A well-known but largely ignored topic in Christianity is the topic of spiritual gifts. It is mentioned in multiple places in the Bible (e.g., Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4-31; 1 Peter 4:10-11), so it's not obscure, but, for reasons I don't quite understand, most of us don't much care. One might think, "Well, it doesn't pertain to me because I don't have one," but Paul says, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor 12:7) and Peter says, "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace" (1 Peter 4:10). That is, every believer has at least one spiritual gift. No excuses.
These gifts are not talents. They're not inborn, natural capabilities. They're special abilities provided by God "to serve one another" as Peter said or "for the common good" as Paul said. That is, they're not for you; they're for the body of Christ. In Peter's discussion of the topic (1 Peter 4:10-11), he groups them into two categories -- speaking and serving -- and indicates that they are powered by God for one another "in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:11). For God's glory.
So, let's see. You have at least one spiritual gift. It's not for you, nor is it from you. It's not powered by you. So you have this special gift of God given to you to edify your fellow believers and glorify God. (Remember, love for the brethren is a key mark of a believer (John 13:35).) So are you using your gift(s) for other believers? Are you employing God's power for God's glory by edifying your brothers and sisters? You can see, I think, that this isn't small. Why is it so difficult for some of us to even care, let alone act on it?
6 comments:
As I was leading a study in Galations I had the realization that The Fruit of The Spirit, is similar to spiritual gifts. In both cases we have these things through no effort or merit of our own, but instead have been given these things by YHWH, in order to further His Kingdom. This would seem to render the sermons about how to develop The Fruit of The Spirit, or spiritual gifts, useless.
I imagine spiritual gifts aren't talked about much because they seem like they are something beyond. I imagine most people think of teaching, preaching, healing, speaking in tongues, etc. as spiritual gifts.
Craig, since it's true that spiritual gifts are given rather than produced, developing them seems useless. On the other hand, like faith, which is a gift as well, or the fruit of the Spirit, I suspect that using them they improve, mature ... develop. Perhaps in that sense?
I think, David, you're right that most Christians think of those things as spiritual gifts (because they are), but do they think of "helps" or "service" or "generosity" in the same way?
Stan,
I agree that your conclusion does make some sense. I'd suggest that the key might be exercising them in the service of The Kingdom of God. I think that the types of sermons I'm talking about are the ones that focus on our ability to develop the fruit of the spirit that we feel like we don't have, making it abut our ability to do it on our own.
I've noticed that YHWH has a tendency of telling us what our reality is (we have the fruit of the Spirit, when we have The Spirit), then telling us how we should live out that reality.
Yes, Craig, I understood and agreed with your sense there. Too many treat them as natural abilities that we need to cultivate and develop. Scripture repeatedly indicates that our gifts and the fruit of the Spirit and our behavior are things that result from God. Paul makes that point almost with anger when he says, "You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" (Gal 3:1-3) We are perfected by the Spirit with the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit, etc., and too often we forget that.
Absolutely. Strangely enough, we live in a world predicated on focusing on what we as humans bring to the table when it comes to God's Kingdom. Unfortunately, that's pretty much nothing.
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