who were believers) when Jesus returns.

“For if [since] we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in
Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we
which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [precede] them
which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to
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