Spiritual gifts may be divisive and intimidating. The core principles are obvious in Scripture, yet we are frequently at odds on how those concepts should be carried out.
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Some people appear to cultivate spiritual talents insufficiently, while others appear to practice them excessively. Before we can use spiritual gifts effectively, we must first grasp what they are.
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Table of Contents
The Basics Of Spiritual Gifts
Josh drew a useful picture of spiritual gifts in his earlier essay, and I’d want to delve more into them. Three major texts teach about spiritual gifts: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4.
In each case, the apostle Paul depicts the church as a body in which every element works together to benefit everyone.
The purpose of spiritual talents is church expansion. Gifts should not be flaunted, but rather used to assist others.
Spiritual abilities appear to be peculiar to the Church Age. That is not to say that none of these characteristics were there previously, but because they are given to those who have the Holy Spirit—and He did not fill every believer before then—it follows that these gifts are only found in Spirit-filled Christians (i.e. those in the church).
As a result, our concept of spiritual gifts is essentially based on our knowledge of the early church and the New Testament.
When it comes to spiritual talents, the Bible leaves some things open-ended, so having different ideas about them is reasonable.
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I want to be careful not to just impose my prejudices on the Bible. However, I believe that Scripture provides certain clues that guide our interpretation of these abilities.
The categories that follow are an attempt to comprehend these talents in light of the meta-narrative of Scripture.
Spiritual gifts appear to fall into three groups in my research. The first category is the Revelatory Gifts, which include apostles, prophets, words of wisdom, and words of knowledge.
To summarize, these are the gifts that were provided for the revelation of fresh knowledge, the truth that is not included in God’s Word.
Comprehension of the New Testament canon is critical to our understanding of these talents (the canon is the list of the writings that have been identified and accepted as Scripture).
The early church arose during a time when there was no acknowledged collection of authorized books concerning Christ. The New Testament was still being composed at the time.
In a period when no other authority was accessible, God provided apostles and prophets to preach the truth—about Christ and His message.
They were charged with speaking the truth about God, revealing His will, His gospel, His salvation, and His truth. However, once the New Testament was formed, they were no longer required.
These apostles and prophets were superseded by a higher authority—written God’s Word.
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As a result, I don’t believe these revelatory offices are still in operation now. Those who claim apostolic authority claim to hear from and speak for God, but I don’t believe that is consistent with Scripture.
Three factors lead me to assume that these revelatory talents have ceased to exist:
The church, according to Ephesians 2:20, is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Not the apostles and prophets themselves, but the message they preached—Christ—serve as the basis.
The purpose of these talents is revealed here: to lay the foundation for the church by proclaiming the gospel.
In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul claims he has set the foundation and that “no other foundation can anybody lay than that which has been established, namely is Jesus Christ.”
And, because the groundwork has already been built (by the New Testament), no one can contribute to it.
The Bible provides us with all we require. In 2 Timothy 3:17, Paul declares that the man of God, the Christian, maybe full via Scripture.
If we say that God has revealed something new to us, we are directly contradicting this scripture. We claim that God’s Word is insufficient when in reality it is.
A so-called apostle or prophet who claims to speak for God rejects that the Bible is adequate.
The apostles do not establish additional apostles. “After the apostolic period ended, the apostles did not appoint new apostles to govern the church.”
Rather, they appointed elders (Titus 1:5; see also 2 Timothy 2:2).” And the church did not anticipate the arrival of new apostles.
To be sure, the office of the apostle is still alive today, since when we read the New Testament, we are reading their own writings as well as other texts that they confirmed.
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Miraculous Gifts
The second category will be known as Miraculous Gifts. Healing, miracles, and speaking in and understanding languages are all examples of this.
These gifts defy the established rules that govern our universe, and as such, they are the most astonishing and exhilarating—they are visible manifestations of God’s might.
That is also why they are the most contentious gifts. Should we, however, expect to see similar practices in use today?
Both yes and no. These abilities, I think, were initially provided to validate the truth against falsehoods and error, particularly in regions where God’s Word is not recognized or accepted.
God confirmed the apostles’ ministry via miracles and wonders as they preached the gospel (cf. Heb. 2:4).
God performed miracles through them to demonstrate to the world that they had been sent by Him and that they were actually preaching the truth.
Three thousand persons believed the gospel the first time Christians spoke in tongues (Acts 2).
The listeners were probably impressed by the tongue-speaking, but it wasn’t what made them alter their minds.
Instead, the message that was conveyed transformed them. In reality, the languages appear to have been secondary to the gospel message.
Tongues were only provided so that language would not prevent people from hearing and understanding the gospel.
These gifts strengthen and legitimize the propagation of the genuine gospel.
As the Word takes root, however, these gifts wane and are replaced with a higher force and authority—the Bible.
We sometimes believe that the miraculous is bigger than the written Word, yet the Bible demonstrates a contrary trend.
As the Word of God is preached, comprehended, and embraced, the miracles always fade into the background.
So, what about within the church? What about, say, speaking in tongues? Again, not everything is specified in the Bible, but two points are obvious from 1 Corinthians 14:
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1. Tongues are used to validate the gospel. They are not intended to validate one’s salvation. Nowhere in the Bible does it imply that speaking in tongues is a requirement for real salvation. It also never implies that every Christian would be able to talk in tongues. In truth, it speaks about variety and the many gifts bestowed to each Christian.
2. Tongues should only be used if they are intelligible. 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 make this very apparent. If a person’s speech in another language cannot be translated and understood, it has no place in the church.
The senseless chatter that is sometimes passed off as tongues contradicts the Bible’s teaching on languages.
These supernatural talents did have an impact on church history. If we deny the reality of the Bible, we are obliged to deny much of it.
But we also disrespect and disobey Scripture when we exaggerate those abilities or use them in ways that contradict what it teaches.
Ministering Gifts
The Ministering Gifts are the third category. They are the most important, yet least appreciated, presents.
Preaching, teaching, encouragement, service/helping, leading/administrating, giving, mercy, faith, spiritual discernment, evangelism, and shepherding/teaching are some of them.
These gifts are offered for the church’s protection, encouragement, and expansion.
Ephesians 4 describes this:
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. . . . And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
Despite the fact that this text-only mentions a few specific gifts, it begins by talking about the gifts we all have.
And it explains why these talents are given in the first place: to equip the saints and to build up the church.
God bestowed talents on the church in order for it to become more like Christ. The primary purpose of gifts is to sanctify ourselves. We become more like Christ when we work together to use the gifts that have been entrusted to us.
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This is true for all gifts, but it is especially true for ministry gifts. The revelatory gifts reveal the truth about Christ and His church, the miraculous gifts bear witness to the truth and lead others to Christ, and the ministering gifts strengthen and sanctify those who have embraced Christ and become members of His body.
These ministerial gifts are critical to the growth of the church. We all grow in Christ-likeness as a result of our use of them.
FAQ.
1. Word of wisdom. 2. Word of knowledge. 3. Faith. 4. Gifts of healings. 5. Miracles. 6. Prophecy. 7. Distinguishing between spirits. 8. Tongues.
Healing and other miracles can still be discovered in the Church today, albeit they aren't usually spectacular or publicized since individuals who have experienced them regard them as sacrosanct. Look for miracles in your own life, as well as the lives of your family members or ancestors.
1. Request that others inform you. We don't always recognize ourselves in the same way that others do. 2. In times of struggle, look for gifts. 3. Pray for guidance in recognizing your talents. 4. Don't be frightened to try new things. 5. Look into God's word. 6. Take a look about you. 7. Consider the individuals you admire. 8. Consider your family.
Greater productivity in ministry and greater encouragement and support within the church of Christ are the results of each believer recognizing and applying his or her spiritual talent. What Are The Spiritual Gifts Today?
Are Miracles Still Performed Today?
How Do I Know My Gift Of The Holy Spirit?
What Is The Greatest Gift That God Has Given To The World?
Why Are Spiritual Gifts Important?
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