| This chapter is a major crossroad in the epistle to the Corinthians. Paul has been dealing with the various things that the Corinthians have been doing. Most, if not all of them, had come out of their own fleshly nature-the old sin nature that in God's sight had been crucified with Christ. In this chapter Paul again is teaching them about the Holy Spirit. He turns from their failures to the tremendous possibilities in their Christian lives through the Spirit of God. Satan wants to keep our minds on our failures. God always wants to lead us on to greater things with Christ. Paul says this new world into which you have entered as Christians is centred in a person, Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God is leading the Corinthians to recognize Jesus as Lord. Previously, their master 'had been Satan, now it is Jesus Christ. The Spirit of God had entered their lives to make this a living reality day by day. At the same time the Holy Spirit had given certain gifts to each new Christian. He did this so that the work of the church could be carried on properly-so that his power might flow through their lives in service for Christ. These gifts differed from one another, just as the parts of the body differ from each other. But there is a wonderful design behind all of this. The Spirit of God works out just how and where we are to best serve Christ in the Church. The Corinthians knew about these gifts, but they were using them for their own pleasure instead of for the good of the whole Church. Let us go back over these two thoughts again. We need to know about the work of the Spirit of God and what he can do in our lives. Secondly, he has given each of us gifts by which we can serve Christ in the Church. What is our response to these things? 'O Holy Spirit, do in me what you came to do. Use me for the glory of Jesus Christ and never for my own glory.' | 
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