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1. Spiritual gifts are God-given ABILITIES.
Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant (1 Corinthians 12:1).
a. Spiritual gifts are different from NATURAL or ACQUIRED abilities.
“Gifts” (Charisma) – a gift of grace.
In the English language, “gift” can mean either a “present” (Father’s Day gift) or a “talent” (gifted musician). A spiritual gift is both a present and a talent.
b. There are MANY kinds of spiritual gifts.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
God intends for there to be diversity and unity in the church. There are many gifts but one Giver. (There is diversity and unity in the Godhead: Father, Son, and Spirit.)
Four lists of spiritual gifts:
· 1 Corinthians 12
· Romans 12:3-8
· Ephesians 4:7-12
· 1 Peter 4:10-11
There are at least twenty gifts mentioned in the New Testament. And there could be more. Some of the spiritual gifts are:
· Teaching
· Serving
· Encouraging
· Leadership
· Mercy
· Evangelism
· Administration
· Tongues
· Interpreting tongues
· Healing
· Prophesying
What about the gift of tongues?
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 13:8-12).
Christians are divided on this issue. Here are a few considerations:
· The gift of tongues on the Day of Pentecost was a reversal of the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). “That is why it was called Babel [Babel sounds like the Hebrew word for confused]—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:9). The multiplicity of tongues (languages) was not God’s original purpose for mankind. In the church, people of all nations have been brought together as one.
· Tongues “will be stilled…when perfection comes [when that which is perfect comes (NKJV)]” (1 Corinthians 13:8, 10). Some (cessationists) say that “perfection” means the completion of the New Testament; others say that “perfection” refers to Christ’s second coming.
· Many Christians believe there are two kinds of tongues in the New Testament: real languages (Acts 2) and ecstatic utterances (1 Corinthians 12-14). (The Greek word for “tongues” is glossa, which only has two meanings: the organ in the mouth and a language.)
· The gift of tongues is not mentioned in the other lists of spiritual gifts. It is emphasized in First Corinthians because the gift of tongues was being abused by the Corinthians.
· “In the Law it is written: ‘Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,’ says the Lord. Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22; cf. Isaiah 28:11-12). In Isaiah’s day, the people of Israel did not listen to the clear word of God through the prophets. So God announced that He would punish them by allowing the Assyrians (“men of strange tongues”) to conquer them. In Paul’s day, tongues were a sign to unbelieving Jews had not accepted the word of God through Jesus and the apostles.
· Paul gives three restrictions for the public use of tongues: (1) only two or three should speak in a meeting; (2) they should do so one at a time; and (3) there must be interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).
· “Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Corinthians 12:29). The implied answer is, “No.” (Those who say that you must speak in tongues in order to be truly saved are wrong.)
c. Every believer is given at least ONE spiritual gift.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7).
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines (1 Corinthians 12:11).
d. Spiritual gifts are most likely given at CONVERSION.
2. Every spiritual gift is IMPORTANT.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while are presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it (1 Corinthians 12:12-26; cf. Romans 12:3-8).
ILLUSTRATION: The church is like a body; each member has an important function (e.g., hand and eye).
No believer has all the gifts; we need one another.
3. Spiritual gifts are intended for SERVICE.
Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12).
It was [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10).
ILLUSTRATION: The hand and the eye serve one another. The eye shows the hand where throw the Frisbee. The hand stops the Frisbee from hitting the eye.
The traditional image of the local church is of an overworked pastor, assisted by a small nucleus of dedicated workers, while the majority of members make little contribution to the church’s life and work. “You are the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
4. Spiritual gifts are not a guarantee of SPIRITUALITY.
Every Christian has a spiritual gift, but not every Christian is spiritual (filled with the Spirit).
You do not lack any spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 1:7).
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1).
And now I will show you the most excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:3).
5. Spiritual gifts do not LIMIT you to only one kind of service.
ILLUSTRATION: Just because I have the gift of teaching doesn’t mean I am excused from serving in other ways. “That’s not my gift!”
Gifts are given to some; commands are given to all. (Example: To share the gospel is a command for everyone, not just those with the gift of evangelism.)
6. Spiritual gifts are developed through constant USE.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully (Romans 12:6-8).
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline (1 Timothy 1:6-7).
Not knowing your gift is not an excuse to not serve.
ILLUSTRATION: You won’t know if you’re good at a game or sport unless you try it.
RESOURCES USED
Michael Green, I Believe in the Holy Spirit
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology
John Stott, Baptism and Fullness
Merrill F. Unger, New Testament Teaching on Tongues
