1 Corinthians 12:6 Commentary and Bible Study

‘Diversities of operations’ – that is an interesting word. It translates a Greek term which refers to energies, works of power. In other words, these are even greater miracles than, say, healings. These are extraordinary things. It clearly refers to miracles, and Paul is going to explain to us what they are. So we have got different abilities, different means of serving, and different works of power; but they are all from the same God who is giving them, distributing them to different people for a purpose. All these things are all spontaneous as God moves. They cannot be predicted; they cannot be organised. People cannot say, on such and such a day, at such and such a time, we will have a miracle meeting, or a healing meeting. The apostle Peter, or the apostle Paul: they didn't know they were going to heal a certain person, well before it happened. They were authenticating signs that would prove to the bystanders that they were specially appointed by God and inspired by him. It would come suddenly, not organised things. ‘There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God, which worketh all in all.’ So there is no contradiction in the message; there is agreement. The doctrines are the same, and they fit together, just as they do in the completed Bible.