HELPS
(Service)
1. The gift listed
A.1 Cor. 12:28, helps
1. antilāmpsis - plural feminine noun. The
significance of the feminine form here is to communicate the idea of inherent
responsiveness. The gift of helps responds to the physical needs of others
within the church fellowship.
2. anti = an exchange, in place of, also over against
in the sense of beside.
3. lāmpsis comes from lanbano, which means
to receive or to take.
4. Therefore, to take (assume) in place of; that is to
perform activity for someone else.
5. Thus the idea of helps and then service.
6. Compare the meaning of the verb,
antilambano.
a. Lk. 1:54, he has given help to Israel, his servant.
This is a reference to fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. (aorist middle
indicative)
b. Acts 20:35, exhortation to meet the material needs
of the sheep.
1. it is necessary: dei, present indicative
2. to help, present active infinitive
B. Romans 12:7
1. Whether service: diakonia. This is a feminine word
in FORM, which communicates the idea of responsiveness. All service is
inherently responding to the needs of others.
2. It comes from the verb, diakoneo, which means to serve,
help, support, care for.
3. It is used in this context, to indicate service other
than that indicated by the other gifts mentioned.
4. Therefore, service in the physical details of life.
C. There is no basis for making two separate gifts of
these two words since they both basically mean the same thing.
1. In 1 Cor. 12:28, Paul uses "helps" as the
technical title for the gift.
2. In Rom. 12:7, the performance of the gift is emphasized
with the word dikonia.
2. The basis for the proper function of the gift is the
standard mentioned at Romans 12:6.
A. The phrase in verse 7, "in his service" (Literally,
in the service, or in the act of service) goes back to the standard in
verse 6.
B. According to agreement with the Faith (not "his
faith), which applies to all the gifts in the context.
1. Kata = according to the standard of
2. Agreement: analogia, which has the idea of a message
(logia) again (ana) or "restated" to communicate
agreement with that message.
3. With The Faith: pistis with the definite article (the)
to refer to the whole body of Christian truth as it was "being"
revealed and established by the teachings and writings of the apostles.
(1 Tim. 4:6 with 3:14-16 and 2 Tim. 1:13)
3. Compared with the administration gift.
A. Administration is an authority gift whereas the gift
of helps is an action gift.
B. The authority gift delegates to the helps and he or
she gets things done.
C. So this gift is Divine ability and insight into solving
detail needs in the church.
D. The need for both gifts is indicated in Acts 6:1-6,
and probably both gifts are present.
1. Men chosen by the congregation.
2. Purpose: to handle detail needs.
a. called serving tables in verse 2, diakoneo
b. Called "in charge of this need" in verse
3.
kathistāmi, future active indicative + chreia (need).
3. Three factors of qualification:
a. good reputation: respected, is the verb martureo (present
passive participle) and refers to having a good witness or testimony.
b. The filling/control of the Spirit: spiritual consistency
and character reflection.
c. wisdom: knowledge content, advanced progress in growth.
4. The need required 7 men, so a variety of spiritual
gifts were chosen, even though gifts are not even
mentioned.
a. Stephen and Philip are evangelists.
b. The other men probably have the gift of helps with
maybe one administrator and/or financial.
5. But the point of the passage is that it indicates a
need, and establishes that there is a bona fide place
for a specialized ministry to handle the various "details" of
running a local church.
4. These men are thus designated as deacons or servers
based on the word - diakonos.
A. 1 Tim. 3:8, 12
B. 1 Tim. 3:11, the word women refers to women deacons.
cf. Rom. 16:1-2, Phoebe - helper of many (prostatis, which means one who
stands (histāmi) before (pro) so as to serve and assist.
C. But this office simply refers to a position in the
church and not a spiritual gift.
D. In actuality, a deacon could have one of several gifts.
helps, financial, counseling, exhorter, evangelist. In fact, even teachers
may function as deacons prior to formal function in their gift.
E. But most of the time they will have the gift of helps
as this is the most common gift in the church.
5. The qualifications for a deacon in 1 Tim. 3:8-12 also
indicate what is to be expected for a functioning helps gift.
6. Another probable example of a gift of helps is Gaius
in 3 Jn. 1-8.
A. The nature of his help is "detail" related.
B. Verse 5, indicates a consistent function in this detail help.
7. The specifics of this gift's expression can not be
given other than saying that it is Divine ability to handle details in
general.
Motivation and sensitivity and skill in serving so that
the leaders can concentrate on leading. Principle of Acts 6.2, 4
8. Occupational hazard of this gift:
A. Inferiority complex concerning his gift since it is
not as "in the public eye" as the authority
and leadership gifts. But this is handled through teaching 1 Cor. 12:14-26.
There is potential for jealousy, hatred, anger, bitterness, and insecurity
when the focus on grace is not present.
B. On the other hand, pride and self-centeredness can
easily tempt the person to seek more authority and influence than is provided
in the gift's Divine ability. (application of 1 Cor. 12. and Rom. 12.3)
