When He Is Come - Media Sabda Org

Judas Iscariot was highly favored, but the course he pursued led to his defeat. Imperfect moral
character may accompany great spiritual gifts. Those who are highly gifted, yet lacking in grace will
end in sorrow and disaster.
The apostle Paul concludes the great gift chapter by saying, "and yet show I unto you a more
excellent way" (I Cor. 12:31). Then he gives the great love chapter (I Cor. 13). Here he states that
the gifts of tongues, oratory, prophecy, the ability of understanding all mysteries, the gift of faith, and
that sacrifice and self-denial are nothing and profit self nothing without charity or love. Love is
better, greater, more profitable, more enduring, more pleasing to the Lord than these. When grace
and love accompany spiritual gifts and outbalance them, the possessor is blessed with a splendid
combination.
Two great men were born almost at the same time. Both were far famed and nation named. Each
died within a few months of the other and they died of the same disease. Their characters were
diverse. One was a blessing and the other one became a curse. One was blessed by an abundance of
grace and the other one was cursed with unbelief. Both appeared before the public and hundreds
went to hear them. One believed in God, in Christ the Son of God, and the inspiration of the Bible;
but the other one was an atheist, denying the Deity of Christ. One was the means of many being
converted, of Bible Schools being established where many were trained for the ministry; while the
other one lectured against Christianity, wrecking the faith of many. One was the servant of the Lord,
helping the Lord to populate heaven; but the other one was the servant of Satan, helping him to
populate hell. When the former was dying, some of his last words were: "This is my triumph; this
is my coronation day! I have been looking forward to it for years." When the other one died, the
Dobbs Ferry home was desolate and dark. The former was none other than D. L. Moody and the
latter one was Bob Ingersoll. Some time before Moody died he said, "One of these days you will read
in big headlines that D. L. Moody, of Northfield, Massachusetts, is dead. Don't you believe a word
of it because then I shall be more alive than ever." Some time before Bob Ingersoll died he said,
"There is no God. I will prove it to you." He pulled out his watch and said, "If there is a God, I will
give Him five minutes to strike me dead." The five minutes passed by and nothing happened. He
said, "See, I have proven unto you there is no God." That did not prove the nonexistence of God, but
rather proved the patience of God. Why should there be such a great difference between these two
men? We understand both had Christian parents. One possessed the gift of salvation and a gift to
evangelize, plus the measure of grace and the love of God to make him a holy man and well balanced
in his gifts. Ingersoll, the infidel, rejected the Saviour and refused the grace of Christ. He was a
dangerous person. All who are highly gifted should pray for sufficient grace and divine love in order
to be well balanced in their heart life and ministry, to be holy so that God will be glorified, His cause
honored, and self kept humble and usable in the sight of God and the people.
VI. Best Spiritual Gifts Are To Be Coveted
In writing the great "Gift" chapter, Paul concludes by saying, "But covet earnestly the best gifts"
(I Cor. 12:31). Then in the great "Tongues" chapter, he begins by saying, "Follow after charity and
desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy" (I Cor. 14:1). To prophesy evidently means
to forthtell, or to preach. To covet in this text means to desire gifts for one's self in order to become
more useful. In I Cor. 12:31 and 14:1, we are commanded to "covet" and to "desire spiritual gifts";