As each
has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s
varied grace. -1 Peter 4:10
Spiritual
gifts empower Christians to serve, unify and build up the church. We should be
intentional about putting them to good use. The Holy Spirit transforms the minds of believers, unites
us into the Body of Christ and gives us a variety of gifts to serve the church.
We need to identify these spiritual gifts and learn how to use them to build up
the church and bring unity. To guide us in this endeavor, we will examine 4 main passages of Scripture.
Passage 1: Romans 12:6-8
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to
us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service in our
serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his
exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with
zeal; the one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness.
PROPHECY:
If prophecy, in proportion to our faith
Think of some places in our culture that you are
likely to encounter false prophecy. Perhaps television, bookstores, social media,
online news sources, blogs or magazines? What types of false prophecy might you
come across? Recent books have forecast prophecies by the moon and stars or by
the interpretation harbingers. All of these are forbidden in Isaiah
47:13-14 and Deuteronomy 18:10-14.
The gift of prophecy can be
controversial. Because there are so many opportunities for Christians to be
misled, I will give special attention to this gift and how it was used in the
first century. Prophecy is frequently defined as speaking with divine authority
about the past, present or future.
Because the canon of Scripture is
closed, there will be no more prophecies given about the end times. Outside of
the book of Revelation, future prophecy was rare in the Post-Resurrection New
Testament and when it was given, it was never given for personal profit or
selfish gain.
Acts 11:27-30 records an event where a
prophet named Agabus stood up and
predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine. The disciples
from Antioch responded by sacrificially giving so they could send relief to the
people of Judea. This type of prophecy seems rare in our time, though God is
sovereign and may communicate as He wills. With the availability of modern
transportation and communication, we can rapidly respond to disaster through
organizations like Samaritan’s purse. The application for us is to wisely
budget, plan, prepare and donate time, money and resources to help in times of
crisis.
Another manifestation of the gift of
prophecy is the ability to preach the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:31 records that the disciples prayed and God gave
them tremendous bravery through the Spirit to proclaim the word in the face of
great opposition. The word prophet, or prophetes,
was used by the Greeks to refer to someone who could interpret oracles, or
prophecies. It is proper to apply this in a Christian setting to someone who is
gifted by the Spirit with the ability to understand, interpret and explain
Biblical prophesies well, especially with regard to how Old Testament prophecy
is fulfilled in the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 14:3 provides the
clearest definition of the gift of prophecy, showing how the helper and
counselor, the Holy Spirit, works through people:
The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
These words describe building the
church and the individuals in it by helping them to grow in Christian wisdom,
grace and the knowledge of our Lord. They describe coming alongside a person,
family, or church to offer helpful, persuasive and even corrective instruction
when necessary to guide people through difficult situations and keep them on
the right path. This passage also describes offering comfort and counsel to
someone in need with Biblical wisdom and insight for applying Scripture.
Brotherly support, instruction, correction, strengthening, comfort and love are
the purpose of this spiritual gift.
The gift of prophecy is about being
sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It’s about being teachable and
being willing to say what God wants us to say and do what He wants us to do to
strengthen, build, correct and encourage the church.
In the next chapter, we will look at 2 special types of prophetic ministry,
Words of Knowledge and Words of Wisdom.
SERVICE:
if service, in our serving
The gift of service, or ministry, is
the ability to assist others and meet their needs. It comes from the root word
for serving tables, because those who minister to the Body of Christ, serve and
take care of the body. Those with this gift feed the church, care for its needs
and look out for the interests of others.
There are a variety of benevolence
ministries in the church where someone with this gift might serve. They could volunteer
to serve meals, operate a food pantry, supervise a loan closet or coordinate a
clothing ministry. They receive deep satisfaction and joy from serving others
and consider it a privilege to be able to do so. James wrote:
If a brother or sister is without clothes and lacks daily
food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, stay warm, and be well fed,”
but you don’t give them what they body needs, what good is it.” (CSB)
The Holy Spirit empowers people through
this ministry gift to show the love of Jesus by meeting people’s physical needs
so that their hearts may be softened to have their spiritual needs met.
TEACHING:
the one who teaches in his teaching
The gift of teaching is given for the
purpose of equipping others. Someone with this ability can explain difficult
things in a way that is easy to understand. A gifted teacher will be consumed
with the word of God and passionate about helping others to understand it.
Jesus forbids New Testament teachers from bearing the title Rabbi. Rabbis
collected disciples for themselves. But Didasko, Teachers, those with the gift
of didaskalia, make disciples for
Christ.
Teachers equip other believers for the
work of ministry. A teacher is probably someone who enjoys speaking in front of
people and leading discussions about the Bible. A Spirit-empowered teacher can
graciously correct brothers and sisters in Christ. A person with the gift of
teaching will love to study God’s word and have a burning desire to share what
the Holy Spirit has taught them with others.
EXHORTATION:
the one who exhorts, in his exhortation
The gift of exhortation is the
Spirit-empowered ability to call people into action. Someone with this gift can
recognize the giftings and callings in other people’s lives and call them into
service. Exhortation tells people how to respond to God’s word and apply it to
their lives.
An exhorter can stir others up,
spurring them on to love and good deeds. Exhorters strengthen and build up the
church, helping people to be courageous and unafraid. They plead with their
peers to become active participants in the ministry of the church, urging
others to serve and share the Gospel.
Those with the gift of exhortation serve
the Body of Christ by mobilizing and maximizing each part as the Holy Spirit
works through them to encourage, counsel and set ministry in motion. An
exhorter can get people out of their seats and into the streets to spread the
Gospel.
GIVING:
the one who contributes, in generosity
A person with the gift of giving is
generous with their resources, viewing them as a gift from God. We have some
people in our Sunday Morning Bible Fellowship with the gift of giving. They
feel like God has blessed them to be a blessing to others. When they hear of
someone in need, they do not hesitate to open their purses and wallets. In
fact, it gives them great joy to be able to help. Giving can also extend beyond
money to include time, resources, etc.
A giver might take pleasure in giving
money to support vital ministries. They probably give above and beyond their
tithe on a regular basis. They feel happiness from donating food, clothing,
money or other items to provide for those in need.
LEADERSHIP:
the one who leads, with zeal
Leadership in this usage refers to
those who watch over the church in a superintending role. This is someone who presides
over church affairs with enthusiasm and who goes before others, setting a good
example. These are people who look out for the well-being of others and help
them find their place of service and ministry in the church. They protect
against false teachers, guard the peace of the assembly and ensure that
believers are being equipped.
Leaders should be patient when others
make mistakes. They enjoy helping people to realize their gifts and use them to
their fullest potential. Their sights are set on fulfilling the Great
Commission and they lead others in that direction. They organize opportunities
for church members to grow, reach out, serve and share the Gospel. Leaders take
pleasure in watching others thrive and become successful. They find joy and purpose
in equipping others to be capable and confident.
SHOWING MERCY:
the one who does acts of mercy with
cheerfulness
Mercy and compassion are key aspects of
the character of God that are brought about in the lives of believers by the
Holy Spirit. Psalm 145:8 declares:
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and
abounding in steadfast love.
This gift goes beyond feeling sorry for
someone and moves people into the action of demonstrating kindness to those who
need it most. Mercy is the showing of compassion to drug addicts, prostitutes,
those who are imprisoned, drunks and others on the fringe of society. Mercy
extends God’s forgiveness to those who are being devoured by sin. Mercy looks the
most vile of sinners in the face, realizes but for the grace of God this could
be me, and then treats them with dignity, honor, respect and most importantly
love, the kind of love that tells them of the cleansing, healing, restoring,
forgiving power of Jesus and invites them to respond.
Romans 12:9-15 lists other abilities
the Holy Spirit brings forth in our lives:
FAITH:
Rejoice in hope; be patient in
tribulation
Faith is the opposite of despair, doubt
and despondency. The Holy Spirit fills us with hope and helps us to trust in
God. Faith enables us to endure difficult situations and to pray through them
with persistence.
Have you ever been going through a difficult or
traumatic situation and someone came alongside you bringing hope and comfort? Have
you ever needed to lean on someone who had faith in times when you were
doubting?
A person with the gift of faith can share their
confidence and trust in God with others in moments of the most crucial need. They
trust that God cares about His children and that He actively responds to
prayer. A person with special faith might fervently believe that God will heal
someone or they might be confident in the hope that He supernaturally protects
us when we pray and ask Him to. Faith is often expressed through prayer. Those
with this gift believe that prayer can change any circumstance to bring glory
to God and they impart their faith to others.
PRAYER
Be constant in Prayer
Prayer is intimate communication with God through
the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. This gift is available to all Christians
the moment we believe and cry out to Him. To be constant means to pray without
ceasing, to be faithful in prayer, to be steadfast and devoted to prayer. Ephesians
6:18 encourages us to pray this way:
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request and stay
alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. (CSB)
A life of Prayer is about consistently seeking
and asking God. It is about sincerely seeking His will and persistently asking
Him for what we need and earnestly desire.
Intercession is when we pray for others and on
their behalf. I have witnessed occasions when the Holy Spirit laid a certain
person or family on someone’s heart to pray for them. When the praying person
followed up, they found out that the person was injured or a family member was
in the emergency room. They prayed with the Spirit. Any time a person suddenly
pops up in your thoughts and you feel concerned for their well-being, you
should pray because the Holy Spirit may be leading you to do so. Often times,
when praying for someone who is sick or injured, the Holy Spirit will guide us
as to how to pray and what to pray for. He does the same thing when we pray for
wisdom, for guidance and over various aspects of our lives. We need to open our
hearts and listen when we pray.
Those who are gifted in prayer have an essential
role in the church. They pray as the Holy Spirit guides them to ask for
protection, resources and provision for their church. They pray for leaders to
have wisdom and souls to be saved. They pray for families, children and
communities. They pray for peace and safety. They pray over all aspects of a
churches ministry and for its members. We might only truly know in eternity how
great their impact was.
Some believers are skillful and gifted prayer
warriors with a rich and vibrant prayer life, others have a lot of growth still
ahead of them, but all have access to this special present. Prayer is the
master key that releases us from the chains of fear and opens the door to
receive God’s blessing. Gifts from the Holy Spirit, such as healing and
miracles are the result of Faith expressed through Prayer. Wisdom from the Holy
Spirit comes to us in times of prayer. The word pray means to ask. Prayer is about seeking God’s will,
His purpose, His plan, His power and His presence in our lives.
HOSPITALITY:
Seek to show Hospitality
The Holy Spirit specially equips some
people with the ability to make others feel welcome. They strengthen the bond
between believers by developing a sense of belonging. They remove anxiety,
helping people to feel comfortable and relaxed, putting their minds at ease. Someone
with the gift of hospitality finds pleasure in providing fellowship and
comradery in a way that is warm, and friendly, like family. They create an
environment where people feel wanted and appreciated.
These gifted servants might enjoy hosting
gatherings in their home. They seek to include people outside of their normal
peer group. They might invite someone who just moved to town over for dinner or
hold a weekly Bible study in their living room. Hospitality can be extended to
both unbelievers and believers. It can aid in both outreach and fellowship.
Providing a comforting atmosphere for a funeral meal or planning a welcome
dinner for a new pastor are examples of this. We are all called to be
hospitable, but someone with this gift can take a leading and teaching role.
EMPATHY:
Rejoice with those who rejoice;
weep with those who weep
Empathy is the ability to put yourself
in someone else’s shoes, view a situation through their eyes and come alongside
them with compassion & understanding. This gift is also meant to help bring
peace and harmony to the church. An empathetic person can see things from
another’s point of view and reason together with them in a brotherly way.
This gift often works hand in hand with
showing mercy. It is a special gift to not only be able to sympathize with
someone going through a hard time, but to also be able to help.
Conclusions from Romans 12:6-8
The Holy Spirit unites the Body of
Christ together in peace, with all of our unique personalities and gifts, and
makes us into one. God has given us different
gifts, but all are important. No one should ever be arrogant because of their
gift. All of the gifts are interconnected like the hand is connected to the
arm. They work together in beautiful harmony. Teaching equips believers to use
their gifts. Exhortation calls and directs those gifts into service. Giving provides
the means for Service. Faith is evidenced through Prayer. Empathy is put into
action through Showing Mercy. Our gifts are meant to serve, equip and help one
another as the Holy Spirit ministers through us bringing harmony to the church.
We should humbly employ our gifts for the benefit of others.
Passage 2: 1 Corinthians 12: 1-30:
In the same way that the human body has
many parts, all of great importance, the Holy Spirit gives members of the Body
of Christ a variety of Spiritual Gifts, each with an important function. The
major theme of this chapter is equality among the people of God. This passage
introduces several new spiritual gifts that were not covered in Romans 12. We
all have different gifts, but are equally important as brothers and sisters.
All of the gifts are sent by God for the well-being of the whole church. No
gift should be banned and no one should be mistreated or favored on the basis
of their gift.
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties
of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To
each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. -1
Corinthians 12:4-7
1 Corinthians 12:8-11 and 28 mention
additional spiritual gifts.
WORDS of WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE:
For to one is given through the Spirit
the utterance of wisdom to another the utterance of knowledge according to the
same Spirit
Colossians 2:3 tells us that all of the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ Jesus. Through the Holy
Spirit inside of us, we have access to that wisdom and knowledge. In chapter seven
we learned that one type of prophetic ministry involves giving comfort, wise
counsel and advice to help people through difficult situations. One of the ways
that God accomplishes this is by giving us the ability to speak words of wisdom
and knowledge.
Knowledge, or gnosis, refers
to facts. A word of knowledge could mean that a person recalls the teachings
and principles of Scripture, or remembers a passage of the Bible that applies
to a specific situation. Any knowledge found in the world through natural
revelation or through special revelation in Scripture can be supernaturally
given to a believer or brought to our attention at just the right moment.
Knowledge refers to all good and proper learning of the Bible and all subjects.
God helps us to be perceptive and understanding in all situations. Jesus told
the disciples that when they were persecuted and brought before authorities,
not to worry about what they would say because the Holy Spirit would tell them
what to speak.
God may reveal special knowledge to a
person about how to reach or minister to another. He might give us something
specific to pray for when it comes to healing a physical injury or medical
condition or mending a familial relationship. I can attest that He has guided
me about how to pray for any variety of situations and needs when I was
listening and sensitive while praying for someone.
Wisdom, or sophia, refers
to the application of knowledge. To be wise is to be prudent, to show
discretion and to be skillful in managing things. A wise person has the ability
to use and apply knowledge. In the same way that Solomon was made wise by God,
we are given great wisdom and decision making ability through the Holy Spirit.
All Christians have access that level of wisdom.
Words of Knowledge and Wisdom are
important ministries:
A word spoken in due season is like apples of gold in
settings of silver. –Proverbs 25:11
A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a
timely word! –Proverbs 15:23
The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are
instructed to know how to sustain the weary with a word. –Isaiah 50:4
Words of Knowledge and Wisdom refresh
us when we are worn out and beat up by the world. They comfort our hearts and
set things in motion
Words of Knowledge and Wisdom are used
to give guidance and wise advice to benefit the church and encourage believers.
God equips people to guide churches and individuals through times of crises, to
minister well and to prepare for the future. These words help us to make good
decisions and remain strengthened in our resolve.
I appreciate the rendering of this gift
as Utterances of Knowledge and Wisdom
because it is a spoken gift. This is a gift that the Holy Spirit gives to
another person by speaking through us. He might lead us to share the Gospel
with a stranger and give us just the right words to say. He might give us the
perfect words of comfort to someone who is hurting or encouragement to someone
with doubts.
This gift can partner with the gift of
exhortation to recognize someone’s gifts and call them into action. The Holy
Spirit can use us to lovingly give corrective or directive advice to a brother
or sister in Christ. He might urge us to speak up about an important course of
action for the church, to offer correction or to lead in a new positive
direction.
Words of Knowledge, Words of Wisdom and
Prophecy, all fall into the category of Spirit-Led, Spirit-Empowered ministry.
Part of the role of the Holy Spirit as our Parakletos,
is to counsel, lead and guide us. Reflect on these Old Testament verses which
anticipate the coming of the Spirit:
You guide me with your counsel… -Psalm 73:24a
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should
go. I will counsel you with me eye upon you. –Psalm 32:8
And your ears shall hear a word behind you saying “This
is the way, walk in it…” –Isaiah 30:21a
The Spirit might prompt you to go to a
place you normally wouldn’t go or to drive a different route than you would
normally take in order to orchestrate a divine appointment, an opportunity to
share the Gospel. The Spirit can also work through us to affirm one another and
spur each other into action.
I have received words of comfort, up-building
and strengthening from other believers on many occasions. A simple word of
encouragement spoken under the urging of the Holy Spirit can be incredibly
uplifting and reassuring.
The ministry of encouragement is truly
valuable to the church and when we are tuned in listening to the Spirit
speaking, we can be a source of strength and courage to other believers. Sometimes
extraordinary knowledge can lead to ministry opportunities, and those are neat,
but I also believe that most of the words of knowledge and wisdom that come
through the Spirit are going to be anchored in God’s word, giving counsel to
help people through difficult times, delivering loving correction and speaking
encouragement into their lives. The Holy Spirit can speak wise advice and
counsel through any believer at any time. So we should be sensitive and when
you feel His prompting, Speak Up!!!
HEALING:
to another gifts of healing
Any time someone is healed of a disease
or injury God should be given the glory. I believe the gift of Faith is
intentionally listed right before healing, because faith and God’s goodness are
key factors. When an individual or group of people pray over someone who is
sick and that person gets well, it was a gift from the Holy Spirit. Any
believer can pray for someone to be healed and God can respond to that prayer.
A person or group of people with great faith might frequently pray for someone
to be healed and then see God respond by making the person well. Healing is a
gift from God and He should receive all of the glory. James wrote:
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of
the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. -James
5:14-15
This verse indicates faith on the part
of the person seeking healing to call for the elders and a group prayer that
prevents any single person from taking credit or seeking glory for themselves.
The laying on of hands in prayer is frequently associated with healing. The
power to heal comes from the Holy Spirit, not from ourselves. When we lay hands
on someone and pray, the healing power of the Holy Spirit flows through us and
into them. The Holy Spirit can give a gift of healing through the prayers of
any believer or group of believers. God’s word shows us that this happens when
we pray in faith.
I have experienced situations where a
doctor, nurse or medical professional seems to have a special gift of healing
in their hands, where each place they touch stops hurting and starts healing. I
don't know if these people were silently praying as they ministered medical
care to me, or if they were even aware of their gift. But I do believe such a
gift, along with the knowledge to recognize the problem and the wisdom to know
how to fix it, often comes from the Holy Spirit.
I have witnessed countless situations
in my life where people were prayed for and received healing and recovery. I
have known of genetic diseases being cured, patients recovering from cancer, internal
injuries healing up and remarkable recoveries from illness, all as a result of
prayer.
MIRACLES:
to another the working of miracles
A miracle is something that defies the
natural order of things. When God chooses to act in a supernatural way for the
benefit and well-being of people that is a miracle. When a person has been
given a terminal diagnosis and they suddenly get well against all odds and
medical reason that could be considered a miracle. The apostles worked miracles
just as Jesus did. We should not use the word miracle lightly. A victory by a
sports team is not a miracle. A surprise financial benefit might be a great
blessing to a family in need—but that is not a miracle. Turning water into
wine—that was a miracle. Giving a blind man sight—that was a miracle. We should
not deny true miracles when they happen, but we should not use the word loosely
either. We should exercise wisdom and discretion when we hear reports of
miracles. Though, as I mentioned above, I am aware of genuine, verifiable medical
miracles.
DISCERNMENT:
to another the ability to distinguish
between spirits
A person with the gift of discernment
or distinguishing between spirits can sense selfish or harmful motives. They
will quickly recognize false teaching and false teachers and discover doctrines
of demons.
Paul wrote that he did not want us to
be unaware of the devil’s schemes. Someone with this gift will be skeptical of
someone who is trying to take advantage of other believers. A discerning person
will realize when someone is trying to deceive them by speaking half-truths.
They will be wise to discover plots to trick the church or individuals into
making bad decisions.
Someone with the gift of discernment
will also be aware of times the Holy Spirit is moving in a unique, powerful or
special way. They can tell the difference between a genuine move of God and
what is merely the strong influence of a slick, fast talking leader. They can
discern pure intentions and sense the presence of ulterior motives.
The gift of discernment enables a
person to notice when someone is twisting Scripture or pulling it out of
context in order to mislead or manipulate. A person with this gift might often
be called “divisive,” because they make waves and break illusions, but in
reality, these are the people who keep the church from being torn apart by
false teachings. It has always been false teaching, doctrines of demons, that
causes division in the church and problems between brothers and sisters. The
gift of discernment is given to help the church recognize smooth talking,
divisive, false teachers and to keep the TRUE church unified.
TONGUES/LANGUAGES and INTERPRETATION:
to another various kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of
tongues
We have learned that on the day of
Pentecost, as believers spoke, the people in the crowd heard them speaking in their own different languages, or dialektos. Because of this supernatural
miracle, the Gospel was able to be shared. This is the only occasion in
Scripture where such a miracle occurred, though God could do it again if He
wanted to.
We have also learned that something
special happened on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon a group
of Jews living in the Promised Land, on a second occasion when the Holy Spirit
first came to the Gentiles and on a third and final occasion when the Holy
Spirit filled a group of Jews living outside of the Promised Land. On each
occasion they were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues as a sign of
equality to demonstrate that God loved them all and considered them His
children. There is no other record in the Bible of an individual or group of
people speaking in tongues when they were saved. For this reason, I believe these
were special situations with a purpose and are not the normal Biblical
experience or the normal Christian experience. It is incorrect to say that
speaking in tongues is the sign of a person being saved or the one and only
sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Speaking in Tongues is, however, a
valid spiritual gift.
Paul confirms that not all Christians
speak or pray in tongues when he discusses the gift further in 1 Corinthians
14. He also teaches that when a person miraculously speaks or prays in another
language they are speaking to God and not to men.
The Bible indicates that some people
have the ability to allow the Holy Spirit to pray through them even if they
don’t understand the words. This shows a complete submission to God’s purposes,
trust in Him and a desire for His will to be done. Paul prayed this way and
also in his own language with understanding. Some people call this a private
prayer language. I know people who pray this way when they are praying for
healing for another person and in their private prayer lives.
I also know people who listen to the
Holy Spirit’s prompting or consult Scripture about how they should pray and
what to pray for with understanding. Paul indicates that praying in the Holy
Spirit builds an individual up. I believe this occurs by connecting with God
through prayer in a very intimate way.
Praying in a tongue is one thing. I
have been in situations where group prayer was taking place and people were
praying out loud, sometimes all at once and some in tongues. In principle, I
have no problem with that, though sensitivity to visitors is advised. I was
once visiting churches with a friend and a woman near us blurted something out
in a weird tongue. He wouldn’t visit any more churches with me after that.
Delivering a message in front of the
church in a tongue is a different situation. Paul encourages anyone who speaks
in tongues (glossa) to ask God for
the gift of Interpretation so that the whole church can be built up. No one
should speak in a tongue during a gathering of the church unless there is
someone there to interpret. It would be considered wildly inappropriate for
someone to shout out something in the middle of a service in a known language.
How much more outrageous would it be to interrupt in a language no one
understands? If God were to choose to get people’s attention with a message in
another language, then that is His prerogative. But it would need to be given
with permission, decently and in order. No one should ever just stand up and
shout something out in an unknown language. The Bible teaches that God is the
author of peace, not confusion and that the spirit of prophets is subject to
the prophets. That means that if God truly wants to speak a message in another
language through a person, then that person will have the discernment to
deliver the message in a way that sows peace, not chaos and the interpretation
will bring clarity, not confusion.
The gift of interpretation is usually
under-stood to mean the supernatural ability to understand a spontaneous message
given by the Holy Spirit in another language, though it can also apply to
interpreting for someone who has come into the assembly speaking their own
foreign language that no one understands.
Babbling nonsense syllables with lots
of repetition like babababa or nuhnuhnuhnah, is not speaking in tongues, though
I concede that it could possibly be the result of a tongue being loosened or a
speech impediment being removed. Repeating something you think is a word over
and over again is not speaking in tongues. Speaking in a tongue is
supernaturally talking in another complete language with intelligible speech.
I have never spoken or prayed in
tongues, but I will be respectful of those who believe they have this gift. I
believe it is a sin to forbid missionaries or seminary professors from using
this gift. Verse 39 orders us not to forbid speaking in tongues.
Mostly, I believe we have missed out on
the greater point. On the day of Pentecost, the curse from the Tower of Babel
when languages were confused was reversed for the sake of good communication
and spreading the Gospel. Based on what I've learned about cognates and ancient
languages, I am convinced that tongues were loosened and speech impediments
were removed for many who were present that day and that the ability to
properly pronounce other languages was a new gift to the early church. They
weren’t supposed to use it to show off, but rather to build up the church. If someone
comes into the assembly speaking a different language, they should only be
allowed to do so with an interpreter so that all may hear and understand.
I had a Seminary professor who was
incredibly gifted with languages. He could read, speak, understand and teach
multiple languages fluently and most importantly, could explain what words
meant. He clearly had a gift that could only have come from the Lord.
I will be charitable and loving toward
my fellow believers who pray in tongues and try not to underestimate the
importance of that gift. I personally believe that the primary ways the gifts
of tongues and interpretation are manifested in the church today is in the
ability to learn, pronounce and speak other languages for spreading the Gospel
and in the ability to see patterns in language and to study, understand,
interpret and explain God’s word for the benefit of others.
HELPS:
helping (verse 27)
A person with the gift of helps is able
to perceive the needs of others and to know how to embrace them, walk alongside
of them and help them. This might mean providing for a need, assisting in a
difficult situation or noticing something that others missed.
The Holy Spirit empowers some believers
to notice people who might be in need, hurting, neglected, lonely or
discouraged. The Spirit also empowers them to know how to help and find the
means necessary to do so. This could be providing for physical needs such as
food or clothing or completing repairs at no charge. It could mean providing
support and assistance to someone’s ministry efforts. It could mean finding
someone a ride to church, providing help with groceries, assisting a single mom
with childcare or mentoring a young believer with questions. This gift is about
perceptiveness that leads to action.
ADMINISTRATION:
administrating (verse 27)
The government or administration of the
church comes from the word for steering a ship, kubernesis. My Papa served in the U.S. Navy in the aftermath of
World War II. One of his jobs was as an assistant Helmsman. The Helmsman is the
one who mans the steering wheel. He told the story of a time when he was on
duty and heard an unfamiliar voice behind him giving specific and detailed
instructions with regular changes in course and direction. After an uncertain
period of time, he was relieved of duty and given the rest of his shift off. As
he turned around, a man who was either the Captain or the Executive Officer put
a hand on his shoulder and told him well done son, you just steered us through
a mine field.
In the same way those men watched their
instruments for danger, the church is given overseers, like the lookout on a
ship, sitting up in the crow’s nest to watch out for trouble on the horizon. An
administrator, or helmsman, is responsible for steering the ship, the church,
in the right direction, maneuvering it around obstacles and guiding it through
perilous waters. He helps to plot the course and keep the church going in the
right direction. He watches out for trouble, protects from danger, guides the
church to make wise decisions, and encourages us to take wise actions and reach
our goals—sharing the gospel and making disciples.
1 Corinthians 12:12-16 focus on unity
and equality in the church and I will revisit them in the final thoughts of
this article. Verses 27-31 list additional gifts.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members
of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets,
third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating
and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess the gift of healing? Do all
speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way. (Love)
This passage is about spiritual gifts
that God has given to the church, not about offices, authority or positions. In
fact, the whole point of the text is that Christians are absolutely equal parts
of the body of Christ and while some have different gifts to serve the church
in different ways, more gifts are available to those who desire them.
The word translated as “appoint,” is tithemi. It means to lay down or set
before someone the way a meal is set on the table. These are gifts that God has
set before the church. He offers them to us for the taking. When the text tells
us to earnestly desire these gifts, it means that they are available for all of
us and God wants you to have them. He wants you to accept these gifts and He is
offering them to you with an open hand.
Since we have covered every gift in
this passage except for two, let us turn our attention to apostles and
prophets.
APOSTLES
The text asks are all apostles? The word apostle means to be a delegate or
messenger. Jesus had twelve Disciples. Eleven of them went on to become
representatives of Jesus after His death. They were the first apostles and the
only ones who we refer to as capital “A” Apostles along with Matthias whom they
chose to replace Judas and then Paul, to whom Jesus appeared. But in the sense
of a spiritual gift, an apostle is someone sent out to spread the good news of
Jesus Christ and disciple those who believe. We are all God’s messengers. 2
Corinthians 5:20 tells us that we are all his designated ambassadors. At the
Great Commission, all believers were sent out to proclaim the Gospel and make
disciples, so in a sense all believers are
apostles. Some have a special gift for this task and God would like all of us
to wield that gift which is why I believe it was given the position of prime
importance on the list. This gift is about winning souls for Christ.
PROPHETS
The text also asks are all prophets? We have already learned about Joel’s prophecy
fulfilled in Acts 2:17:
In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will
pour out My Spirit on all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophecy.
In 1 Corinthians 14:1 Paul writes: Pursue love and earnestly desire the
spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
To prophesy in this context means to
speak, teach and explain the words of God, particularly from Scripture. It
naturally follows apostle on the list because once a person comes to a saving
knowledge of Jesus, they need to be discipled. The canon of Scripture is closed
but all Christians can hear God’s voice, understand Him, speak His words and
use this gift. We are encouraged to desire and seek to prophesy.
All Christians are meant to be apostles
and prophets in the sense that we have been sent out to proclaim a message of
hope and salvation from God, then instruct and disciple those who respond. Gifts
that help us to go out and share the good news of Jesus with boldness are
placed front and center on this list. Each gift plays an important role in spreading
the Gospel. It is appropriate to desire more spiritual gifts and we are
encouraged to seek them for the sake of serving the Kingdom of God, not out of
envy or a desire for control, position, power or influence, but out of the
earnest desire to serve.
Conclusions from 1 Corinthians 12
The overarching themes of this chapter
are unity and equality in the Body of Christ. Each person has received the same
Holy Spirit. Each person has a special part in the church and a gift to use to
serve the body. It is wrong to disrespect or disregard another person’s gift.
It is also wrong to give special honor, position or influence to someone based solely on their gift. Leaders are chosen
based on character traits, not gifting, but all gifts are important to the
church.
Passage 3: Ephesians 4:11-13
The
Holy Spirit empowers leaders to train others. The purpose of leaders in the
church is not to be the boss and make all of the decisions. The purpose of
leaders is to train and equip others, sharing their gifts, talents, skills and
abilities, so that the cause of Christ can be advanced.
And
he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and
teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the
body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of
God’s Son, growing into maturity…
EVANGELIST
We
have already learned about apostles, prophets and teachers. An Evangelist,
is a bringer of good news, a proclaimer of glad tidings, a preacher and herald of
the Gospel. This is someone who is gifted with the ability to share the happy
news about Jesus. Evangelism, from the word euaggelizo,
means to bring good news. The Hebrew word for delivering glad tidings is basar. It means to show
forth. It is also the word for the human body, which should show us what our
true purpose is in this life, to show forth God’s glory.
There
was a special way of announcing the good news of a victory in the Ancient Near
East. Psalm 68:11 describes such an event:
The Lord gave the word; a great host of
women proclaimed the good news. (author’s
translation)
When
men came home from victory in battle, the women came out to celebrate and
announce the good news with singing, tambourines and dancing.
When
a mighty conquering king rode into town, a parade would be held in honor and
celebration of his accomplishments and welcoming his reign. There would be
singing and dancing as heralds went before him proclaiming the good news of his
arrival. I like to picture them parading through town, telling the people how
great the King is, all about his mighty deeds and noble character. They might
extol his virtue and highlight his accomplishments. They could boast of all the
King owned and everything he had to offer. They might regale them with tales of
his prowess on the battlefield as he faced
conquering hordes and bad guys with swords. When we tell people
about Jesus, we are telling people wonderful news and we should do so with the
same level of enthusiasm.
An
evangelist is specially gifted to go out into the world telling everyone about
Jesus and training others to do the same. He tells of Jesus’ miracles, of His
character, His goodness, kindness and mercy. He proclaims His mighty acts and
His excellent greatness. He tells of how Jesus conquered death, hell and the
grave. Like the herald that marches before a mighty King coming into town after
conquering an evil despot, the evangelist walks ahead of King Jesus telling
everyone of the wonderful blessings of His Kingdom and encouraging them to
welcome His rule. And King Jesus has a proposal to make. He is offering
forgiveness and mercy to all who will accept His covenant. Even to those who
were His sworn enemy, He offers peace and reconciliation. He offers the chance
to be part of His Kingdom and be adopted as His own children. He is a great
King, a good King, a King who fought for us, a King who died for us, a King who
rose again victorious. Evangelists proclaim the truth about who Jesus is and
about His Kingdom, issuing the invitation to join Him.
While
some church members may have a special gift to be an evangelist, all of us are
called to do the work of evangelism and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
SHEPHERD
There
are those who are called to a special role in caring for God’s people. A Shepherd,
often translated as Pastor, is one who watches over the church. In
the Ancient Near East, a shepherd had 5 responsibilities:
1. Watch out for enemies
2.
Defend the sheep from attackers
3.
Heal the wounded and sick sheep
4.
Find and save lost or trapped sheep
5.
Love them and earn their trust
In
the same way, a Pastor or Shepherd must watch out for those who would harm the
flock, the church. He must protect them from false teachers and deceivers who
come like starving wolves looking for someone vulnerable to devour. He brings
them to Jesus, the good Shepherd who heals them. He seeks out the lost and
those caught in the snares of sin and brings them to Jesus. He loves his people
and earns their trust through his faithful actions.
Conclusions
from Ephesians 4:11-12
All
leadership gifts exist to train others, to share the gift and pass it along. Do
you remember when Paul told Timothy not to neglect the gift he received when
the elders laid hands on him and prophesied over him? That instruction
immediately follows Paul’s reminder for Timothy to read Scripture, teach it and
exhort the people to respond. These gifts from the Spirit are transferrable
through teaching and training.
Passage 4: Exodus 35:30-36:2
We
often overlook the fact that not all spiritual gifts are listed in the New
Testament. In fact, the first spiritual gifts that God bestowed upon man came
under the Old Covenant and these were gifts of Artistry and Craftsmanship, Music and Writing which were given to build up God’s house and His people. Let’s
explore Exodus 35:30 through 36:2 to learn more about these gifts.
Then
Moses said to the people of Israel, “See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel
the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with
the Spirit of God with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge and with all
craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and
bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every
skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab, the son
of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every
sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue
and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort
of workman or skilled designer. Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whom
the LORD has put skill and intelligence to know how to do any work in the
construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD
has commanded. And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in
whose mind the LORD had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come
to do the work.
Craftsmanship
Every
type of craftsmanship and artistry that is used for God’s glory is not only
inspired, but enabled by the Holy Spirit. He empowered the ancient artists to
do woodwork, metalwork and stonework in carefully rendered artistic designs.
They crafted the bowls, cups, plates and utensils for use in the worship of
God. They sculpted spectacular works of beauty out of metal and wood. The
Spirit equipped people to prepare and sew beautiful tapestries, curtains and
clothing. He gave them the phenomenal skill to build the tabernacle, which was
a moveable temple to God. It must have been astonishingly beautiful when it was
finished.
Writing
The Holy Spirit also inspired writers. David’s messages of Holy Spirit inspired Scripture were expressed in songs. Other writers of Scripture used poetry or prose and a variety of unique writing techniques to communicate the word of God. 2 Peter 1:19-21 tells us where these words came from:
We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The book of Hebrews begins with these words:
Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by His Son.
Through answers to questions, expressions of joy, prophetic visions, symbolic imagery, lamentations of sorrow and faithful recording of history, the Holy Spirit spoke to men and through men to deliver the very Word of God, the Bible.
No new Scripture is going to be written, but skilled Christian writers who use their gifts for the Lord should recognize who the gift comes from.
Musicianship
The
Holy Spirit also inspires musical skill and its application.
Be
filled with the Spirit; speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:18)
He
put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and
fear, and they will trust in the LORD. –Psalm 40:3
David
was one of the most important musicians who ever lived. It was under his
leadership and guidance that worship was established in Israel. God told David
how He wanted to be worshipped (2 Kings 29:25) and David established a choir to
sing and play instruments such as trumpets, shofars, lyres, harps, bowl
guitars, crash cymbals, gongs, drums, tambourines, various woodwinds and more.
In fact, he was even an inventor of new musical instruments (Amos 6:5).
David
appointed Chenaniah to teach and lead the other musicians because he was
skillful. Both artistic and musical gifts can be passed along from teacher to
student.
David
was the most prolific of the psalmists. Almost all of the theology that we can
learn from David is expressed in the songs that he wrote. 2 Samuel 23 records
the last words of David, delivered in verse, revealing who inspired him to
write these psalms:
The
Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, his word was on my tongue. The God of
Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me….
It
was clearly the Holy Spirit who inspired David to deliver God’s word to us and
it has been handed down in the form of songs. It was the Spirit of God that
told David to establish worship the way he did. It was the Spirit that spoke
through David’s songs. It was through the Spirit that David had visions of the
future and wrote the very song, Psalm 22, that Jesus quoted from on the cross.
The
Holy Spirit still inspires music making. Not only does He inspire us to sing
the Psalms and continue using them as our instruction manual for worship, but
He inspires spiritual songs, or songs from the Spirit. In Colossians 3:16,
Paul elaborates on these instructions:
Let
the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in
all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in
your hearts to God.
The
Spirit inspires the creation of new songs. These songs will never introduce new
theology or new revelation, but will teach Biblical doctrines in fresh new ways
that help people to connect with our Savior.
Conclusion on Artistic Gifts
Under the Old Covenant, God used
gifts of artistry and craftsmanship, music and writing to communicate with His
people, build His tabernacle and temple and establish the worship that would
occur there. Under the New Covenant, God uses spiritual gifts to build his
spiritual house—the church. The Holy Spirit still inspires musical worship and
artistic forms of expression for the purposes of building up God’s
Kingdom.
When
we prepare lessons, write commentaries or blog posts and interact on social
media, we must be mindful that this writing gift comes from the Lord and should
use it accordingly. That means that snark and satire should be replaced with
grace and winsomeness.
When
we compose music, write plays and dramas, design and sew costumes, create sets,
select music for worship and plan and prepare Christmas and Resurrection Sunday
programs, we should seek the Lord's guidance and do these things for His glory.
Artistic gifts are inspired by God and should be used for His purposes. If you
try to use these gifts to gain glory, honor and praise for yourself, they might
destroy you. But if you use them for God’s glory, they will be a blessing to
you. These gifts are meant to increase His Kingdom and to encourage, edify and
build up His Church.
Perhaps
you can make clothing like Tabitha, design and build excellent church
facilities and homes or paint beautiful works of art showcasing the majesty of
God's creation or bringing Biblical scenes to life. I still enjoy visiting the
church I grew up in and seeing the lovely stained glass windows. The time
spent rehearsing and preparing our crafts, using art to build others up, improve
their lives, bring joy to people and draw them to Jesus, is an important act of
worship. All of these gifts have a purpose. Artistic gifts are meant to draw
people into a relationship with God. When we recognize that our gifts come from
the Holy Spirit and should point back to God, when we use artistry and
craftsmanship to help people reflect on and respect the awesomeness of our
creative Creator, when we lay our very best as an offering at the feet of
Jesus, He does wonderful things with it.
Final Thoughts
Spiritual
gifts are given to us to serve, unify and build up the church. We should
be intentional about putting them to good use. Let’s quickly revisit 1
Corinthians 12:12-14)
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all
the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For
in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Gentiles, slaves or
free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of
one member but of many.
We are the Body of Christ and Jesus is
the head that directs us to do His work. This teaching about the body and its
various parts is sandwiched in between teachings about spiritual gifts because
the gifts are meant to empower and mobilize the church for action. Equality as
brothers and sisters in Christ is a major theme of this passage. Each believer
has a unique and important role in the church. The Baptism being referred to in
the verses above is our initial moment of regeneration when we accept Jesus as
our Savior and His Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us. We have all been
given the same Baptism, the same Spirit. He joins us together as the Body of
Christ. Each member of the church is an important and indispensable part of the
Body of Christ. How will you use your gifts to serve?
