What do you want to be when you (finally) grow up? If you’ve had trouble figuring out your gifts and what God has called you to do and to be, you aren’t alone.
The Corinthian Christians struggled with this question–even though Paul told them directly that they “lacked no spiritual gift” (1:7)–because they remained mere “babes in Christ” (3:1). What they lacked was discernment concerning “the Lord’s body” (11:29), even to the point where some denied His resurrection (15:12-14). They, therefore, lacked understanding of lesser matters, such as their personal callings (7:17-24) and their spiritual gifts (12-14). Discerning the Lord’s body, as in the Lord’s Supper, according to Paul, is directly linked to discerning our personal callings and gifts.
His first point is that he does not want them to be ignorant of their spiritual gifts (12:1-3). Christ is Lord over the totality of our lives. We cannot even say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit (v. 3). Ignorance about our gifts and callings originates in ignorance about Christ’s dominion. Failure to discern the Lord’s body in the Lord’s Supper leaves many weak, sick and spiritually asleep (11:29-20). Failure to discern our place in Christ’s body (His church) leaves many in confusion and conflict (see 14:33). The Reformers rediscovered this truth, and stressed the importance of every Christian’s (not just the “clergy’s”) calling or vocation before God, as the quote from Calvin indicates.
Then he moves on to the next point — many gifts, one Spirit; one body, many members (vv. 4-13). Paul links Christ’s body, symbolized in the Lord’s Supper (11:24), with the church and its many gifts. All gifts come from the Holy Spirit who distributes them to each one individually as He wills (12:11,18;7:17,20). For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ (v. 12).
In this context of body life, there is a firm warning against three sins. The first is envy (vv. 14-20). Christians are not clones, but many wish they had the same talents, looks, intelligence, eloquence, wealth, home, spouse, family as others. Such wishful thinking breeds envy, and envy breeds covetousness. This is what is forbidden in the 10th commandment (Ex. 20:17). Why? God is not just sovereign over other people’s lives; He is sovereign over your life. God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased (v. 18). Discontentment with our gifts and calling is discontentment with God’s sovereign will and judgment. The second is a warning against arrogance (v. 21). If Christians are no better in themselves than pagans outside the church (Rom. 3:9-27), then how much more is boasting about spiritual gifts excluded within His body, the church. And third, we must guard against false humility (vv. 22-25). A variant form of discontent is self-declared martyrdom. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. . . . Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called (I Cor. 7:20-24).
In all this, there is covenantal and covenanted unity (vv. 26-31). If one member of the body suffers, all suffer with it; if one is honored, all are honored. In this context, one who earnestly seeks the best gifts (v. 31) is not arrogant or self-promoting, but Christ-honoring.
So, our calling and gifts are not as mysterious as we pretend. Many Christians look for signs, mystical coincidences, or “still small voices” to find confirmation of their gifts and callings. They overlook the obvious, the Scriptures, and fall into disobedience and confusion. But the Word and the Spirit lead us into all truth and spiritual discernment, thoroughly equipping us for every good work (II Tim. 3:15-17) and teaching us what we should be in the Kingdom of God when we grow up.