So, spiritual gifts are given to the community (baptized with water) for ministry, for the edification of the saints! The carnal Corinthians were given spiritual gifts to build themselves up into the Body of Christ, that is, for catechism and preparation for the baptism of the Holy Spirit! A reasonable question can be asked: why does the Lord God not give such spiritual gifts to the current parishes (baptized with water)? In the church, everything serves the preaching of the Gospel and catechism-teaching, and it is for fulfilling this mission, this work (for which the Church exists in this world) that spiritual gifts are given! And if no one preaches and no one teaches-catechizes, and no one hurries to be catechized-taught, then why are spiritual gifts needed?! The main thing is to hear the Word of God and fulfill it. Miracle, sign – so that a person listens to the Word, starts learning! Therefore, if there is no catechism, hearing the Word, then even if someone rises from the dead – they will not believe, will not repent! Since now no one hurries to catechize-teach, nor to be catechized, therefore there are no spiritual gifts (which are given only for this work (preaching-teaching)); a miracle, a sign precedes the Word, and since there is no service of the Word, therefore there are no gifts! God is Love!
“Baptism (salvation-healing, union with God) is performed only under the condition of similarity-correspondence to God, that is, under the condition of humility (for union with the Humble God), poverty of spirit (desire for the Holy Spirit, to unite with the One who is Divine Eros-Desire, Trinitarian Love, Self-Giving, Acceptance, and indescribable Kenosis-Self-Emptying) and conscious, free faith-trust, self-giving to Christ God, who divinely loved us! Be vigilant! You ask, what are these thoughts-remedies: about spiritual gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit, about the carnal (pagans) who have spiritual gifts and the Spiritual, that is, Christians? Why are these thoughts-remedies – comparing the carnal and the Spiritual? – They (these thoughts-truths) are primarily to prevent deception and self-deception! So that people are constantly vigilant and not credulous, but always test the spirits, prophets, teachers, mentors: whether they are from God or servants of the Antichrist! So as not to be deceived and not follow them when they see miracle workers, healers, exorcists, seers, preachers who can speak Orthodox truths (like, for example, the apostle Peter (miracle worker, raiser of the dead, exorcist (see Matthew 10:8), prophet (says what God reveals: ‘flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father’) in Caesarea Philippi called Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Son of God, but was walking the path of the Antichrist, in the opposite direction to the path of Christ, therefore heard from Christ: ‘Get behind Me, Satan! Follow Me!’ (Matthew 16:13-26, Mark 8:27-38, Luke 9:18-26)! Therefore, be vigilant: do not be tempted by miracles, signs, or even Orthodox words (texts-quotes from the Holy Scriptures, Orthodox dogmatic formulas, symbols of faith, quoting or retelling the words-sermons-exhortations of Christians) – all this the devil, Satan and his servants (false prophets, false teachers, false apostles…) have done and do! Be vigilant, discern the spirits! The most important criterion for discerning these spirits is: do they repent, that is, do they follow Christ (repentance = following Christ!), that is, have they renounced (or at least are renouncing) themselves (or have crucified (or at least are crucifying) their flesh with its passions and desires), do they carry their cross (in joy and thanksgiving), following Christ (diligently fulfilling all the commandments of God)? By their fruits, you will know them! The fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, truth, faith-knowledge… And the works of the flesh are also evident: greed, lust, pride, desire for power, love of money…
So, these thoughts-remedies are to prevent deception by the Antichrist (false prophets, false teachers, heretics…, who can perform miracles and signs, and even speak Orthodox truths by letter, but do not repent, do not follow Christ, do not fulfill His will, His commandments, but are in delusion-deception), to go away from Christ, against Christ, thinking and being convinced that I am following Christ, that I am serving God (see John 16:2)! These thoughts-remedies are also to prevent self-deception: when a person sees themselves endowed with spiritual gifts (ministerial! And gifts are given only for ministry!), that they can prophesy, heal, cast out demons (demons obey them), understand and interpret the Scriptures…, not to think that they are already something, that is, that they are already saved, baptized by the Holy Spirit! How many miracle workers, clairvoyants, exorcists, preachers, teachers-theologians… have perished (e.g., apostle Judas Iscariot). One Christian said: raising the dead, having unceasing memory of God, prayer, casting out demons, healing the sick… – this is not great (on the contrary, very dangerous! If used incorrectly, serving with these gifts (tools), one can severely harm or even destroy themselves: fall into demonic delusion-pride, go mad, commit suicide, etc.), but truly great – is to see oneself below all creation, the greatest, the last sinner, worse than all (true greatness is humility! Only the humble receive grace from God, and the more humility – the more grace, similarity to the Humble God, the more bliss! God baptizes with the Holy Spirit only the humble, regardless of whether the humble have spiritual gifts or not! But woe to those endowed with spiritual gifts who acquire pride instead of humility!). Many saints, when they were still catechumens, asked God to take away their spiritual gifts because they were cautious, knowing that this is a great responsibility and that one can destroy oneself with improper attitude towards them and use of them!