1 Corinthians 12:4 – grace-effects

Now there are apportionments of graces, yet the same spirit.

It is God’s spirit that brings to the confession “Jesus is Lord” (: 3). But in addition to this universal confession, the same spirit also brings a variety with it. Paul speaks of variety of grace effects.

In Greek, “grace effects” are based on our words ‘charisma’ and ‘charismatic’. It is often translated as ‘spiritual gifts’ The word charisma is made up of ‘charis’ and the ending ‘-ma’. ‘Charis,’ that is grace, that is, joy for free. In daily Greek it could be the indication of, for example, a beautiful sunset, a good glass of wine, a joyful family gathering. Everything that makes us happy and which is free of charge. The ending ‘-ma’ refers to the effect of something. Charisma is therefore quite literally a grace effect.

Where GOD makes us happy through the evangel (charis: grace, joy free) the same grace works out a variety of effects. After all, we are different people with a variety of capacities. Air that is blown into a trumpet causes a very different sound than the same air that is blown into a flute or trombone or saxophone. The same air, different effects. It is one spirit, but a variety of grace effects!

Delen: