1 Corinthians 12:1

The Explanation

Far away, in a city called Corinth, there lived a church. Not a building, but people. Fishermen, sellers, slaves, free men, all mixed together. One day a knock came at the door. A messenger stood there, dusty from the road, holding a rolled up letter with a wax seal. "A letter from Paul," he said, out of breath. Paul was a man who loved this church like a father loves his children, even though he was far away.

The people gathered close together to hear it read out loud. Someone broke the seal. The letter began, "Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don't want you to be ignorant." Ignorant means not knowing something important. Paul was saying, listen carefully, I do not want you to stay in the dark about this.

What was "this"? The Spirit of God. The Corinthians had many questions buzzing in their heads, almost like bees in a jar. Who has the Spirit? What does the Spirit do? Why do some people seem to do amazing things, and others do not? Paul knew their questions, and instead of leaving them confused, he sat down, dipped his pen, and decided to explain.

What Does This Mean?

Imagine you are one of the children in that church, sitting on the floor, listening. You do not fully understand words like "spiritual things" yet. That is alright, even the grown ups needed help. Paul was not scolding them. He was not angry. He was like a good teacher who says, come here, let me show you something you have been missing.

This verse is a doorway. Paul is about to open something huge, the truth that God's Spirit lives in His people and gives each one something special to do. But before he explains all of that, he stops and says one important thing first: I do not want you to be ignorant. God does not want His children to walk around confused about who He is and what He is doing. He wants them to know.

Would you want to stay confused about something important, or would you want someone to sit down and explain it to you? Paul chose to explain.

The Common Thread

This letter is part of a much bigger story, the story of God speaking to His people. Long ago God spoke through prophets, then He sent His own Son, Jesus, and now He sends His Spirit to live inside everyone who trusts Jesus. Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that this Spirit was not confusing or scary. He was a gift, given so believers could know God better and help each other.

Jesus never left His friends without answers when they needed them. He explained, He taught, He sat with people who were confused, just like Paul now sits with the Corinthians. God is a God who speaks. He does not hide behind silence. That is the golden thread running through this whole letter and through the whole Bible.

For You

Sometimes you might not understand something about God, and that is completely normal. Maybe you wonder why you cannot see the Holy Spirit, or what He actually does. You are allowed to ask questions, just like the Corinthians did. Ask a parent, a pastor, or bring your question straight to God in prayer. He is not annoyed by your questions. He wants you to know Him, not stay in the dark.

Talk About It

Have you ever felt confused about something in the Bible? What did you do about it?

Why do you think God wants His people to understand Him, instead of leaving them guessing?

Praying Together

Dear God, thank You that You are not silent. Thank You that You want us to know You. When we are confused, help us to ask questions and to listen for Your answers. Thank You for Your Spirit, who lives in everyone who loves Jesus. Amen.