Foundations of Faith
SPIRITUAL GIFTS (I)
As pointed out previously (Oct98), every member of the body of Christ has a role to play in the body as a whole and especially in the local assembly. For this purpose, one or more spiritual gifts have been given to every believer in Christ (Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 12:4-11,28-31; Eph. 4:11,12).
Let us discuss a few general points concerning spiritual gifts. First, just as the human physical body has many different members (eyes, ears, arms, legs, heart, liver, muscles, nerves, etc.), so the body of Christ has many members, with many different gifts and many different roles to play. 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, you may be wondering, “How can I know what my own spiritual gift is?” The Bible does not tell us, but a good starting point is found in the question asked by Saul of Tarsus when he had just been converted:”Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6).
Each believer in Christ should be asking this same question. If we are truly sincere about wanting to serve the Lord, 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 define your spiritual gift.
Third, 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 [services], but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations [or effects], 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 wants with this gift. Rather, the 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). 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. God’s timing is perfect.
We are ready now to describe briefly each of the spiritual gifts mentioned in Scripture.
These two gifts are often linked together (1 Cor. 12:28,29; Eph. 3:5; 4:11; Rev. 18:20). They were prominent in the first century A.D. during the formation and building up of the Church:”You … are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone” (Eph. 2:19,20).
The apostles were, literally, “sent out ones.” The greatest Apostle of all was Christ Jesus (Heb. 3:1), the One sent by God “to be the Saviour of the world” (John 3:16,17; 5:36; 6:57; 8:42; 17:3; 1 John 4:9,10,14). Jesus sent out His 12 disciples “to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:2). When they returned from their mission, they were referred to as “apostles” (verse 10). On other occasions Jesus sent both the 12 apostles and others to preach and to prepare the way for Him (Luke 9:52; 10:1; 19:29; 22:8); after His resurrection He directed His disciples to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Matt. 28:19; Mark 14:15; Luke 24:47).
The apostles were men who had seen Christ in resurrection (Acts 1:22-26; 1 Cor. 15:8). They were granted authority over demons and diseases (Luke 9:1), to deliver evildoers to Satan (1 Tim. 1:20; 1 Cor. 5:5), and to tell people what they should do (2 Cor. 10:8-10).
The prophets were those who, literally, “spoke for another”; more specifically, they brought messages to the people from God. Again, the greatest Prophet of all was the one prophesied in Deut. 18:15,18, the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 7:16; John 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22-26), the One who spoke only those things that His Father gave to Him (John 8:28; 12:49; 14:10). The first century prophets were those who received fresh revelations and teachings from the Holy Spirit that have come down to us as the New Testament.
Most Bible scholars agree that the gifts of apostles and prophets, as known in the first century, have passed off the scene. With the completion of the Holy Scriptures there are no fresh revelations from God.
However, in a secondary sense, today’s foreign missionaries might be considered as apostles or “sent out ones.” As souls are brought to Christ through their preaching in a certain place, they teach the new converts and instruct them in coming together as an assembly of believers. This is much like the work of the apostle Paul, though today’s missionaries do not seem to have the authority that God gave to the early apostles.
Similarly, while there are no prophets today who bring new revelations of truth from God, there are prophets in a more restricted sense who bring the truth of God’s Word, the Scriptures, to the people. Jesus gave Mary Magdalene a message to deliver to the disciples, which she did faithfully (John 20:17,18). If we are daily in close communion with the Lord, He may similarly lay on our hearts a message of “edification, exhortation, [or] comfort” (1 Cor. 14:3) from the Scriptures to deliver to relative or friend or fellow believer. In an assembly meeting for ministry of the Scriptures (Oct98), two or three “prophets” may speak (1 Cor. 14:29). This means that the Lord may give to these brothers a message from His Word that gives just the needed teaching, warning, exhortation, encouragement, or comfort to the believers who are gathered together.
Prophesying may also include foretelling the future (2 Chron. 18:11-22; Jer. 14:15,16; 19:14,15; 25:30; 27:16; Ezek. 6:2; 20:46,47), and this type of prophesying is popular in some Christian circles today. But one must make certain that the message is from the Lord.
Running the Race
Assignment 1: From Deuteronomy 18 write out a verse that tells how to distinguish a false prophet and one that describes the punishment of a false prophet.