8 So to one a word of wisdom is given, by the Spirit; to another a word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; 9 to a different one faith, by the same Spirit; to another presents of healings,[e] by the same Spirit; 10 to another workings of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discernings of spirits;[f] to a different one kinds[g] of languages, to another interpretation of languages. 11 However, the one and the same Spirit produces all of these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.[h]

12 Now just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of that one body, though being many, are one body, so also is the Christ. 13 For we also were all baptized into one body by one Spirit[i]—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and were all given to drink into one Spirit.[j] 14 For in fact the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” it would not therefore cease to be of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” it would not therefore cease to be of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? 18 But God has really placed the members in the body, each one of them, just as He pleased.[k] 19 (If the whole were just one member, where would the body be? 20 But in fact the parts are many but the body one.)[l]

21 Further, the eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.” 22 Much to the contrary, those members of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And the parts of the body that we consider to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentables have special modesty, 24 while our presentables do not need it. Yes, God has blended the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacks it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another; 26 and if one member suffers, all the members should suffer along, or if one member is honored, all the members should rejoice along.*Since both the Textus Receptus and the eclectic Greek text currently in vogue have ‘suffer’ and ‘rejoice’ in the Indicative (following 60% of the Greek manuscripts), most versions do too. But the 40% includes the best line of transmission and has the verbs in the Subjunctive. Since Paul is applying the figure of a body to people, it is obvious that although we should share, we are not obliged to do so, and often do not.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And those whom God has appointed in the Church are: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; after that miracles, then†It should be observed that the terminology here is clearly hierarchical: ‘1st, 2nd, 3rd, then, then…’ (similar lists in other places lack this terminology) [the Kingdom of God is not a democracy]. Next, if God has appointed these functions, there must be a good reason for them, and to deliberately exclude any of them is to go against God. Here in Brazil, with a few exceptions, the churches have no place for teachers; they simply are not allowed. The consequences are not pretty.
Presumably even the most ardent ‘cessationist’ will grant that “teachers”, “helps” and “administrations” are still around. But this letter was written around 55 AD, well into the Church Age, therefore. Why would God “appoint in the Church” things that would be extinguished in a few decades. If miracles come “after” teachers, how can miracles be gone if teachers are still here? We have the command to “earnestly desire the best gifts”, so which ones are the best? Presumably those at the top of the hierarchical list. Why would God command us to earnestly desire a gift like apostleship, if He was going to extinguish it before the end of the first century? In such an event the command would be meaningless for the last 1900 years! presents of healings, helps, administrations, kinds of languages. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not miracle workers, are they? 30 All do not have presents of healings, do they? All do not speak languages, do they? All do not interpret, do they?‡The Greek grammar of verses 29 and 30 is plain: no gift is given to everybody—not everyone is an apostle and not everyone speaks languages. Those churches that teach that speaking in tongues is the necessary sign of being ‘baptized in the Spirit’ (and until you are ‘baptized’ you are a 2nd class citizen, if a citizen at all), have done untold damage to their people. Since the Holy Spirit simply does not give ‘tongues’ to everybody, those who do not get it are out in the cold. But the social pressure is intolerable, so many end up faking it. Since many of the leaders are also faking it, the social problem is solved; the person is ‘in’. But since Satan is the source of all lies, someone who fakes it is living a lie and invites Satan into his life. I have been in many Pentecostal, neo-pentecostal, charismatic, whatever churches and have heard thousands of people ‘speaking in tongues’—a large majority were faking it, while a few were speaking a real language, but under demonic control. A church that teaches a lie invites Satan into the church, and he does not hesitate. Of course some had the genuine gift. 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts.

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