A case for the gifts in the church today.
Any serious discussion of Spiritual Gifts is bound to take folks to the edge of their comfort zones, especially if diverse backgrounds are involved. What purpose do they serve? Are the gifts for today? Are there any that are essential to prove we’re saved? Is there a difference between the Baptism of Salvation and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? These questions have been asked since the beginning. Paul answered them all clearly in 1st Corinthians 12-14, but people still wonder. Let’s summarize his explanation and then let the original language show us a surprise or two.
Did You Bring Me a Gift?
The listing of gifts in chapter 12 is bracketed by two thoughts that are instructive in and of themselves. “To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good”…” and He gives them to each one just as He determines.” Clear enough?
The Lord gives gifts to each believer as He sees fit for the good of all. Everyone is gifted in some way to make his or her unique contribution to the body. We don’t choose the gift(s) we get but having received are to use them for the good of all.
There are nine gifts listed in chapter 12. Paul lists seven others in Romans 12, (where he also points out that “we have different gifts according to the grace given us”) and another five in Ephesians 4 again implying a distribution of gifts across the body.
It’s Greek to Me
As for the meaning of the Greek words used to describe the gifts, most are free from controversy. The exception would be clear as well but for one instance. I’m talking about the Greek word translated “healing” in 1 Corinthians 12:9. It literally means “to cure or heal.” In Hebrews 12:13 this word is used figuratively in an analogy comparing the spiritual strengthening that comes from enduring hardship to physical healing. Some take this single instance to deny the literal use of the word in the 30 or so other places it appears. It’s a clear violation of the rules of interpretation. We’re to use clear passages to define obscure ones not the other way around.
How Does That Work?
As to the working of gifts in our day, the debate stems from an incorrect application of 1 Corinthians 13:10. In that verse the Second Coming is in view, when that which is imperfect (our understanding of His Plan) will be made perfect. The point of the passage is that even with our spiritual gifts we can’t understand everything. When the Lord comes and makes everything clear, the need for the gifts will cease, except for the greatest gift of all; Love.
Some claim that the perfection spoken of is the completion of the Bible, a view that can not be found prior to 1906, when the reappearance of spiritual gifts in the Pentecostal movement caused great alarm in some circles and a way to discredit their use had to be found.
Were You Baptized?
As for a special second baptism, where certain gifts are bestowed (specifically tongues) there is also a misunderstanding of context. There are two instances in Acts where a baptism results in the manifestation of tongues. (I’m setting aside Acts 2 which most agree was a unique event.) In both these other cases, gentile believers received for the first time the baptism of salvation. The manifestation of tongues was the Lord’s proof to Jewish believers that “the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.” It was not intended to identify tongues as proof of salvation or any other level of spirituality. (Acts 10:44-46)
Three Greek words are used to define the role of the Holy Spirit in the believer’s life. Para means with and applies to everyone before the Resurrection. Epi means to come upon and describes events in Acts 2, 10:44, and 19:6, resulting there in the manifestation of tongues. En means in and refers to the result of having heard and believed the Gospel, as in Ephesians 1:13-14.
Taken together, all these passages agree that the Lord sealed the Holy Spirit within you at the moment of belief, determined what gift(s) you would need to make your unique contribution to the body, and invested you accordingly. From time to time, for His own purposes, He might also cause the Holy Spirit to “come upon” you to perform a special or limited assignment.
The Biggest Surprise
The English word “another” appears eight times in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, but in the Greek two different words are used. One means another of the same kind (allos) and the other means another of a different kind (heteros).
Using the literal Greek meanings, the two verses would read like this. “To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another (of the same kind) the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another (of a different kind than those given wisdom and knowledge) faith by the same Spirit, to another (same kind as faith) gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another (same kind as faith) miraculous powers, to another (same kind as faith) prophecy, to another (same kind as faith) distinguishing between spirits, to another (of a different kind than either previous group) speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another (same kind as tongues)the interpretation of tongues.
The way these words are used makes it seem like Paul separated believers and their gifts into three groups. The first group gets wisdom and knowledge; the second group includes faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, and discernment; and the third has tongues and interpretation.
Observing the church, you see certain groups emphasizing some gifts over others. Instead of seeking the full distribution of gifts within their group, believers with similar gifts form like-minded congregations. Some groups even assert that you’re not really a believer unless you can manifest the gifts they emphasize, while others, denying their use, expel members who manifest gifts.
In perhaps no area of God’s Grace will you find more evidence of man’s destructive meddling than in the area of spiritual gifts. I’ll share some of my own experience next time.
I Have a Gift For You
Soon afterward a business associate introduced me to some friends of hers, all members of a Charismatic Women’s group. They were disappointed that I didn’t speak in tongues, but believed I would begin to as I grew in my faith. My main concern was that with all my time in church I didn’t know beans about the Bible. While they prayed for me to receive the gift of tongues, I prayed that the Lord would open up my head and pour His word into it. I guess He thought my prayer was more to the point, because as I began teaching people began listening. It was clear to all that the Lord had gifted me in that department.
Is That You Lord?
These dear sisters got me appointed as an advisor to their local chapter even though I still couldn’t meet their main requirement for membership - tongues. One spring about 15 years ago their organization held a regional meeting in Salt Lake City, and they got me on the agenda. I was to speak on the way Hebrew wedding customs mirror events of the Second Coming. Apparently the Lord wanted to hear this as well, because during my talk He showed up and this room full of women began weeping and moving out of their seats to kneel or lie on the floor. By the end of my talk, all the leaders on the platform and many of the women in the audience were bawling their eyes out, many on their faces on the floor. Not long after, I was told that the group had dropped their requirement that members manifest the gift of tongues.
I have Another Gift For You
At another of their meetings several years later, a woman with the gift of prophecy spoke on Spiritual Gifts. As she wrapped up her teaching, she began calling people out of the audience to inform them of their gifts. Being the advisor that day, I stood in the back of the room listening. My first prayer was that she wouldn’t call on me. I was very skeptical and didn’t want to embarrass her or me. But as the meeting progressed, my silent prayer changed to a fleece. “Lord,” I said, “If this woman is legitimate let her call on me and tell me I have the gift of healing.” One by one names were called, people were prayed over, and many were “slain in the spirit” (I’ve always had trouble with that one). Finally she called my name. As she prayed over me, she said I had the gift of healing, and the biggest skeptic in the room went down like a ton of bricks.
I went around praying over the sick and injured. I did a study on spiritual gifts and another on healing. Frankly, some folks got way upset over this and left our ministry. Some of the people I prayed over got better and some didn’t. A man with prostate cancer called two years later to say he’d been healed in one of our services, but a baby mangled in the birthing process never re-gained consciousness, and a young mother died of a brain tumor after a year of fervent prayer.
Don’t Do That, Lord
An associate of the ministry had left us during this time and caused quite a stink. We didn’t see him for six months, but one Sunday he and his family showed up at a joint meeting with a sister fellowship. A woman who wasn’t a member of either group, but had attended my bible studies in another town, was also there. She stood up during our prayer time and gave a word of knowledge that cut this man to the heart. With his family in tears around him, he stood up and asked the Lord and the group for forgiveness. Members of the sister fellowship were furious and soon severed all ties with us.
I Am The Lord Who Heals You
Then one Sunday morning a woman visiting our service let out a shriek and keeled over with an epileptic seizure. A doctor and an EMT ministered to her to no avail. Someone called 911. I asked everyone who believed the Lord could heal her to join me in praying over her. Her breathing had stopped and her face was turning blue, but as we gathered over her and I asked the Lord to bring peace into her heart, she sat up suddenly. When the paramedics arrived they spoke with her but said she was fine, so they didn’t take her to the hospital. She later told me that she had dreamed these exact events in advance, and knew the Lord had healed her. Against my advice, she threw her medicine away and when her doctors tried to induce a seizure during an exam they were unable. It’s been several years now and no more seizures.
So I guess I agree with Paul. The Lord sealed the Holy Spirit within me at the moment of belief, determined what gifts I would need to make my unique contribution to the body, and invested me accordingly. From time to time, for His own purposes, He has also caused the Holy Spirit to “come upon” me to perform a special assignment. My talk on “The Bride” and the healing of the epileptic are two dramatic examples among many. I don’t pray for tongues anymore. He suggested I stop whining about the gifts I don’t have and focus on the ones I do. Good advice.
This quote from Romans 11:29 is the basis for our final episode in the series on spiritual gifts. We’ve established that at the moment of belief, the Holy Spirit is permanently sealed within us as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14), and that the Lord equips us for ministry with certain gifts of the Spirit, to each one just as He determines for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7 and 11). We’ve also shown how from time to time the Holy Spirit might “come upon” us for a special assignment (Acts 10:44-46). “But wait” you say, “what if I’ve never used my gift? I didn’t even know I had one. Is it too late to start now?”
Contained in the Old, Explained in the New
Romans 15:4 comes to mind. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” If this is true, there should be a story from the Old Testament that contains the answer. And sure enough, in 2 Kings 4: 8-37 we find it.
It’s the story of Elisha, his servant Gehazi, and a woman of Shunem. The woman has been kind to Elisha, and he wants to reward her with a gift, but she doesn’t offer any suggestion. When he asks his servant’s opinion he is told she has no son. Without seeking her approval he tells her she will bear a son in one year. And so it happens. A few years later, the boy suddenly becomes ill and dies. When she petitions Elisha, he restores the boy to life.
I Told Parables Through Them, Hosea 12:10
Using the root meanings of the names, let’s convert the story into an object lesson and fulfill Romans 15:4. The name Elisha is translated God of Supplication; Gehazi comes from a root meaning vision or prophecy, and Shunem means rest. And so the God of Supplication comes with His Servant (the Holy Spirit) to the woman at rest (the church) to bring her a gift. The servant determines what gift would be best and it is done accordingly. Later the gift appears to die. The woman petitions the God of Supplication and He restores the gift to life. His gifts are irrevocable, after all.
How Do You Know This?
Elisha as a model of God is pretty clear; his name says it all. Same with the servant; but how is the woman a model of the church? Three ways. One, she’s established a relationship with Him and made room for Him in her home (her heart) and two, she lives in Rest (Shunem). Hebrews 4:9-10 explains it. “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.” (Remember what’s external and physical in the Old becomes internal and spiritual in the New. So it is with the Sabbath). Three, He desires to bring her a gift, and works through His servant to do it. The model fits.
A High View of Inspiration
This is what makes the Bible such a fascinating book. The Holy Spirit moved writers to describe events in such a way as to bring lessons to us centuries later. For example, when you look for the hidden meanings in names, you often find incredible insights in understanding passages like this. It does require some discipline to avoid going off on a tangent, but the more literal you are in interpretation, the safer you’ll be. Both the Strong’s and the NAS concordance are great study tools for this.
What’s the Application?
This story is a fascinating model with both general and specific applications. (By the way, it was the basis for the study on Spiritual Gifts given by the woman I referred to last time.) The general application explains the period of time in the church age when the Gifts of the Spirit were absent, and then suddenly reappeared in the birth of the Pentecostal Movement. The specific application is for you.
The Lord in His infinite wisdom has permanently invested in you a unique combination of the Spiritual Gifts listed in Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. He did this because He wants you to make a contribution to the Body of Christ. No other believer is as well equipped or suited to make this contribution. The Body of Christ can’t be all it was intended to be here on earth without your contribution. Discovering your gift can be the adventure of a lifetime. Ask Him to guide you in this adventure. Use competent study aids as well. Our tapes on 1 Corinthians 12-14 can help you define what you’re looking for.
The Peace That Passes All Understanding
You will find that as you begin re-ordering your life in the direction of your giftedness you will be more effective everywhere, whether at work, home, or ministry, and more at peace than ever before. Resist the well intended but misdirected efforts of friends and associates who will encourage you to manifest the gifts they have. Paul warned us that a physical body of only arms or eyes would be useless. Our creator gave us the correct number of each body part to make us effective. He invested the Body of Christ with gifts in the same manner. Remember His advice to me; “Stop whining about the gifts you don’t have and focus on the ones you do.” It’s good advice for us all.