Of the Use and Purpose of Spiritual Gifts. 1 Cor. 12, 1–31.
All spiritual gifts from God: V. 4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. V. 5. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. V. 6. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
This unity of faith and confession now bears rich fruit in "distributions of grace-gifts, services, workings": But there are distributions, diversities, varieties of gifts, yet the same Spirit; and there are varieties of ministries, yet the same Lord; and there are varieties of effects, yet the same God that works, that brings about, all in all.
Here the apostle contrasts the dumb idols of the heathen with the almighty, Triune God of the Christians, the former being unable either to speak or to exert any power, the latter revealing Himself with almighty power in the Church and in the congregation of the saints. The Spirit, the Lord, and God the Father are incessantly and graciously active in the edification of the Church by means of the talents imparted to the individual Christians.
All the eminent endowments, qualifications, capabilities of Christians, and peculiar to their state as Christians, whether they be those of healing, of miracles, of tongues, of prophesying, of rich Bible exposition, of edifying application of the Word, are bestowed by the Holy Ghost, of the one Spirit.
And these wonderful gifts of grace are applied in the Church in the various offices and ministries, in the manifold functions and spheres of labor, Ephesians 4, 12, but always under the direction of the one Lord, Jesus Christ, the King of the Church, and rendered to Him. It is in His interest that the Christians should use their gifts, everyone without exception as Christ has dealt out to him; for only if the various gifts, in the manifold offices and stations, be used in the service of the one Lord, will the purpose of the Lord in bestowing the gifts be realized.
There are thus finally various effects of the Christians' labors, commensurate with their gifts and their position of service; but it is the one God who constantly brings about all that is necessary for the benefit of His Church, and to all true Christians He deals out from His store of gifts without ceasing. Thus the Triune God is the Fountain of all grace and power in the Church, the immediate Dispenser of every good and perfect gift.
"The Spirit kindles the fire of the gifts of edification, the Son directs the rays of the ministries of edification, the Father creates the warmth of the powers of edification: in undivided essence the Triune God rules His Church; what an outrage to cause divisions in its midst!" (Besser, Bibelstunden, 8, 596).