QUESTIONS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS
By
Jerry Falwell
A. INTRODUCTION
Last week I introduced spiritual gifts with the verse, "But each one has his own gift from God" (I Cor. 7:7 NKJV). When I was saved not much was said about spiritual gifts, but today everyone seems to have questions about spiritual gifts because:
1. Dispensational writers are showing us the church dispensation is also the dispensation of the Holy Spirit.
2. The emergence of the Charismatic Movement and their emphasis on the sign gifts has forced us to look at the serving gifts. My emphasis today is not on seeking a sign gift but USING THE GIFT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
3. The various Spiritual Gift Inventories have awakened interest in finding one’s spiritual gift. I believe ours is one of the best because:
a. It is biblical, it has Bible verses included.
b. It is practical, it helps people know themselves.
c. It is comprehensive, it will compare you to all the serving gifts.
B. QUESTIONS PEOPLE ARE ASKING
1. Are church leaders the only people with spiritual gifts? Some who just sit in the pew think they are not gifted. I Cor. 7:7 says, "Each one has his own spiritual gift." Also, I Peter 4:10, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another."
a. You can’t hide behind the excuse, "I don’t have a gift."
b. Many of you are like the baseball player with a lot of talent but you strike out and make errors. The pastor, like the coach, has to look within the player to motivate him to use the talent he has.
2. Is natural talent and spiritual giftedness the same thing? No! A spiritual gift is not natural ability, nor is spiritual giftedness augmented talent. A spiritual gift is the work of the Holy Spirit through a person. How do you get the Holy spirit to work through you?
a. Seek the Lord’s presence in your life. "If any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spoke he of the Spirit . . ." (John 7:37-39).
b. Seek to be used. Notice the prayer of the old hymn.
Breathe on me breath of God,
Fill me with life anew.
That I may love what thou dost love,
And do what thou wouldst do.
c. Ask for His filling. The Holy Spirit will fill us and use us if we ask. Notice the command, "Be filled with the spirit" (Eph. 5:18). Since it’s a command, you must obey.
d. My observations about your natural talent and your spiritual gift.
(1) Some with great natural talent also are spiritually gifted to use that talent because they have yielded to God.
(2) Some with great natural talent are not used of God, nor is their spiritual giftedness manifested through that talent. The Bible calls these people "sounding brass and a clanging symbol." They make a lot of noise, but don’t edify anyone.
(3) Some with little or marginal talent are used of God in a far greater way than their natural talent. Some singers with average talent are used in great ways because it is the Holy Spirit working through them.
(4) The Holy Spirit doesn’t usually give a spiritual gift to someone in an area where they have no talent.
(a) Can’t sing, so God doesn’t use them as singers.
(b) Can’t speak, so God doesn’t use them as preachers.
(c) Every rule has its exception--because God can do anything He wants to do. David Ring is an exception. The Holy Spirit powerfully uses him in spite of his limitations.
3. How many gifts may a person have?
a. Charles Ryrie teaches each person has at least three.
b. The parable of the talents suggests the first servant had 5 talents, the second servant had 3 talents, and the final servant had only one. This was the number of talents they had at the beginning of the parable, BUT faithful use of a talent led to more talents.
c. My observations:
(1) Some Christians have only a few. "Every- one has received the gift" (I Peter 4:10) seems to imply some have only one gift.
(2) Every Christian can get more. "Desire earnestly the best gifts" (I Cor. 12:31).
(3) Every Christian embryonically has all gifts. Because all Christians get the Holy Spirit when they are saved . . . and the person of the Holy Spirit is the energy of your gift
. . . then all Christians have embryonically all gifts. Every Christian has the potential of growing every spiritual gift.
(4) Don’t just sit and be satisfied with what you have. Do more for God and grow more gifts.
4. Can a Spiritual Gift in one believer be greater than in another?
a. In the parable of the talents, faithfulness was the basis for rewarding the servant with more talents. Therefore, those who are most faithful, usually have the greatest blessing on their ministry. Some call this the doctrine of blessability. God blesses those who are blessable.
b. In the mercy of God, the Lord used the gift of some when the servant was not faithful. I hear of some sinning preachers who are used (probably marginally) before their sin was discovered. God was not blessing the preacher, he was blessing the spiritual gift in the preacher. And if the preacher had been faithful, God would have used him in a much greater way.
5. Can Someone seek a Spiritual Gift they don’t have?
Yes! But first, gifts are given sovereignly by the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:4). Second, Paul wanted to give gifts to the believers in Rome. "I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift" (Rom. 1:11). Third, we are commanded "desire earnestly the best gifts" (I Cor. 12:31). Fourth, the faithful servants in the parable of the talents had their talents doubled for faithfulness.
6. If I lose a gift, can I get it back?
Yes! First, the servant with one talent in the parable of the talents hid his talent in the ground. It was taken from him. That has happened to some of you. Second, I believe the talent is not completely wiped out. It’s like a fire where the flame has gone out. Third, Paul tells Timothy to "stir up the gift which is in thee" (I Tim. 1:6). I believe the gift was there embryonically, like fire is in a hot coal, and it can be stirred up into a flame. A backslider must come back to God before God will restore the use of his spiritual gift.
7. What is the relationship between the Fruit of the Spirit and the Gift of the Spirit?
First, the fruit of the Spirit is your character. Your character is defined "habitually doing the right thing in the right way." "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, temperance (self control)" (Gal. 5:22, 23).
Second, the gift of the Spirit is your ability to serve the Lord in His strength. I like the way the Living Bible explains it: "Now God gives us many kinds of special abilities, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are many ways in which God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work in all through all of us who are His. The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church" (I Cor. 12:4-7).
Third, my observation:
a. God will and does use your character (spiritual fruit) even when you serve God where you are not gifted.
b. God will and does use your spiritual gift, even when you lack character. (This explains why God used grouchy or mean preachers).
c. God’s best blessing and full use is on those whose gifts and character are a perfect match.
8. A Final Question about Questions.
a. Your biggest question is not "what is my gift?", but will you use what you know you have? I would ask you what God asked Moses, "What is in thy hand?" The answer, a common rod. When given to God, the rod becomes a powerful tool.
b. Your next questions is not "how can I find more gifts?", but will you use what you have. The question is not your ability, but your willingness. Are you willing to be anything, go anywhere, do anything and say anything?
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Contact us and ask for a copy of The How To Book or use The How To Book Online (Falwell.com). It is a booklet that will answer many of the questions you are sure to have about living the Christian life. And when you contact us, tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
