As you know it is Christmas time. A time for giving and exchanging presents. But there is one gift or gifts we often do not think of this time of the year: the spiritual gifts. The aim of this blog is to help the reader understand six basic principles about spiritual gifts.
Principal #1: There are a variety of spiritual gifts.
Paul said, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit” (1 Cor. 12:4). How many spiritual gifts are there? There are 21 spiritual gifts, at least according to my count. They can be found in Romans 12:3-7, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and Ephesians 4:11. However, to be completely transparent, depending on who you ask, some might say there are 18, and others say there are 27. Most scholars agree on at least 18. Why the difference in numbers? Mainly because some of the gifts are considered charismatic. Some churches, denominations, and scholars do not believe the charismatic gifts are in operation today and therefore do not count them. I do. I find no where in the Scriptures that these gifts are meant to be for a limited time or restricted to a certain period in history. As far as I read in the Scriptures, all the gifts are in operation today. Therefore, I include them in my count. What are these gifts? They are: Apostle, Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, Miracles, Healing, Faith, Discernment, Wisdom, Knowledge, Evangelism, Prophecy, Teaching, Exhortation, Shepherding, Serving, Mercy, Giving, and Administration.
Principal #2: Spiritual gifts are for believers only.
In Romans 12:6 we read, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…” Spiritual gifts are gifts given to those who have received God’s gift of grace. What is meant by that is the spiritual gifts are meant for those who under the grace and favor of Almighty God, because of their faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Therefore, those who refuse to believe in Jesus as God’s only Son and trust him for their salvation, are not under God’s grace. Therefore, they cannot receive these spiritual gifts.
Principal #3: Each spiritual gift is empowered by God.
In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Paul writes, “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.” Again, we read in 1 Cor. 12:11, “All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit.” The point here is that although there are 21 different spiritual gifts, they all come from the same God through the one Holy Spirit. Let me say like this: The same Spirit, the one Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Almighty God, is the source of all 21 different gifts.
Principal #4: Each spiritual gift is for the common good.
Paul writes (1 Cor. 12:7), “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit, for the common good.” For the common good of who or what? Each spiritual gift is given for the common good of the church. It’s why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:26, “When you come together…let all things be done for building up.” Believers are given the spiritual gifts to for the good of each other. To build one another up. They are also given to build unity within the church (see Ephesians 4:1-16).
Principal #5: We do not choose the spiritual gift.
The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:11, “All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. Again, we read in 1 Corinthians 12:18, “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” In 1 Corinthians 12:24 it reads, “God has so composed the body.” And lastly, in 1 Corinthians 12:28 it says, “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.” So, God gives, apportions, and appoints his gifts to whom he chooses and wills. We do not choose the spiritual gift. God appoints the spiritual gift to us, according to his good and perfect will.
However, in saying that, Paul does urge us to pray and “earnestly desire the higher gifts” (1 Cor. 12:31), such as prophecy (1 Cor. 14:1). Thus, it is not wrong for a believer to ask God for a specific spiritual gift. In fact, I believe Paul encourages us to do so.
Principal #6: Each spiritual gift is essential.
This is a big principal. As we already pointed out, there are more than one spiritual gift. Not all will be a prophet, an apostle, a teacher, work miracles, have the gift of healing, speak in tongues, or given the ability to interpret tongues (1 Cor. 12:29-30). The reason this is a big principal is because there are some spiritual gifts that are deemed more important than others. For example, some may deem the gift of preaching/teaching more important than the gift of administration. However, regardless of how we might consider the importance of each gift, each gift is essential to the church. No matter what that gift is.
We read in 1 Corinthians 12:14-17, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body.’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?” The point Paul is making is each spiritual gift that makes up the body of Jesus, which is the church, is essentially necessary for the church to operate well.
No spiritual gift God gives is unimportant. Therefore, Paul says (1 Cor. 12:21), “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.” Someone who has the gift of teaching cannot say to the person who has the gift of administration, ‘I do not need you’. A person who has the gift of prophecy cannot say to someone who has the gift of generosity, ‘I do not need you.’ They would be wrong. If the church is to function well as the body of Jesus, every spiritual gift is needed and is necessary. The church of Christ is most healthy when each saved person is using their God-given spiritual gift for the common good of the church.