Spiritual Gifts
Rev. Bruce A. Shields DD
House of Faith Ministries
www.PS127.org
What are Spiritual Gifts?
To understand what Spiritual Gifts are and where they come from, and what they are for, we must examine the scriptures which answers all of these questions.
Psalms 127:1
“Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
Here in the Hebrew text, the word Banah (baw-naw) is used for build, which literally means to ‘Establish’
Establish – to make firm or stable. To ordain.
We cannot do anything apart from God! God must build us as a Church, and as individuals. Our building up is by His hand ONLY! God in us, working through us, through Spiritual Gifts that He alone has given us, builds or edifies the Body of Christ, which is who we are!
Ephesians 4:4-8 (NKJ)
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”
• We are one body of believers (The Body of Christ)
• We have one Spirit (The Holy Spirit)
• We have one hope (Salvation)
• We have one Lord (Jesus Christ)
• We have one faith (not denomination) Which is Christianity
• One baptism (an outward show of faith that does not need to be repeated over & over)
• One God and Father of all
• Above all, through all, and in us all!
All believers in Christ belong to one body; all are untied under one head, Christ Himself. Each believer has God-given abilities that strengthens (or edifies) the whole body (or Church). Your special ability may seem small or large, but it is yours to use in God’s service edifying His people!
I Corinthians 12:7
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal:”
Manifestation (or display or demonstrations) of the Spirit is given to us to PROFIT all of us, or the body of Christ.
So we are all given the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit displays or demonstrates Himself through us to profit (or build) the body of Christ.
So these Spiritual Gifts are not us, but God within us!
In Romans we read Paul telling us that just like our own bodies have many parts with different functions, so does the body of Christ.
Romans 12:4, 5
“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one member’s one of another.”
We do not all have the same “office” or function within the body of Christ. Paul goes on to say that we, being parts to the same body, have received the same spirit, and each must rely on the other parts as well as ourselves because we need them to operate fully as a whole. We need each other!
I Corinthians 12:12-18
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.”
So, our gifts are given to us “AS IT HAS PLEASED GOD!” He chooses what Spiritual Gifts we have.
And why not? Who knows us better? He knows where we would be most effective AND happy!
So knowing that we are the body of Christ, having different offices or responsibilities given to us by God through the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, you may ask;
What Spiritual Gifts are there?
The Bible doesn’t give an exact number. I don’t think we can limit God’s abilities this way. I’m sure there are gifts that many can operate in that we never even recognize as gifts or that they are from God, yet in their ordained way, they still edify the body of Christ.
Some of the gifts that are listed are;
Romans 12:3-8
Prophecy
Service
Teacher
Exhortation (encouragement)
Giving
Leadership
Mercy
I Corinthians 12:8
Wisdom
Knowledge
Faith
Healing
Miracles
Discernment
Tongues (yes I said tongues)
Interpretation
I Corinthians 12:28
Apostles
Helps
Administration
Ephesians 4:7-13
Evangelist (Billy Graham)
Pastor
I Peter 4:10, 11
Speaker
Paul lists the abilities that God gives us through the Holy Spirit to edify the Body of Christ.
So you may ask, how do I choose which Spiritual Gifts I get?
That’s easy, you don’t.
I Corinthians 12:11
“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
God decides. Who knows best?
I Corinthians 12:22-26
“No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
Do our gifts grow or do we get more of them?
I Peter 4:10
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
Why are we called ‘good stewards’ if we minister to one another? Or use our gifts to edify the body?
Matthew 25:14-30 (Jesus tells us a parable)
“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
So we are told that our master Jesus entrusts His servants (us) with His riches (Spiritual Gifts) to invest (or use to the fullest for greatest results or returns).
And, it is divided according to our abilities (or willingness to obey).
And, while the master (Jesus) is gone (ascended into Heaven), we are to invest (or use to the fullest for greatest results or returns) His riches (Spiritual Gifts) so that when our master (Jesus) sees what we have done with the riches He has given us, he will be greatly pleased saying “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you more!”
So we must be sure to use our spiritual gifts to their fullest to please God! And He will bestow unto us more, because we were faithful with what He had given us!
Now you may ask, how can I use my Spiritual Gifts if I don’t know what they are?
You can’t.
Sometimes you can see your gifts easily, like Terri with her hospitality.
But once you do discover your gifts, you must use them or loose them as the parable Jesus taught tells us!
Romans 12:6, 7 (American Standard)
“And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching;”
So whatever our gifts, we should DO THEM!
POINTS TO REMEMBER!
1. All Spiritual Gift’s come from God
2. All Christian’s are given at least one Spiritual Gift
3. Spiritual Gift’s are for building the Body of Christ
4. We do not all have the same gifts
5. Gifts are given as GOD determines
6. None of the gifts are non-essential
7. No single gift in itself is given to all believers, so no one gift may be used to signify salvation, sanctification or spiritual status.
And we must remember that Paul stresses in I Corinthians 13 that without love, the Spiritual Gift’s are worthless.
Exercising these gifts to grow and build the body of Christ will please God.
