I Corinthians 12:31 : But covet earnestly the best gifts:
According to the above verse, i believe that God wants every Christian to covet earnestly all the Spiritual Gifts for his/her own benefit and for the benefit of other human beings.
I Corinthians 12:4-11 : Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
God wants to give all the above-mentioned Spiritual Gifts and much more provided we recieve them with Faith and Humbleness.
Joel 2:28-29 : And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: 29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.
The above Prophecy of Joel clearly describes the manner in which God is going to bestow Spiritual Gifts and His Holy Spirit Anointing to His children in the last days before the Secong Coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Yes, i agree that its rare to find a Church or Fellowship Group or Individual Christian Ministry which is exactly similar to the Early Christian Churches. However, one cannot judge a Church or Fellowship Group or Individual Christian Ministry only based on the Spiritual Gifts being manifested amidst them.
And glorying in Spiritual Gifts is again a sin (spiritual pride). All members of the Body of Christ are equal and we all need each other (some time or the other and in some way or the other). We all need to esteem one another better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3) irrespective of the Spiritual Gifts that God has given to us.
Finally, Godly Love is the Greatest Spiritual Gift one can covet. (I Corinthians 13:1-3). So, i think the more Godly Love (Agape Love) we have in our hearts for our Lord Jesus Christ and for our fellow-human beings the stronger christians we are.
