Opening illustration: In September 2001, Lisa Jefferson had an unexpected opportunity to be used by God. Her now well-known 15-minute conversation with a passenger on United Flight 93 forever changed the direction of her life. In her book Called, she emphasizes that her listening skills and her ability to take charge and stay calm in a crisis were used to encourage fellow believer Todd Beamer in the last moments of his life. She didn’t ask to be used that way. But God saw a woman who was available and matched her with someone who was in need. Lisa now shares her story with whomever she can to encourage believers to always be ready to serve.
Introduction: Of all the subjects that deal with practical Christianity, spiritual gifts are the least understood. Most Christians do not have the foggiest idea what spiritual gifts are, how they function, or for what purpose they are given. A spiritual gift is a God-given ability or capacity for the purpose of service. Every Christian has at least one spiritual gift, "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Pet. 4:10).
Spiritual gifts then are given to the universal church, the Body of Christ, and are to be used as each Christian is dependent upon the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus gives gifts as he wills, and it is his prerogative to direct the gifts of the Body as he sees fit. The various parts of the human body never take orders from the hand or the foot; they take orders from the head. It is the head that sends down messages. As members of the body, Christians must take their direction from Jesus Christ.
The spiritual gifts God gives to every believer are not like those my grandmother gave. God’s gifts are complete. Not only does God give to each of us spiritual gifts by which the body of Christ is supported and sustained, He also gives us all that is needed to carry out those functions vital to the health and ministry of His body, the church. With those gifts, God gives to each of us not only a measure of grace to empower us for service, but a measure of faith as well. Our text will teach us more about these two endowments.
We should first agree that the subject of spiritual gifts is relevant and vitally important to Christians today. Some evangelical Christians believe and teach that spiritual gifts are no longer applicable, that spiritual gifts were given for the church in its infancy. If this is so, why does Paul choose to speak first of spiritual gifts in this portion of Romans? Why does a matter of minimal importance have such a prominent place in this Epistle? If these spiritual gifts are necessary for the functioning of the church, how could they now be extinct? Elsewhere, Paul explains why spiritual gifts have been given and when these gifts will no longer be needed:
Calling of each member in the ‘Body of Christ:’
1. Called to HUMILITY in faith [v. 3]:
For I say - The word “for” shows that the apostle is about to introduce some additional considerations to enforce what he had just said, or to show how we may evince a mind that is not conformed to the world.
Through the grace - Through the favor, or in virtue of the favor of the apostolic office. By the authority that is conferred on me to declare the will of God as an apostle; see the note at Rom_1:5; see also Gal_1:6, Gal_1:15; Gal_2:9; Eph_3:8; 1Ti_1:14.
Not to think ... - Not to over-estimate himself, or to think more of himself than he ought to. What is the true standard by which we ought to estimate ourselves he immediately adds. This is a caution against pride; and an exhortation not to judge of ourselves by our talents, wealth, or function, but to form another standard of judging of ourselves, by our Christian character. The Romans would probably be in much danger from this quarter. The prevailing habit of judging among them was according to rank, or wealth, or eloquence, or function. While this habit of judging prevailed in the world around them, there was danger that it might also prevail in the church. And the exhortation was that they should not judge of their own characters by the usual modes among people, but by their Christian attainments. There is no sin to which people are more prone than an inordinate self-valuation and pride. Instead of judging by what constitutes true excellence of character, they pride themselves on that which is of no intrinsic value; on rank, and titles, and external accomplishments; or on talents, learning, or wealth. The only true standard of character pertains to the principles of action or to that which constitutes the moral nature of the man; and to that the apostle calls the Roman people.
But to think soberly - Literally, “to think so as to act soberly or wisely.” So to estimate ourselves as to act or demean ourselves wisely, prudently, modestly. Those who over-estimate themselves are proud, haughty, and foolish in their deportment. Those who think of themselves as they ought are modest, sober and prudent. There is no way to maintain a wise and proper conduct so certain, as to form a humble and modest estimate of our own character.
According as God hath dealt - As God has measured to each one, or apportioned to each one. In this place the faith which Christians have, is traced to God as its giver. This act, that God has given it, will be itself one of the most effectual promoters of humility and right feeling. People commonly regard the objects on which they pride themselves as things of their own creation, or as depending on themselves. But let an object be regarded as the gift of God and it ceases to excite pride, and the feeling is at once changed into gratitude. He, therefore, who regards God as the source of all blessings, and he only, will be a humble man.
The measure of faith - The word “faith” here is evidently put for religion, or Christianity. Faith is a main thing in religion. It constitutes its first demand, and the Christian religion, therefore, is characterized by its faith, or its confidence, in God; see Mar_16:17; compare Heb. 11; Rom. 4. We are not, therefore, to be elated in our view of ourselves; we are not to judge of our own characters by wealth, or talent, or learning, but by our attachment to God, and by the influence of faith on our minds. The meaning is, judge yourselves, or estimate yourselves, by your piety. The propriety of this rule is apparent:
• Because no other standard is a correct one, or one of value. Our talent, learning, rank, or wealth, is a very improper rule by which to estimate ourselves. All may be wholly unconnected with moral worth; and the worst as well as the best people may possess them.
• God will judge us in the Day of Judgment by our attachment to Christ and his cause Matt. 25; and that is the true standard by which to estimate ourselves here.
• Nothing else will secure and promote humility but this. All other things may produce or promote pride, but this will effectually secure humility. The fact that God has given all that we have; the fact that the poor and obscure may have as true an elevation of character as ourselves; the consciousness of our own imperfections and short-comings in the Christian faith; and the certainty that we are soon to be arraigned to try this great question, whether we have evidence that we are the friends of God; will all tend to promote humbleness of mind and to bring down our usual inordinate self-estimation. If all Christians judged themselves in this way, it would remove at once no small part of the pride of station and of life from the world, and would produce deep attachment for those who are blessed with the faith of the gospel, though they may be unadorned by any of the wealth or trappings which now promote pride and distinctions among men.
Illustration: When I saw Sadhu Sundar Singh in Europe, he had completed a tour around the world. People asked him, doesn’t it do you harm, getting so much honor?" The Sadhu’s answer was: "No. The donkey went into Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him. He was not proud. He knew it was not done to honor him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back. When people honor me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job."
2. Called to UNITY in Christ [vs. 4 – 5]:
For as we have many members in one body,.... The apostle illustrates what he said last concerning God’s dealing to every man the measure of faith, by comparing the church of Christ to an human body, which is but one, and has many members in union with it, and one another; and which are placed in an exact symmetry and proportion, and in proper subservience to each other, and for the good of the whole:
and all members have not the same office, or "action"; they do not exercise the same function, and perform the same operation, but each that which is peculiar to itself: the eye only sees, but does not hear, nor taste, nor smell; the ear only hears, but neither sees, or does any of the aforesaid things; the palate tastes, the nose smells, the hand handles, the foot walks, and the same may be observed of the other members of the body, which have not the same, but their particular offices, and all and each of them their usefulness.
So we, being many - We who are Christians, and who are numerous as individuals.
Are one body - Are united together, constituting one society, or one people, mutually dependent, and having the same great interests at heart, though to be promoted by us according to our special talents and opportunities. As the welfare of the same body is to be promoted in one manner by the feet, in another by the eye, etc.; so the welfare of the body of Christ is to be promoted by discharging our duties in our appropriate sphere, as God has appointed us.
In Christ - One body, joined to Christ, or connected with him as the head; Ephesians 1:22-23, “And gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body;” compare John 15:1-7. This does not mean that there is any physical or literal union, or any destruction of personal identity, or any thing particularly mysterious or unintelligible. Christians acknowledge him as their head. That is, their Lawgiver; their Counselor, Guide, and Redeemer. They are bound to him by especially tender ties of affection, gratitude, and friendship; they are united in him, that is, in acknowledging him as their common Lord and Savior. Any other unions than this is impossible; and the sacred writers never intended that expressions like these should be explained literally. The union of Christians to Christ is the most tender and interesting of any in this world, but no more mysterious than what binds friend to friend, children to parents, or husbands to their wives; compare Eph_5:23-33. (See the supplementary note at Rom_8:17.)
And every one is a member of another - Compare 1Co_12:25-26. That is, we are so united as to be mutually dependent; each one is of service to the other; and the existence and function of the one is necessary to the usefulness of the other. Thus, the members of the body may be said to be members one of another; as the feet could not, for example, perform their functions or be of use if it were not for the eye; the ear, the hand, the teeth, etc., would be useless if it were not for the other members, which go to make up the entire person. Thus, in the church, every individual is not only necessary in his place as an individual, but is needful to the proper symmetry and action of the whole. And we may learn here:
• That no member of the church of Christ should esteem himself to be of no importance. In his own place he may be of as much consequence as the man of learning, wealth, and talent may be in his.
• God designed that there should be differences of endowments of nature and of grace in the church; just as it was needful that there should be differences in the members of the human body.
• No one should despise or lightly esteem another. All are necessary. We can no more spare the foot or the hand than we can the eye; though the latter may be much more curious and striking as a proof of divine skill. We do not despise the hand or the foot any more than we do the eye; and in all we should acknowledge the goodness and wisdom of God. See these thoughts carried out in 1Co_12:21-25.
3. Called to DIVERSITY in grace [vs. 6 – 8]:
Having then gifts - All the endowments which Christians have are regarded by the apostle as gifts. God has conferred them; and this fact, when properly felt, tends much to prevent our thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, Rom_12:3. For the use of the word rendered “gifts,” see Rom_1:11; Rom_5:15-16; Rom_6:23; Rom_11:29; 1Co_7:7; 1Co_12:4, 1Co_12:9,1Co_12:28, etc. It may refer to natural endowments as well as to the favors of grace; though in this place it refers doubtless to the distinctions conferred on Christians in the churches.
Differing - It was never designed that all Christians should be equal. God designed that people should have different endowments. The very nature of society supposes this. There never was a state of perfect equality in any thing; and it would be impossible that there should be, and yet preserve society. In this, God exercises a sovereignty, and bestows his favors as he pleases, injuring no one by conferring favors on others; and holding me responsible for the right use of what I have, and not for what may be conferred on my neighbor.
According to the grace - That is, the favor, the mercy that is bestowed on us. As all that we have is a matter of grace, it should keep us from pride; and it should make us willing to occupy our appropriate place in the church. True honor consists not in splendid endowments, or great wealth and function. It consists in rightly discharging the duties which God requires of us in our appropriate sphere. If all people held their talents as the gift of God; if all would find and occupy in society the place for which God designed them, it would prevent no small part of the uneasiness, the restlessness, the ambition, and misery of the world.
Here in Romans 12 we have a partial listing of the spiritual gifts. This list is not exhaustive, only seven out of twenty-two contained in the New Testament are listed. In 1 Corinthians 12, thirteen distinct gifts are listed. Ephesians 4 also contains a shorter list of four special gifts of Christ to His church. Interestingly, In Romans 12, God the Father is the source of the gifts, in Ephesians 4, God the Son is the source and in 1 Corinthians 12, God the Holy Spirit is the source. Spiritual gifts are gifts from the Triune God. Peter in 1 Peter 4:11 summarizes the gifts into two broad categories of speaking and serving gifts. Also, in 1 Corinthians 7, Paul adds marriage and singleness to the list of gifts given by God to certain individuals.
The seven spiritual gifts contained in this passage are as follows:
• Prophecy - “telling something God has spontaneously brought to mind”
• Ministry - from the word for “deacon” meaning to serve.
• Teaching - “explaining and applying God’s Words”
• Exhorting - challenge to put the Word of God in practice
• Giving - should be done with simplicity or generosity (single-minded, no ulterior motives)
• Leading - should be done with diligence, not laziness
• Showing Mercy - to poor, sick, outcasts, should be done with cheerfulness
Conclusion: These gifts are spiritual capacities and can only be effectively used when one is under the control of the Spirit. It is possible to use a spiritual gift in the energy of the flesh, and when this is done the gift often dies when it is not given public recognition. To be effective, a spiritual gift must be connected with the power of the Holy Spirit.
A modern kitchen has a number of electrical appliances: a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a toaster over, perhaps an electrical oven and stove. Each is designed to do a different thing, but all use the same power. And unless they are connected to that power, they are useless. This is the way with spiritual gifts. They are divinely given capacities, and they require the power of the Holy Spirit if they are to function.
Each believer has been given spiritual capacities. Some are thousand-gallon tanks; some are hundred-gallon tanks, some fifty, and some ten. A ten-gallon tank cannot be a thousand gallon tank no matter how hard it tries. But a ten-gallon tank is more fruitful if it is overflowing than is a thousand-gallon tank that is only half full. God holds us responsible to use our God-given capacities (spiritual gifts) to the maximum. Use the gifts he has given you to the fullest, and do not try to be something God never intended you to be.
Not only has God given us natural abilities, He also equips every believer with spiritual gifts for the purpose of ministry. God doesn’t use the unwilling—He won’t force us to serve Him. His part is to equip us (Ephesians 4:11-13) and empower and prepare us for service. Our part is to be faithful and available and aware of opportunities to use our gifts (Romans 12:6).
When you feel impelled to help fill a need, when you are inwardly driven to serve—listen to those thoughts. You don’t want to miss God’s call. — Cindy Hess Kasper
In gladness I go forth each day
Expectantly to serve and claim
The happiness that service gives
When freely rendered in God’s name. —Anon.
God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary work.
