Mike Focht 5/1/2026
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Three times in this passage, Paul uses the word diversities. The Greek word is diairesis, which is used only here in the New Testament. The word describes a distinction based on different distributions to different persons. Paul is trying to be very specific about the distinctions in spiritual gifts.
Why is this important for us today? Well, one of the dangers we face in our current day and age of media and promotion is the foolishness of comparison. A genuine disciple of Jesus Christ, who wants to love and serve God, and is earnestly praying to discover or use their spiritual gifts to honor their Lord, can easily be tempted to look at others instead of looking to Christ.
How is God using them? Maybe God will use me like that? I wish I had those gifts. Maybe if I act, speak, work, or live like them, God will do the same thing in me? The first problem with these types of thoughts is that we are looking at men instead of God. The second problem is that what God wants in us is individual and unique, not collective and universal.
Notice what Paul tells us. The Holy Spirit is distributing unique gifts to individuals. The Lord Jesus Christ is commanding those individuals to unique ministries. God the Father is directing unique works of individuals to develop His plan of the ages. We must look to Him and Him alone to get our gifts, our orders, and our purpose.
I will never find what God wants for me by looking at you. How could Noah, Moses, Joshua, David, Esther, Mary, Peter, John, or Paul ever discover what God wanted to do in and through them by looking at anyone around them? They only discovered the unique gifts and works God wanted to do in them and through them by keeping their eyes on God alone.
The gifts of God are as manifold as the grace of God. Not every evangelist is meant to evangelize like Billy Graham. Not every preacher is meant to preach like Charles Spurgeon. Not every helper is called to help the less fortunate as Amy Carmichael did. Not every person is meant to express faith like George Mueller, courage like David Livingstone, or administration like Joseph and Daniel.
In fact, if we could sincerely take in at a glance the work of God through all the Church of God from Pentecost till today, we wouldn’t be tempted to try to copy the expression of someone else’s spiritual gifts. We would be so overwhelmed by the glory and grace of God that we would fall at His feet and worship, knowing that whatever gifts He wants to give us and however He desires to use us are more than we deserve.
The Holy Spirit has a gift for you. The Lord Jesus Christ has a ministry for you. Your Heavenly Father has an activity for you. You are a unique, irreplaceable, and essential part of the Body of Christ.