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The Gifts of the Spirit in the Service of the Church[a]

Chapter 12

Discerning the Gifts of the Spirit. Now in regard to the gifts of the Spirit, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were still pagans you were constantly being enticed and led astray to the worship of mute idols. Therefore, I wish you to understand that no one speaking under the influence of the Spirit of God says, “May Jesus be cursed.”[b] Likewise, no one can say “Jesus is Lord,” except under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Corinthians 12:1 These pages have new relevance today. Such words as “charism” and “prophet” have once again become common in the Church. We are deeply interested in the relationships, undertakings, and inspirations that characterize the life and vitality of communities. God does indeed grant the grace of renewal for the sake of the authentic development of the Christian community. Nevertheless, we should not stop at the visible gifts, but should seek initiatives that help to unite the community and promote true love and the knowledge of the mystery of Christ. Christian experience is not a spectacle but a lived reality. This is a principle for discernment.
  2. 1 Corinthians 12:3 Cursed: to say this is to fail to recognize Jesus as the messenger of God (see Jn 8:48f; 9:24).