Spiritual gifts (Greek 'charismata') are God-given abilities the Holy Spirit distributes to every believer for building up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7). Major lists include 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. All gifts come from one Spirit and serve one purpose — the common good.
Spiritual gifts are one of the central NT teachings on the church. Several biblical truths. (1) The source is the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:11 — 'But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.' The Spirit chooses; the believer receives. (2) Every Christian has at least one gift. 1 Corinthians 12:7 — 'But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.' No believer is giftless. 1 Peter 4:10 — 'As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another.' (3) The purpose is edification — building up the body. 1 Corinthians 14:12 — 'seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.' Ephesians 4:12 — 'For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.' Gifts are for others, not personal display. (4) The lists. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 — word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28 — apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, healings, helps, governments, tongues. Romans 12:6-8 — prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, mercy. Ephesians 4:11 — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. 1 Peter 4:11 — speaking gifts and serving gifts. (5) Diversity is normal. 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 — the body has many members with different functions. No member is more or less essential. Don't envy others' gifts; use yours. (6) Love is greater than any gift. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 — without love, gifts are nothing. Gifts without love is sounding brass. (7) Some gifts (apostles, prophets) functioned uniquely in the foundational era; others continue. Christians differ on which gifts continue today (continuationism vs cessationism). (8) Pursue gifts in order. 1 Corinthians 14:1 — 'Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.' Pursue love first, then desire gifts that build up. Practical: how to find your gifts. (a) Study Scripture's gift lists. (b) Ask the Spirit. (c) Try serving in different ways. (d) Listen to feedback from mature Christians. (e) Use your gift in the local church. (f) Continue to grow in it.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith.”
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry.”
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am nothing.”
Discover your gifts. Use them in the local church for the common good. Don't envy others' gifts. Don't despise your own. Pursue love above all. Steward your gifts faithfully. Build up the body. The Spirit gives gifts; the church flourishes through their use.
Spiritual gifts (Greek 'charismata') are God-given abilities the Holy Spirit distributes to every believer for building up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7). Major lists include 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. They include speaking gifts (teaching, exhortation, prophecy), serving gifts (helps, mercy, giving), leadership gifts (ruling, governments), and miraculous gifts (healings, miracles, tongues, interpretation).
(1) Study Scripture's gift lists. (2) Ask the Spirit. (3) Try serving in different ways. (4) Listen to mature Christians who know you. (5) Notice where you bear fruit. (6) Use the gifts in your local church. (7) Continue to develop them. Gifts emerge in service, not in solitary discovery.
Christians disagree. Continuationists hold all gifts continue today. Cessationists hold that some 'sign gifts' (especially tongues, prophecy, miraculous healing) ceased with the apostolic age. Open-but-cautious is a middle position. All Christians agree on serving gifts (helps, mercy, teaching, exhortation). Differences are about miraculous/sign gifts.
Love (charity) is greater than any spiritual gift. 1 Corinthians 13 — 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am nothing.' Love is not a gift but the way gifts must be exercised. Among gifts, Paul commends prophesying because it most directly edifies the church (1 Corinthians 14:1-5). The best gift is the one you have, used for the common good in love.