Rev. Andy Jarvis - 15/02/09

The Discovery Of Gifts

Spiritual Gifts Reference Material
Definitions and Biblical References

Introduction

The main places in the Bible where we learn about the different Spiritual Gifts are:
• 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
• Romans 12:6-9
• Ephesians 4:11-13
From Scripture, we learn the following key information about Spiritual Gifts:

Biblical Summary about Spiritual Gifts

1. Every Christian has at least one Spiritual Gift ( 1 Peter 4:10 )
2. No Christian has all the gifts ( 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 )
3. We cannot choose our gifts; God does that job ( 1 Corinthians 12:7-11)
4. There is no gift that every Christian possesses ( 1 Corinthians 12:29-30) Do you agree with this? Is prayer a gift? What about the Spirit Himself? Or the Word?
5. Believers will account to the Lord for how they use their gifts ( 1 Peter 4:10 )
6. Spiritual Gifts indicate God’s call and purpose for a Christian’s life ( Romans 12:2-8 ) Do you agree? Can you give an example to support your view? To what extent do gifts come first?
7. Gifts used without love do not accomplish God’s intended purposes ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 )
8. Spiritual Gifts are for the common good to build up the Body ( 1 Corinthians 12:27 )

Biblical Guidelines for using Spiritual Gifts

1. Usage of the gift(s) conforms to Biblical teaching (Phil 2:1-5, 1 Peter 4:7-11)
2. There is harmony within the Body of Christ through the expression of the gift ( 1 Corinthians 12:7 ; Ephesians 4:16 )
3. The Body of Christ should test that the Holy Spirit is at work ( 1 John 4:1 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:21 )
4. The Holy Spirit provides peace in our spirits as we offer our gift(s) to the Body of Christ ( John 15:26 ; Romans 8:16 )
5. There is evidence of godly fruit in the life of the Body ( John 15:8 ; Matthew 7:16-20 )
6. Believers offer their gifts for the common good as others have need ( Acts 2:44-45 ; 1 Corinthians 12:7 )
7. Unless gifts are offered in love, they have no worth ( 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 )
8. We should strive to live a life worthy of our calling ( Ephesians 4:1 Eph 2:10, Phil 2:13,Colossians 3:17,23)

Not all the spiritual gifts given in the Bible served their purpose. What went wrong in these instances?

o Tongues in 1 Cor 14:6-12
o Giving food and drink in 1 Cor 11:17-22
o Giving in Acts 5:1-10a
o Baptizing in the Spirit Acts 8:18-23
o Showing mercy 1Cor 5:1-2
Can you think of any other examples?

How Many Different Spiritual Gifts Are There?

There is little agreement among Christians as to exactly how many different Spiritual Gifts there are. Does it matter?
• Some people look at the key Bible passages on Spiritual Gifts and limit the Gifts to the ones listed there:
o Romans 12 – GIFTS WE ARE: Prophecy, Service, Teaching, Encouragement, Giving, Leadership, and Mercy
o 1 Corinthians 12 – GIFTS WE RECEIVE Message of Wisdom, Message of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miraculous Powers, Prophecy, Distinguishing between spirits, Speaking in Tongues, and Interpreting Tongues
o Ephesians 4 – GIFTS WE BECOME Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher

• Some add the possibility of other gifts:
o 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 - Celibacy
o 1 Peter 4:9-10 - Hospitality
o 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 - Martyrdom (not included in this test!)
o Ephesians 3:6-8 - Missionary
o 1 Corinthians. 13:1-3 - Voluntary Poverty
o Ephesians 6:18 - Intercession / Prayer
o Luke 1:1-3 – Writing
o Judges 14:19-20 – Power/victory in battle
o Exodus 35:31 – Craftsmanship
o 1 Chronicles 6:31 music making
Given what you know, what do you think?
Are there others?
1 Cor 13 The most excellent way!