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12:27
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你 們 就 是 基 督 的 身 子 、 並 且 各 自 作 肢 體 。
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12:28
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神 在 教 會 所 設 立 的 、 第 一 是 使 徒 ． 第 二 是 先 知 ． 第 三 是 教 師 ． 其 次 是 行 異 能 的 ． 再 次 是 得 恩 賜 醫 病 的 ． 幫 助 人 的 ． 治 理 事 的 ． 說 方 言 的 。
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12:29
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豈 都 是 使 徒 麼 ． 豈 都 是 先 知 麼 ． 豈 都 是 教 師 麼 ． 豈 都 是 行 異 能 的 麼 ．
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12:30
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豈 都 是 得 恩 賜 醫 病 的 麼 ． 豈 都 是 說 方 言 的 麼 ． 豈 都 是 翻 方 言 的 麼 。
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12:31
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你 們 要 切 切 的 求 那 更 大 的 恩 賜 、 我 現 今 把 最 妙 的 道 指 示 你 們 。
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13:1
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我 若 能 說 萬 人 的 方 言 、 並 天 使 的 話 語 、 卻 沒 有 愛 、 我 就 成 了 鳴 的 鑼 、 響 的 鈸 一 般 。
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13:2
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我 若 有 先 知 講 道 之 能 、 也 明 白 各 樣 的 奧 秘 、 各 樣 的 知 識 ． 而 且 有 全 備 的 信 、 叫 我 能 夠 移 山 、 卻 沒 有 愛 、 我 就 算 不 得 甚 麼 。
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13:3
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我 若 將 所 有 的 賙 濟 窮 人 、 又 捨 己 身 叫 人 焚 燒 、 卻 沒 有 愛 、 仍 然 與 我 無 益 。
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27 Now you are the
body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first
of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of
healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets?
Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all
speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
1 If
I speak in the tongues of men or of
angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can
fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move
mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor
and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
We believers are the body of Christ and we each one of us is distributed gifts by the Holy Spirit - apostles for establishing churches, prophets for speaking the words of God, teachers for instructing believers the ways of Christian life, and other gifts like miracles, healing, helping, guidance, tongues, etc. for building up the body of Christ. There is no difference regarding the relative importance of each of these gifts. The church needs all these gifts according to Spirit's works in it. Nevertheless, Paul encourages believers to seek for the greater gifts that will be explicated in the later section of the epistle.
Gifts are indispensable but Paul insists that without love - the most excellent way, all our gifts of tongues, prophecy, and even sacrificial deeds will mean nothing to God and to us.
My Lord, thanks for reminding me again on the first day of a year the supreme importance of pursuing Your love for loving God and loving people around me. I desire asking for the Spirit's Presence and Power in my life that my life and the church can both be transformed. I ask for giving me the gifts of wisdom and knowledge in order to equip and mentor your people for the ministry. I desire to really see the manifestation of the Spirit in us that my life can be powerfully serving You. But thanks for keeping me humble that all the gifts must be exercised in the way of love, like the way of Jesus loving God faithfully and loving people gently.
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