Here are two Scriptures that speak about the Spiritual Gifts God has for His church. Each church is to have them as the Spirit wills. Which do you believe God has given you? The poll beside this article is a place for us to see what God has given our church family.
1 Corinthians 12:1-31
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free — and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
NIV
Romans 12:1-9
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
NIV
When Quoting Scripture Inflicts Harm
6 years ago
1 comments:
It is interesting to think of the idea of which spiritual gift you 'have'. As you read through the New Testament it would be hard to only identify one or two spiritual gifts with each of the key characters - Paul, Peter, Timothy etc. It seems to me that they operated in whichever spirital gift was required at that time for the building up of the body.
When Peter and John met the crippled beggar, the beggar asked for money but needed healing. God healed the man through Peter and John. There are some scholars who would say that the beggar was the one who received the 'gift of healing', seeing as he was the one who was healed.
I believe that the gifts of the Spirit are the tools that God has for us to use to build up the body and to further the kingdom. I have a toolbox at home with an array of tools - each one with a specific function. And we all know that the right tool for the right job makes the job run smoother. If I only had a hammer, and my friend had a screw-driver then I would constantly be in need of my friend (which is part of the message in the Corinthians passage) - but if I am alone and my friend is not present, and need to remove a screw, then wouldnt it be great to have a screw-driver available as well as a hammer?
Through the Holy Spirit we can have access to any or all of the gifts for the times that we need them. If I need faith in a situation, the Holy Spirit can give me a gift of faith, if I need discernment of spirits in a situation then the Holy Spirit can bring discernment.
I think the key thing for me, and one that we need to wrestle with and grasp hold of is the work and evidence of the Holy Spirit when the Lord Jesus pours the Holy Spirit out over us and baptizes us in Holy Spirit.
In John 20 the disciples have seen Jesus crucified, and now in the Upper Room seen him risen from the dead. The stories were true, they believe. Jesus breathes on them and says, "Receive my Spirit". They are now born again through the indwelling of teh Holy Spirit. But Jesus tells them to wait until they are empowered from on high. In Acts 2, some 50 days later, that empowerment comes when the Spirit is poured out upon them and they boldly preach the Gospel.
Have we received the breath of God through a conversion experience but are waiting on the empowering of the Holy Spirit throught Spirit baptism? Maybe it is time to seek the baptism in Holy Spirit and get empowered before we look to use teh tools of the kingdom.
Just a thought.
Jason
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