WELCOME TO GROWING
With this issue we begin the third year of publication of GROWING which is devoted to describing the fundamental doctrines of the Bible. If you are missing some or all of the 1993 and 1994 issues, please notify the Editor or Distributor who will be pleased to send you the copies you need at no cost to you.
Foundations of Faith
GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT (III)
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to the believer. In 1 Corinthians 12 we find lists of several different spiritual gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit. These include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostles, teachers, helps, and government (1 Cor. 12:8-10,28).
We shall study each of these gifts in detail in a later issue. But let us make some general points at this time. First, a believer’s spiritual gift helps to define his or her special role and responsibility in the Church, the body of Christ. Just as the human physical body has many different members (eyes, ears, arms, legs, heart, liver, muscles, nerves, etc.), so the body of Christ, the Church, has many members with many different gifts and many different roles to play. And in order for the local church or assembly of believers to function properly, each member must be ready and willing at all times to use his/her spiritual gift for the benefit of the whole assembly.
Second, based on what you have just read, you may be asking the question, “How do I know what my own special spiritual gift is?” The Bible doesn’t come right out and tell us how to find out what our gift is. But a good starting point is given us in the question asked by Saul of Tarsus when he had just been converted:”Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”
This is what each believer in Christ should be asking of the Lord. And if we are truly sincere about wanting to serve the Lord and to do what He wants us to do, He will show us work to be done and people with needs and will burden our hearts to do something about those needs. A person with one kind of gift will often be especially sensitive to one kind of need or work to be done, and a person with a different gift may be sensitive to a completely different area of need. If you keep track of the persons and situations that concern you each day, and what you do to help in each situation, after a while you may see a pattern forming that will help to define what your spiritual gift is.
Third, since we have been studying the three Persons of the Holy Trinity in the past few issues, it is well to see that the entire Trinity is involved in this matter of spiritual gifts:”There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations [or services], but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations [or effects or outcomes], but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Cor. 12:4-6). So while the gifts are given by the Holy Spirit, the person who receives a gift is not free to do whatever he/she wishes with this gift. Rather, that person is to be subject to the Lord in the use of that gift in service for the Lord (verse 5) and for building up the body of believers (verses 7,25). And finally, each time we faithfully use our spiritual gift as directed by the Lord Jesus, we are to leave the results with God who “works all in all” (verse 6). It is He who brings about the desired effect in the heart and life of the one to whom we have ministered. We are not to be discouraged if the use of our gift does not immediately yield positive results. (See Assignment 1)
Running the Race
HOW DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES? (II)
Scene: Teen-age Sunday school class. The members of the class are discussing different ways in which they recognized the Holy Spirit working in them during the previous week. In the last issue, we heard from Susan, Jim, Sarah, and Joanne. Now Robert has his hand raised.
Teacher: Yes, Robert.
Robert: I learned that it isn’t very pleasant having the Holy Spirit living in me.
Teacher: Could you explain what you mean, Robert?
Robert: Well, um, I did something wrong to one of my friends. I lied to him. Really, I was just kidding, but he believed my lie. And ever since then I have been worrying about it, I haven’t been able to eat very well, I haven’t been able to sleep very well, and I try to avoid my friend whenever I see him. If I didn’t have the Holy Spirit, I would probably feel a lot better.
Teacher: Class, do you think Robert made a mistake in receiving Christ as his Saviour? Why is the Holy Spirit making Robert feel miserable?
Susan: Robert reminds me of Psalm 32 which speaks of King David feeling miserable until He confessed His sin unto the Lord.
Tom: I heard somewhere that real happiness can only be where there is real holiness, and to be holy we need to confess and repent of our sins daily–both to the Lord and to those we sin against.
Teacher: Those are very good points both of you made. Yes, I believe one of the most important works of the Holy Spirit, as His name suggests, is to help the believer to become holy himself. Can anyone think of a verse that suggests that holiness leads to happiness?
Katy: The Lord Jesus said, “Blessed [or happy] are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).
Teacher: Excellent! So Robert, why don’t you try confessing your lie to your friend, and report back to us next week what happens. Now, what other ways have any of you experienced the working of the Holy Spirit in your lives during the past week?
Assignment 1: (a) Find and write out a verse in Philippians 1 that speaks of persons who did not use their gift in subjection to the Lord. (b) Find and write out verses in Acts 17 that illustrate the truth of 1 Cor. 12:6, namely, that speak of people having totally opposite responses to the same preaching.