Chapter 7.13

God Through Us

The Ministry Will of God Revealed through our Spiritual Gifts

 

Table of Topics

A) The Nature of Spiritual Gifts

B) The Types of Spiritual Gifts

B.1) Serving Gifts

B.2) Equipping Gifts

B.3) Martyrdom gift

B.4) The Singleness Gift

B.5) Life callings

B.6) Scripture and Sign gifts

C) The Personal Divine Guidance of Spiritual Gifts

Extras & Endnotes

Table 7.13A: Equipping Gifts

Table 7:13B: Serving & Special Gifts

Table 7:13C: Scripture & Sign Gifts

Primary Points

• If we wish to answer how God wants us to uniquely serve Him, we need to recognize what spiritual gift He has given us and employ it.
• Spiritual gifts are supernatural, diverse, bestowed on every Christian, and given for service to others.
• While the New Nature certainly provides desires to love God and people, our particular spiritual gifts give us desires to love them in a certain way.
• The types of spiritual gifts can include: serving, equipping, martyrdom, singleness, and Scripture and sign gifts.
• Our spiritual gifts are usually the most specific divine revelation of God’s will for our life.
• It is not only because an Evangelist takes more opportunities to share the Gospel that they are more effective at converting people, but also because God sovereignly brings more seeking people across their path,
• Especially for those in full time ministry, spiritual gifts can virtually set the course for their entire life.
• Obviously, being faithful with our spiritual gifts does not necessitate their full-time employment.
• The desires produced by our spiritual gifts are much more general than the specific revelation claimed by mega mysticism.
• Super-supernaturalists tend to ignore the supernatural nature and revelatory value of spiritual gifts because of their unbiblical focus on the extinct Scripture and sign gifts.

 

A) The Nature of Spiritual Gifts

Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit sovereignly bestows on each Christian a spiritual gift (charisma) or desire and ability to uniquely serve the Body of Christ. We were born the first time with genetic talents, the second time with spiritual ones. We claim that these result in a very real and valuable personal revelation of God’s will to us because they influence how we serve Him and His people.

If we wish to answer how God wants us to uniquely serve Him, we need to recognize what spiritual gift He has given us and employ it. Our spiritual gifts are an important and very personal divine revelation which we have defined as: God’s self-initiated and divinely authenticated disclosure of His ways, works, or will to His Creation for His glory. This revelational purpose of our spiritual gifts is unfortunately another rather neglected topic in Christian theology. ^[1]

The Apostle Peter provides the essential attributes of spiritual gifts when he writes:

Each one should use whatever gift [charisma] he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms [poikilos]. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. (1 Pet 4:10-11)

Several points can be made here. First, “each one . . . has received” a “gift.” Every Christian by virtue of the indwelling Spirit possesses a unique desire and power to serve others. No Christian is giftless (cf. 1 Cor 12:7).

Secondly, these gifts are supernatural in nature, being “received” from God and empowered by “God’s grace.” ^[2] Likewise, the Apostle Paul described them as “the manifestation of the Spirit” “the work of . . . the . . . Spirit,” and that “God works all of them in all men” (1 Cor 12:6-7, 11). ^[3]

Thirdly, their purpose is “to serve others.” They are not intended to serve ourselves. Paul repeated this when he wrote: “to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7). The Spirit will never give or empower an authentic gift that operates for selfish, self-edifying purposes. ^[4]

Fourthly, they are given to the Church in a great variety, and are “God’s grace in its various forms [poikilos].” The Greek word here means “many faceted, having many different aspects or differing kinds (cf. Matt 4:24; 1 Pet 1:6).” ^[5] Likewise, Paul writes:

There are different kinds [diaireseis: “varieties”] of gifts [charismata: “manifestations of spiritual power”], but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are different kinds of service [diakonia: “ministries”], but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working [energēmata: “effects”], but the same God works all of them in all men. (1 Cor 12:4-6) ^[6]

Indeed, the gifts have one Source, but would appear to have a great variety of ministries and effects. Accordingly, an individual gift may manifest itself in a variety of ways in different people. For example, a person with gift of evangelism may be especially effective at crusade preaching, while another with the same gift maybe more effective in one-on-one ministry. Similarly with teaching. One may be effective in a crowd, and another with the gift of teaching may be especially effective in more private counseling situations.

Our spiritual gifts are authenticated in a couple of ways. First, there will be a compelling and consistent desire to serve God and His people in a particular way. For example, someone with the serving gift of evangelism will have an intense and unique desire to spend time with unbelievers, and share the Gospel with them. Likewise, the gift of serving will manifest itself in a desire to help people with practical, beneficial needs. These desires will be unique to the person with the gift.

While the Evangelist knows it is a biblical priority to serve Christians in small, behind-the-scenes ways (cf. Gal 6:10), they will not normally think that way, will overlook many opportunities to do so, and would not be energized to exclusively serve Christians for an extended period of time. However, because of the supernatural and unique gifting of God, the person with the gift of evangelism will “naturally” be constantly thinking about how they can share their faith with unbelievers, and will be eager and energized to do so. On the other hand, while the person whom God has gifted in serving knows the importance of sharing the Gospel with unbelievers (cf. Luke 19:10; Phlm 1:6), they will not normally think that way, will overlook many opportunities to do so, and would not be energized to exclusively do evangelism for an extended period of time.

Not only will the specific way in which God wants us to serve Him be authenticated by unique desires, but also a unique effect. Those with serving gifts of mercy or encouragement will be much more effective at strengthening a hurting person than those with gifts of leadership. And it is not only because an Evangelist takes more opportunities to share the Gospel that they are more effective at converting people, but also because God sovereignly brings more seeking people across their path, and uniquely blesses their communication of the Gospel. These spiritual gifts carry a power and effect that is unique to them and will be readily recognized especially by those around us, as we sacrificially seek to serve God and His people, and live in the power of the Spirit that empowers them.

While we noted in the previous chapter that Philippians 2:13 applies to the working of our New Nature, it certainly applies to the working of our spiritual gifts as well. The Apostle writes: “God is at work within you both to will and to work according to His good pleasure.” God intends His people to recognize the spiritual gifts He has given them, and therefore treat them as an authoritative revelation of a particular kind of ministry that He wants them to be faithful with. The Apostle Peter said it this way: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (cf. 1 Pet 4:10). As a person does what the Apostle says, they will be following God in specific ways.

B) The Types of Spiritual Gifts

B.1) Serving Gifts

Nonetheless, the Scriptures do reveal some general categories for these gifts because it is important to distinguish them in order to recognize their effect. The Apostle Peter simply divides these into two kinds; those gifts through which a person “speaks” and those through which they “serve.”

The Apostle Paul was much more descriptive, describing these gifts in several places in his writing and giving them a different emphasis in each passage. In Romans 12:6-8 we see an emphasis on what we call serving gifts which are the possession of the general congregation for purposes of serving the ministries of the Church. In our opinion, these serving gifts include the following, some of which the Apostle does not mention elsewhere:

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. . . . If it is serving, let him serve . . . if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously . . . if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Rom 12:6-8)

B.2) Equipping Gifts

In Ephesians 4 the Apostle reflects an emphasis on those gifts given “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service” (v. 12 NASB). In our opinion, those operating today and listed here include: “evangelists ^[7] . . . pastors [“leadership,” cf. Rom 12:8 ^[8]] and teachers” (v. 11). ^[9] Accordingly we refer to these as equipping gifts.

B.3) Martyrdom gift

In 1 Corinthians 13 we see a gift of martyrdom when the Apostle writes: “If I . . . surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (13:3). ^[10] This gift has displayed itself in the ancient Church through people who eagerly desired to be tortured and killed as a witness for Christ, and when they were, they experienced a supernatural grace to withstand the pain in a God-glorifying way. ^[11]

B.4) The Singleness Gift

In 1 Corinthians 7 the Apostle describes the supernatural singleness gift when he writes:

It is good for a man not to marry. ² But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. . . . I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. (1 Cor 7:1-2, 6-7)

The natural human desire is to be married, but the Apostle admits a supernatural desire and contentment as a “gift from God” to remain single. Here we see the Apostle describing another spiritual gift of God’s grace that results in a divine calling. It is rather obvious that the gift the Apostle claims is celibacy. Such a divine gift would give a person a supernatural ability to be content with singleness and able to be more devoted to ministry (cf. vs. 32-34). The divine gift of celibacy is a divine call for extraordinary service to the Church and an indication that it is not God’s will for such a person to be married. It is evidenced by a supernatural (or rather unnatural) ability to not be sexually attracted by the opposite gender (cf. 1 Cor 7:1-7).

Notice that God sovereignly determines who will receive the supernatural gift of singleness, and that the gift of pastoring may not be accompanied by it (cf. 1 Tim 3:2). This reveals the biblical error found in the Roman Church’s assumption that the two are always granted together, an error that has had disastrous results. ^[12]

Some suggest that the Apostle alludes to a divine gift of marriage as that which is in contrast to the gift of singleness he possessed. Again, he writes, “I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that” (1 Cor 7:7). Taking more liberty the NLT renders the statement as, “I wish everyone could get along without marrying, just as I do. But we are not all the same. God gives some the gift of marriage, and to others He gives the gift of singleness.” However, there was no need for the Apostle to speak of a gift of God’s grace for marriage. It is the natural desire of most humans to have the companionship of the opposite gender, and to be attracted to them. We do not need a supernatural gift to produce this desire, and the New Nature in us is already sufficient to produce the sacrificial love needed in marriage. ^[13]

In addition, we do not think the gift of singleness would be equal to a divine command to not marry. A close reading of 1 Corinthians 7 bears this out. While the Apostle certainly encourages a person with such a gift to be faithful with it, the general tone of the passage is freedom in such matters. The Apostle is not encouraging such people to remain single in order to “restrict” (v. 35) them.

Likewise, the Apostle surely includes those with the gift of singlehood in his statement, “if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned” (v. 28). However, he wants to add the warning, “But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this” (v. 28). The Apostle sums up his instruction in v. 38: “So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her [because he has the gift of singleness and can remain so without “burning”] does even better [because he can remain in a unique lifestyle of “undivided devotion to the Lord”]” (v. 35).

B.5) Life callings

The Apostle’s teaching regarding certain gifts from God that would dictate social status, introduces the suggestion that God ordains such positions as well. Accordingly, we have written elsewhere:

Our specific calling in which we must pursue human plans to obey God’s commands extend beyond spiritual gifts to include personal responsibilities in life. The Apostle wrote:

Each person has their own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that [like gift of singleness] . . . . Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to them and to which God has called them. . . . Each one should remain in the situation [klēsei “calling”] which they were in when God called them. (1 Cor 7:6, 17, 20 ^[14]).

The “callings” that Paul speaks of in this passage include social positions including whether to be married or unmarried, a slave or a free man. The “gift from God” in this context does not directly have to do with ministry, but social situation. Accordingly, Luther was not off base to use this passage to support the idea that God is sovereign over the “vocations” in which we live out our Christian faith. These can include being a spouse, parent, or a particular occupation. ^[15] It is in these God-ordained or allowed “callings” that we are also to exercise “every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith” (2 Thess 2:11). ^[16]

B.6) Scripture and Sign gifts

Finally, in 1 Corinthians 12 we see a list of what we call Scripture & sign gifts. Their purpose was the reception and authentication of new divine revelation. Paul writes the following concerning them:

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of [divine] wisdom, to another the message of [divine] knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another [miracle] 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. (1 Cor 12:8-10)

We discuss elsewhere the biblical purpose and attributes of these gifts, demonstrate that they ceased when the sufficient distribution of the NT Scriptures was complete in the third century, and that modern versions and claims to them operating today do not match their biblical descriptions.

For a helpful table distinguishing these varieties of spiritual gifts see Table 7.13 below.

C) The Personal Divine Guidance of Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual gifts supernaturally provide a Christian with certain desires and even abilities and energy that they would not have otherwise. While the New Nature certainly provides desires to love God and people, our particular spiritual gifts give us desires to love God and people in a certain way. This will therefore direct the portion of our life devoted to serving the Church.

For example, someone with the serving gift of mercy will have a significantly different ministry in the Church than the person whom God has given the gift of leadership. The one will find themselves spending their time with the very needy, while the other will be devoted to the most spiritually healthy. And because these are gifts given by God, these emphases in ministry are known to be God’s specific will for that person. Therefore, these gifts can serve as a divine revelation of God’s more specific will for us, particularly through the unique ministry desires they produce.

In fact, we would suggest that our spiritual gifts are usually the most specific divine revelation of God’s will for our life. This is why there is so much NT instruction concerning them (cf. Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11-12; 1 Pet 4:10-11). While Scripture and our New Nature reveal God’s general moral will, our spiritual gifts reveal more specifically God’s “ministry will” and our ordained and unique function in the Body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:7-29).

The divine guidance of the Spirit through His gifts is quite personal because He alone decides which gift(s) you receive. This same guidance is quite precise as there are not only “different kinds of gifts,” but as discussed above, there are “different kinds of service” (ministries), and “different kinds of working” (effects) (1 Cor 12:4-6). This results in a large variety of ministries and, in our opinion, the most specific divine revelation of God’s will for our life.

Therefore, we are not surprised to find a discussion of spiritual gifts in the context of knowing God’s will for our life in Romans 12 where the Apostle Paul writes:

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.  ²Do 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.

³For 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.  ⁴Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,  ⁵so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

⁶We 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.  ⁷If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;  ⁸if 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. (Rom 12:1-8)

The general topics here are knowing and doing God’s will (cf. v. 2). The primary requirements are dedicating our lives to God’s service and having a thoroughly Christian mindset (vs. 1-2). A natural question at this point is how might we specifically serve God after dedicating our lives to serving Him? The Apostle generally answers this question by reminding them that they will serve God according to “the measure of faith God has given you” (v. 3) and the “different gifts according to the grace given us” (v. 6) which are synonymous with our spiritual gifts. ^[17] That “faith” and “grace” and “gifts” given by God result in a revelation of His will. Therefore, knowing and doing God’s unique will for our life is dependent upon us being faithful to exercise our unique spiritual gift.

Accordingly, God instructs the local church that if He has given a person the gift of teaching, this is a revelation of His will that they are to “let him teach” (v. 7), because this is God’s specific will for how that person is to serve Him and His people. Obviously there are other factors to be considered, such as the person’s knowledge of Scripture and Christ-like character, both of which a spiritual gift of teaching will not provide. ^[18]

Along these lines the Apostle Paul writes: “[W]e are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). How will God reveal to us what those prepared works are? At least partially through the unique spiritual gifts He has given us which “are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines” (1 Cor 12:11), therefore guiding us into God’s specific will for us.

Especially for those in full time ministry, these gifts can virtually set the course for their entire life. One is reminded of the Levitical Priesthood established under the Old Covenant in which men were set apart at birth by God for special tasks. Likewise, the different paths taken by a Christian pastor, counselor, overseas missionary, and a seminary professor are in large part a reflection of the different spiritual gifts God gave them, which produced unique and specific desires which in turn influenced their choice of vocation.

Accordingly, Scripture speaks of the guiding desire that accompanies the gift and call to pastoring when we read: “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Tim 3:1). We suggest that the desire and faith required to become a Pastor comes from the spiritual gift of pastoring, resulting in a divine revelation that God wants that particular person to be a Pastor. Along the same lines, the Apostle Paul told the Ephesian Pastors, “the Holy Spirit has made you overseers . . . [and] shepherds of the church of God (Acts 20:28). 

Such verses are a foundation of the traditional concept of a divine “call to ministry” of which Louis Berkhof (1873–1957) writes:

It is sometimes thought that the internal calling to an office in the Church consists in some extraordinary indication [miraculous sign] of God to the effect that one is called, – a sort of special revelation. But this is not correct. It consists rather in certain ordinary providential indications given by God, and includes especially three things: (a) the consciousness of being impelled to some special task in the Kingdom of God, by love to God and His cause; (b) the conviction that one is at least in a measure intellectually and spiritually qualified for the office sought; and (c) the experience that God is clearly paving the way to the goal. ^[19]

Few exemplify the divine revelation provided by God through our gifts more than the Apostle Paul who wrote of himself: “Through Him and for His name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship [a spiritual gift, cf. Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28] to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith” (Rom 1:5). Because the Apostle’s gift of apostleship involved a rare “controlling call” ^[20] on His life, we need to be careful about how the Apostle’s gift of apostleship is applied to our own gifting. Nonetheless, he illustrates the fact that our spiritual gifts are intended to affect the overall course of our life and our knowledge of God’s specific will for our life. Accordingly, the Apostle said, “I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the Gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24), which was simply a fulfillment of his gift of apostleship.

While many today suggest that all Christians should compare their missionary zeal to the Apostle’s (especially those who have similar gifts such as evangelism), such an exhortation ignores the fact that not all are Apostles or Evangelists (cf. 1 Cor 12:29). The primary reason the Apostle had the life and ministry he had was because of the spiritual gifts he had. Accordingly, he wrote: “by the grace [gift] of God I am what I am, and His grace [gift] to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace [gift] of God that was with me” (1 Cor 15:10). The Apostle attributed the extraordinary characteristics and desires of his ministry to his extraordinary grace gifts.

The Apostle’s life was guided so specifically by his gift of apostleship that even though baptizing is an essential part of fulfilling the Great Commission (cf. Matt 28:19), he told the Corinthians, “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel” (1 Cor 1:17; cf. Gal 2:7). Our spiritual gifts may direct our lives a great deal through the unique desires they produce. For example, the desire to be an overseas missionary comes from a unique spiritual gift from God and He wants them to pursue that desire such that it is a guiding principle in their life. In other words, instead of some extraordinary vision from God to go to a foreign land with the Gospel (cf. Acts 16:9-10), God simply places a burning desire in our heart through a spiritual gift.

This “gift desire” is again exemplified by the Apostle Paul when he writes:

[W]hen I preach the Gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. (1 Cor 9:16-17)

The Apostle’s gift drove him, even involuntarily, to do what he did in spite of the many obstacles. God knows that we will live according to our desires and so through our gifts He may give us the desires that will direct us in the ministry He has uniquely chosen for us, resulting in a significant source of divine revelation for His people.

Obviously, being faithful with our spiritual gifts does not necessitate their full-time employment. Someone may even have a gift normally associated with a ministry vocation such as teaching, pastoring, and evangelism (cf. Eph 4:11), but still be occupied primarily with a secular occupation. Even the Apostle Paul, for all the influence of his gifting, saw the need to do secular work, such as tent making, at different times in his life (cf. Acts 18:1-5; 20:34; 1 Cor 4:12; 1 Thess 2:9). The gift itself will not tell us whether we are to be employing it full time, but rather our own personal desires and the circumstances and opportunities that God brings about will be our guide. God certainly does not expect all of those gifted for ministry to be employed full time, nor is such a calling a reflection of a person’s intrinsic worth to God.

Accordingly, the Apostle reminded the Thessalonian Christians of the importance of plain secular work:

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (1 Thess 4:11-12)

 

Because of the popularity of mega mysticism we need to again distinguish our view from it. First, the desires produced by our spiritual gifts are much more general than the specific revelation claimed by this view. Contrary to mega mysticism, God is normally perfectly content with giving us the specific serving gift and accompanying desire to evangelize, teach, pastor, serve, lead, and encourage without specifying exactly who we minister to or where. Mega mysticism fails to properly understand and apply the very rare and especially supernatural “controlling call” in which God reveals a predestined ministry for an individual who then fulfills it without exception. ^[21] Normally, the number of churches that a Pastor could minister in and be perfectly in God’s will is probably much larger than the one best option that mega mysticism insists he must discern. God simply and normally wants us to be diligent and faithful with the desires and abilities He has provided through our serving gift in the context we find ourselves in (cf. 1 Pet 2:11).

The mistake that super-supernaturalists make regarding the spiritual gifts is being especially susceptible to ignoring their supernatural nature ^[22] and value. Because of their focus on supposed modern versions of the biblical Scripture and sign gifts, they are especially susceptible to neglecting the spiritual gifts.

Pastoral Practices

• We have a great deal of responsibility to ensure in our church that, “Each one [is using] whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (cf. 1 Pet 4:10). We are in a position to help facilitate this by educating them on this important topic, helping people value and identify their spiritual gifts and then give opportunities for them to be used (cf. Rom 12:6-8).

Extras & Endnotes

Table 7.13A: Equipping Gifts

Equipping (Eph 4:11)
Type	Attributes	Biblical Example
Evangelist (Eph 4:11; Acts 21:8; 2 Tim 4:5)	Passion to see people spiritually saved. Boldness to share the gospel. People to share the gospel with.	Apostle Paul (1 Cor 9:15-23; 2 Tim 2:10)
Teacher (Eph 4:11; Rom 12:7; 1 Cor 12:28)	Passion to see people spiritually grow. Passion & ability to know & teach the truth to change people’s lives. Passion to understand & teach the doctrines of Scripture, not just commands.	Timothy, Titus, Ezra (1 Tim 4:13; 5:17; 2 Tim 2:15; Ezra 7:10)
Pastor (Eph 4:11)	Passion to see people spiritually protected & cared for. Ability to discern spiritual needs and meet them. Ability to carry and deal with many spiritual problems.	Jesus (John 15:13; 21:15-17)
Leader (Rom 12:8) Administration (1 Cor 12:28)	Passion to see people spiritually motivated to accomplish a spiritual task	Nehemiah (Matt 28:19-20; Prov 29:18)

Table 7.13B: Serving & Special Gifts

Serving (Rom 12:6-8)
Type	Attributes	Biblical Example
Serving (Rom 12:7) Helping (1 Cor 12:28)	Passion & ability to see practical needs & meet them. Operates in a great variety of ways, often using natural talents	Jesus (Matt 20:24-28; 25:31-40; John 13:1-5)
Giving (Rom 12:8; 1 Cor 13:3)	Gives cheerfully, sacrificially, & primarily financially to meet practical needs.	Macedonian Christians (2 Cor 8-9)
Encouraging (Rom 12:8)	Passion & ability to discern & meet emotional needs Good counselor	Barnabas (Acts 4:36; 14:20-22; Heb 3:12-13)
Mercy (Rom 12:8)	Passion to help the very needy.	Jesus (John 8:1-11)
Special
Singleness (1 Cor 7:7)	No desire to be married	Paul (1 Cor 7:7)
Martyrdom (1 Cor 13:3)	Desire & ability to be killed or tortured with little pain	Stephen (Acts 7:51-60)

Table 7.13C: Scripture & Sign Gifts

Scripture & Sign (1 Cor 12:8-10)
Type	Attributes	Biblical Example
Apostle Divine Wisdom & Knowledge	Given to receive & authenticate new divine revelation for Scripture. Not operating today because the NT revelation is complete. (1 Cor 13:8-13). Commonly demonically duplicated. (Matt 7:22-23)	See Book 8 of Knowing Our God
Prophet Prophecy		See Book 9
Miracles Miracle Working Miracle Faith		See Books 10-11
Tongues Interpretation		See Book 12

A Devotion to Dad

Father, we praise You for the great gift of our spiritual gifts. We appreciate the unique desires they give us to pursue, develop, and fulfill certain ministry needs in Your Body. We commit to being faithful to recognize and use them for your glory.

Gauging Your Grasp

1) Why is knowing your spiritual gift so important regarding divine direction for your life?

2) What are some general attributes of spiritual gifts?

3) What is the most apparent indication of a spiritual gift and the best way for us to know if we have it?

4) What are the different categories of spiritual gifts and their unique attributes?

 

Publications & Particulars

1. Wayne Grudem writes: “In previous generations, systematic theologies did not have chapters on spiritual gifts” (Systematic Theology [Zondervan, 1994], 1016). This is true and it is remarkable, especially when we notice how much NT Scripture is devoted to the subject. However, with the rise of charismaticism, there has been increasing discussion of the topic.

   Nonetheless, while some briefly discuss gifts under offices or ministers of the Church (e.g. Calvin, Berkhof), only Dr. Grudem has devoted a substantial amount to the topic (chapters 52-53), and this is primarily devoted to arguing for his charismaticism.

   Robert Reymond gives no mention of spiritual gifts under “divine works” of the Holy Spirit (A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith [Thomas Nelson, 1998], 314), and the entire discussion on the subject under “The scope of ministry” in the church is essentially quoting 1 Peter 4:10-11 and Romans 12:6-7 with no comment (886).

   Millard Erickson has a one page discussion of the spiritual gifts in general, and then six pages discussing charismaticism (Christian Theology [Baker, 1998], 891-97). He makes no mention of the personal revelatory character of the gifts except to say “They are intended to be used in the fulfillment of his plan” (897). It would seem better for him to have added “fulfillment of his personal plan for our life.”

   Bruce Demarest and Gordon Lewis have a very brief discussion of charismaticism (Integrative Theology, Vol. 3 [Zondervan, 1994], III.181), a good, but less than one page discussion on the gifts in general (III.211), and a very brief mention of equipping gifts (III.277).

   George Ladd has a good 2 page discussion (A Theology of the New Testament [Eerdmans, 1993], 579-81).

   Nevertheless, none of them speak of spiritual gifts as sources of divine revelation for the personal, ministry will of God for our lives. This is unfortunate, considering the fact that we believe spiritual gifts are the most personal and specific revelation we have for God’s unique will for our life ↑

2. How these gifts are communicated to the individual is a great mystery. However, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit is a Person, suggesting that the differing gifts are a different expression of the personality of the Spirit. Some manifest His evangelistic personality, others His serving personality, and so forth. In other words, we do not believe that the unique desires that come from these gifts are communicated by some sort of divine/human telepathic revelation, but rather are the varied influences of a Person inside of us. ↑

3. Unfortunately, some attempt to downplay the supernatural nature of all spiritual gifts. NT scholar George Ladd (1911–1982) wrote:

   A careful study of these several gifts makes it clear that while some of them are truly charismatic, others are obviously natural gifts used by the Holy Spirit. . . . It is important to note that some of the charismata are distinctly supernatural and can be exercised only by the sovereign activity of the Spirit, while others, such as helping, showing mercy, and giving are gifts that should be exercised by all Christians. (581)

   On the contrary, the NT description of these gifts as the work of God and the Spirit seems to negate the idea that they are merely “natural gifts.” Obviously, some gifts appear more miraculous than others. However, it is still a miracle that any individual has a particular gift, such as serving. They would not naturally have desires in that area, and such a gift then is supernatural. ↑

4. The fact that spiritual gifts are repeatedly described as only operating for the good of others, is a rebuke to the modern version of the gift of tongues which manifests itself as a private prayer language. When the Apostle said, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself” (1 Cor 14:4), he meant it as a rebuke, not an enthusiastic promotion of something the ancient Greek pagans were doing in their worship services. The real gift of tongues did work for the common good, being the miraculous ability to speak in a foreign language in order to authenticate new divine revelation. For further discussion, see applicable parts of Book 11. ↑

5. Wayne Grudem, 1 Peter (Eerdmans, 1999), 175. ↑

6. For definitions of the Greek words in this text see footnotes in Gordon Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians (Eerdmans, 1987), 586-87. ↑

7. The increasingly popular but erroneous notion that the “Evangelists” (Eph 4:11) were an office and therefore not a spiritual gift, is just as unbelievable as a claim that the “Teachers” (Eph 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28) do not have the gift of “teaching” (Rom 12:8). For further discussion on the equal error of claiming NT Christian “Prophets” (Eph 2:20, 4:11; 1 Cor 12:28) did not possess the “gift” of “prophesying” (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10) see section 9.4.B. ↑

8. We believe that the gift of “leadership” (Rom 12:8) and “Pastors” (Eph 4:11) are rather synonymous. While all spiritual shepherds are to teach, their primary role distinguished from teaching would be leading the flock. The Pastors greatest responsibility is to lead the church. This is why words such as Elder and Overseer are used synonymously with Pastor, but not Teacher (cf. 1 Pet 5:1-2; Acts 20:17, 28-29). Certainly a shepherd leads sheep where they are to go. The majority of the spiritual care of the church is to be done by the people, not the Pastors. ↑

9. Concerning the Apostle’s reference to “pastors and teachers [poimenas kai didaskalous]” there is considerable debate as to whether he was referring to one ministry or two distinct ones. F. F. Bruce suggested they refer to one and wrote: Bruce thinks

   “Teaching is an essential part of the pastoral ministry; it is appropriate, therefore, that the two terms ‘pastors and teachers,’ should be joined together to denote one order of ministry. (The Epistle to the Colossians, To Philemon, and to the Ephesians [Eerdmans, 1984], 348).

   William Barclay believes the same. (The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, [Westminster, 1976], 147). According to Calvin, Chrysostom, Augustine, and Ambrose were of the opinion that Paul was referring to one ministry. According to Harold Hoehner, so did Jerome, Aquinas, Bengel, Hodge, Hendricksen, and Barth.

   However, from Calvin onward, many commentators have seen room for two distinct ministries here. Calvin himself wrote:

   Pastors and Teachers are supposed by some to denote one office, because the apostle does not, as in the other parts of the verse, say, and some, pastors; and some, teachers. . . . I partly agree . . . that Paul speaks indiscriminately of pastors and teachers as belonging to one and the same class, and that the name teacher does, to some extent, apply to all pastors.  But this does not appear to me a sufficient reason why two offices, which I find to differ from each other, should be confounded. (Commentaries, online as http://www.ccel.org)

   More recently, John Stott (The Message of Ephesians, [Intervarsity, 1979], 163-4), and Peter O’Brien see reasons to distinguish between the ministries of Pastors and Teachers. The latter comments:

   The pastors and teachers are linked here by a single definite article in the Greek, which suggests a close association of functions between two kinds of ministers who operate within the one congregation (cf. 2:20). Although it has often been held that the two groups are identical (i.e., ‘pastors who teach’), it is more likely that the terms describe overlapping functions (cf. 1 Cor. 12:28-29 and Gal. 6:6, where ‘teachers’ are a distinct group). All pastors teach (since teaching is an essential part of pastoral ministry), but not all teachers are also pastors. The latter exercise their leadership role by feeding God’s flock with his word. (The Letter to the Ephesians [Eerdmans, 1999], 300)

   Likewise, A. T. Lincoln in his Word Biblical Commentary concludes: “The one definite article [“the” before “Pastors” but not “Teachers” is therefore best taken as suggesting this close association of functions between two types of ministers who both operate within the local congregation.” (Ephesians [Word, 1990], 250)

   More specifically, Harold Hoehner explains in some detail:

   Because one article is used for both these gifted people, scholars have debated over the centuries as to whether they represent two different gifted persons or one person with a combination of two gifts. The latter interpretation may consider the conjunction kai as explicative, “that is,” thus giving “and some to be pastors, that is, teachers.” . . .

   Although one article used for two plural nouns does not necessarily denote identity, as seen in [Eph] 2:20 where there is one article for apostles and prophets, it does indicate that “groups more or less distinct are treated as one for the purpose in hand.”‘ Accordingly, in the present context some sort of distinction should be maintained.

   After a study of the grammatical structure of one article followed by two plural nouns separated by a kai (as here), Wallace suggests that the first is the subset of the second and thus “all pastors are to be teachers, though not all teachers are to be pastors.’ Hence, while there is a distinction between the two, the distinction is not total. (Ephesians [Baker, 2002], 543-44)

   In support of this distinction, Dr. Hoehner goes on to define these two ministries. His data on “pastor” seems to support our claim above that the gift of “leadership” listed in Romans 12:8 is synonymous with “Pastor” in Eph 4:11:

   The term poimēn is used in classical literature for a “herdsman” or “shepherd” and metaphorically for one who was a “shepherd of people.” also called “captain, leader, chief.”

   In the LXX it occurs eighty-one times and in the canonical books it appears seventy-eight times and sixty-seven times where it translates [rā āh], sometimes used as a substantive, meaning “shepherd” (Gen 4:2; 46:32, 34; 1 Sam 25:7; Isa 40: 11) and other times it is used metaphorically to refer to a “leader of people” (Isa 63:11; Jer 2:8; 3:15; Zech 10:3; 11:3,5, 8, 15, 16) and sometimes to Messiah (Zech 13:7).

   In the NT this word is used eighteen times, but it is used only once by Paul (Eph 4: 11). It is used as a “shepherd” of sheep (Matt 25:32; Luke 2:8, 15, 18, 20; John 10:2, 12) or metaphorically as a “leader” of people (Matt 9:36; 26:3 = Mark 6:34; 14:27). Jesus claims himself to be the good “shepherd” of his flock (John 10:11, 14, 16), and twice the NT writers portray Jesus as the “shepherd” of believers (Heb 13:20; 1 Pet 2:25).

   In the present context the term is best translated as “pastor,” one who cares for his or her flock as a shepherd cares for his or her sheep. This would include ministering to troubled saints, exhorting and comforting all believers, and administering the activities in the local assembly.

   The second term didaskalos had from the earliest of times meant teacher, appearing only twice in the LXX (Esth 6:1; 2 Macc 1:10). It occurs in the NT fifty-nine times, seven times in Paul’s letters (Rom 2:20; 1 Cor 12:28, 29; Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 1:11; 4:3), always with the same meaning. Basically, it depicts instruction, not only in factual matters and skills but most likely also in moral evaluation.

   Jesus was called a “teacher” by both friend and foe (Matt 8:19; 9:11; 12:38; 17:24; 19:16; 22:16; John 3:2; 11:28) and even called himself such (John 13: 13). He followed the role model of the Jewish rabbis where he not only taught content but also gathered disciples around him. . . .

   In conclusion, it seems that these two gifts, pastoring and teaching, are distinct although it could be said that all pastors should be teachers but not all teachers are pastors. Certainly, Jesus recognized that he was both shepherd and teacher and as such was and is a model for all others with like gifts.

   Shepherding includes instruction but probably is mostly concerned with administration and various ministries to the flock. Teaching includes instruction in doctrine and its application to daily life but the teacher may not have all the administrative and shepherding responsibilities of the pastor. (544-45)

   Not all gifted church leaders are good teachers, and not all gifted teachers are good leaders. ↑

10. We believe that Paul’s reference to a gift that would “give all I posses to the poor” (1 Cor 13:3) is just a strengthened form of the gift of giving (cf. Rom 12:8). ↑

11. For some examples of the gift of martyrdom see section 10.5.A.5. ↑

12. Regarding the unbiblical nature of the Roman Catholic restriction on marriage for clergy see section 13.6.C.5. ↑

13. Regarding our claim that marriage is not a supernatural gift in the sense that celibacy is, we go against most commentators. Anthony Thiselton approvingly quotes Luther when he writes: “It is exegetically reasonable for Luther to comment on this verse: ‘Marriage is just as much a gift of God, St. Paul says here, as chastity is.” (Works, 28, 16) (The First Epistle to the Corinthians [Eerdmans, 2000], 513).

    Likewise, Leon Morris comments: “Each must consider what gift God has given, and marriage, just as much as celibacy, is a gift from God” (1 Corinthians [Eerdmans, 1985], 104).

    Gordon Fee goes so far as to say: “In this context it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that sexual life in marriage is the gift of another kind. . . . it probably means we need to broaden our understanding of what constitute so-called spiritual gifts” (285). Is he saying that having a “sexual life in marriage” is a supernatural empowerment by the Holy Spirit?

    More along our own interpretation of 1 Corinthians 7:7, C. K. Barrett writes:

    Modern interpreters (e.g. Barth, C.D. III. iv. 144-8) show an understandable desire to reach the conclusion that Paul teaches that just as a celibate life requires a special gift from God, so also does marriage, but his point here seems rather to be that some have the gift of celibacy, and others, who lacked this gift, and are therefore well advised to marry, but have some other compensating gift or gifts [than marriage] (The First Epistle to the Corinthians [Hendrickson, 1998], 159).

    In other words, while the gift of singleness would enable a person to serve God in unique ways, just as the Apostle says, being married does not (cf. 7:32-35) ↑

14. We have taken the liberty of adding gender inclusive language to the 1984 NIV translation. ↑

15. There is some debate on this. Leon Morris writes regarding 1 Corinthians 7:17:

    Paul turns from marriage to the wider question of living contentedly in whatever state God has set us. He relates this on the one hand to the equipment [gifts, v. 6] God gives us, and on the other to circumcision and to slavery, the great religious and social distinctions which divided the world of his day. . . .

    The verb memeriken (assigned) . . . points to our divine endowment; God has given some gift to each of us. When he gives certain gifts and calls us in a certain state, we should live the life he set before us, using the gifts God has given. This is no novelty produced for the special benefit of the Corinthians, but the rule in all the churches. (108-9)

    Likewise, Barnes commented;

    The phrase “as God hath distributed” refers to the condition in which people are placed in life, whether as rich or poor, in a state of freedom or servitude, of learning or ignorance, etc. And it implies that God appoints the lot of people, and orders the circumstances of their condition; that religion is not designed to interfere directly with this; and that people should seek to show the real excellence of religion in the particular sphere in which they may have been placed by divine providence before they became converted . . . unless he can consistently change it for the better. (Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament; online at http://www.ccel.org).

    This last point is important. Although God is sovereign over the social status of His people, and is said here to even “assign” them (v. 17), this does not mean that the Christian is divinely bound to them, for example, if they are a slave, unmarried, or in some circumstances even if they are married (cf. vs. 7-8, 15, 21).

    On the other hand, C. K. Barrett suggests a slightly different slant that seems to weaken the face value meaning that, “Each person has thier own gift from God” and “Each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to them and to which God has called them” (7:17, 20). Barrett claims “that throughout this paragraph Paul is not thinking primarily of a vocation to which a man is called, but of the condition in which a man is when the converting call of God comes to him” (Morris, 109).

    Likewise, Gordon Fee writes:

    Although he [Paul] comes very close to seeing the setting in which one is called as a “calling” itself, he never quite makes that jump. At most “calling” refers to the circumstances in which the calling took place. (309).

    Indeed, the mere circumstances of a person at the time of their salvation is a thrust of Paul’s thought. But this does not adequately reflect his reference to “Each person” having “their own gift” (not merely “condition”) from God” and the Lord “assigning” (memeriken), not just allowing, a person’s way of life. Admittedly, NIV’s “place in life” for peripateitō (“walk,” “way of life”) may be too strong, but it means more than a temporary circumstance, but something that is integral to the person’s daily life.

    The metaphorical use of “walk” in the NT refers to “the whole round of the activities of the individual life” (Vine’s, 664). Thus, when Paul says God has assigned and called people to a particular “walk” of life, he includes family status (married/unmarried) and occupation (slave/free).

    Accordingly, Fee writes, “the various social situations are to be understood as something Christ assigned to them at the time God called them to salvation” (310). Indeed, the point of time in which the calling exists is included in Paul’s thoughts, but the emphasis is on the divine assignment of the social position, not its timing.

    Accordingly, Fee is wrong to claim, “The concept of ‘call’ in the clause ‘as God has called’ refers to conversion” (310). On the contrary, in 7:17, that “to which God has called” a person is synonymous with “the place in life that the Lord assigned” and “each one should retain,” which is not referring to salvation.

    Likewise, Anthony Thiselton seems to judiciously correct the slant that Drs. Barrett and Fee would give 1 Corinthians 7 when he writes regarding Paul’s statement that, “Each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to them and to which God has called them”:

    The key principle finds expression elsewhere in Paul. . . . With parallel effect [a similar Greek phrase] is used of ministry in 1 Cor. 3:5 . . . of spiritual gifts in 12:7 . . . The circumstances of daily life are no less a matter of what the Lord in his purposes assigns to each. . . .

    To attempt to make the primary meaning coincide with a mere notion of “vocation” to a particular kind of work would risk clouding Paul’s meaning, as Barrett urges. Yet in verse 20a [tē klēsei] comes very close to the notion of a calling to a specific state or role. The very use of the phrase in verse 17a should make us wary of claiming that Paul did not regard some prior role in society as a matter of divine vocation. . . .

    With his careful distinction in mind, we should not too readily dismiss a dialectic which allows some scope of interpretive comments of Luther and of Barth on this passage, which perceive divine vocation “in and throughout all orders and estates” (Luther, Works, 28, 39). Thiselton, 548-9 ↑

16. Excerpt from section 6.7B.B.2. ↑

17. For further discussion regarding the “faith” (Rom 12:6) related to our gifting see chapter 6.9. ↑

18. Obviously, just because a woman is given the spiritual gift of teaching or leadership, it does not give her the freedom to violate the Apostle’s instruction elsewhere that the Church should “not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man” (1 Tim 2:12). She would, of course, be encouraged to teach and lead younger women (cf. Tit 2:3-4). For further discussion of the biblical prohibition of female Pastors, see section 7.14.G.1. ↑

19. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Banner of Truth Trust, 1958, repr. 1998), 587. ↑

20. For further discussion of the biblical concept of a “controlling call” see section 7.15.B.1.b. ↑

21. Regarding a “controlling call” see section 7.15.B.1.b. ↑

22. For further discussion regarding the miraculous nature of spiritual gifts see section 10.5.B.4. ↑