Wednesday August 17th - Discovering you spiritual gifts by way of your calling

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.

Discovering your spiritual gifts
Whenever a Christian wants to discover what spiritual graces or gifts God has given them, it is sometimes helpful to take a spiritual gifts test.  The following spiritual gift test is based upon the 18 gifts that were discussed in the last post. As you study the Bible's teaching on spiritual gifts, three areas are used by God in developing every Christian: their calling, burdens and opportunities.  In this particular test, you will be answering questions pertaining to God's area of your calling. Think of a spiritual gift test as a compass to point you in the right direction.  I would encourage the reader to read the next several days of blogs, since today's post is the first leg of the spiritual gift's test - namely the area of your calling. 

Directions: At the end of each question circle the numbered response that best reflects how you really feel: 1=Never; 2= Once in a while; 3=Many times; 4= Always.  

The Gifts looked for in this test (Look back at yesterday's post for definitions): Missionary, Reformer, Soul winner, Shepherd, Teacher, Leader, Communicator, Exhorter, Hospitality, Helps/Service, Administrator, Encourager, Giver, Mercy, Wisdom, Knowledge, Discerner, Intercessor

YOUR CALLING = “What I’m led or burdened to do” Please circle 1 answer

1. I am burdened to represent Christ to those who have never heard the gospel                                                                               1 2 3 4

2. I feel compelled to speak of where God is wanting to move in today’s church and culture                                                             1 2 3 4

3. I am burdened to think of different ways in sharing the gospel                                                                                                      1 2 3 4

4. I am burdened to direct people to God’s word for answers to life’s issues          1 2 3 4

5. I find it a thrill to unpack God’s word for others to explore                                1 2 3 4                                             

6. Motivating people towards a set of God’s goals excites me                                                                                                        1 2 3 4

7. I am comfortable explaining complex ideas in simple ways for people to understand  1 2 3 4

8. I am burdened to motivate others to focus on God and not their problems                 1 2 3 4

9.  I enjoy opening my home up to Bible studies or get-togethers.                                 1 2 3 4

10. I serve better behind the scenes than out in the public eye                                     1 2 3 4

11. I enjoy analyzing situations and figuring out who needs to go where                       1 2 3 4

12. I desire to pour my soul out to people who need strengthening                             1 2 3 4

13. I endeavor to give all I can without hesitation to further the work of the gospel                                                                  1 2 3 4

14. Its my mission to befriend those who are in emotional or physical need                  1 2 3 4

15. I believe in practical and systematic problem solving before rushing to conclusions                                                            1 2 3 4

16. I desire to use God’s word to give insight into a specific situation or need           1 2 3 4

17.  I make it a priority to pray and proceed cautiously before acting in any situation                                                             1 2 3 4

18. I usually will sense the need to pray-for others and to pray for long stretches of time                                                                 1 2 3 4

Defining the spiritual gifts of the New Testament

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.

Today I want to explore some of the specific spiritual gifts we find mentioned in the New Testament. When we talk of spiritual gifts, we are referring to Divinely empowered graces given to Christians to do the will of God. As we have seen in past posts, the spiritual gifts can be sub-divided into categories which have been recognized by Bible teachers for many years: motivational gifts, leadership gifts, serving gifts and sign (i.e occasional gifts). The fourth category is mainly not included in the list below due to their situational nature, Sovereign distribution and in some cases, near cessation or entire cessation. This is not to say that the so-called sign gifts are not vital nor possibly used by God in the world today. Rather, such gifts function in extraordinary ways, whereas the remaining gifts below operate in more predictable patterns. I recognize that some Bible teachers may distinguish what is listed below in a different fashion. Be-that-as-it-may, the following 18 gifts listed below derives from surveying scripture, major books and literature on the vast subject of spiritual gifts. The Bible teaches that every child of God is given specific "graces" or "giftings" by the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord and to bless others.  This suggests that the spiritual gifts function as God's fingerprints in the lives of individual Christians and the church. Below is a list of the ones that seem to be the most clearly defined and spoken of gifts (or gracings) in the New Testament.  

Defining the spiritual gifts in the New Testament

A spiritual gift is an ability from God to do His will in the area He has called me to serve as a believer. 1 Corinthians 12:1-6

1. Missionary = Plants churches or shares the Gospel with the unevangelized. 2 Cor 8:23   Translated in other versions as “representative or apostle of the churches”. Different from “Apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 12:12), or the twelve disciples and Paul that ended in the 1st century.

2. Visionary  = Alerts the church about what direction its heading for God.  1 Cor 14:3

Understood also as “the gift of prophecy”. As time advanced in the New Testament, prophecy became more of a gift to challenge the church to refocus on living out God’s directions for it through His word.  Some highly visible preachers have the ability to “prophetically” speak to the church and culture from God’s word. This is to be distinguished from the predictive elements of the O.T office of “prophet”.

3. Soul winner = Has the burden and effectiveness to reach unbelievers. Eph 4:11; 2 Tim 4:5 

Also called an evangelist or termed as having the “gift of evangelism”.

4. Shepherd= Loves to feed and nurture people with God’s word. Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 3; Titus 1

5. Teacher = Unpacks God’s word and makes complex ideas easy to understand Eph 4:11; Ro 12:7

6.  Leader = Can manage believers effectively in maintaining God’s goals. Rom 12:8

7        7. Communicator = Clearly verbalizing  complex ideas in simple ways. 1 Peter 4:11  

          8. Exhorter=Persuade others of the need to  do God’s will.  Also translated “encourager”  Ro 12:8

         

          9. Hospitality = Loves to share with God’s  people who are in need. Romans 12:13

          10. Helps/service= Works behind the  scenes to make the ministry work  smoothly. Rom 12:7

        

          11. Administrator = Loves to organize  people and events. Romans 12:8; 1  Corinthians 12:28

   12. Encourager = Ability to get people to  joyfully look to God amidst difficulty. Rom  12:8

          Same Greek word for “encourager” can also  be translated “exhorter” (see above definition).  

13. Giver = Displays incredible willingness and faith to give generously to God’s work. 1 Cor 12:8

14. Mercy = Can gently and calmly minister effectively to difficult people or situations. Rom 12:8

15. Wisdom = Can personalize the scriptures for other people in practical ways. 1 Cor 12:8

Most who advise other believers or who do Biblical counseling have this gift

16. Knowledge= Can personalize the Bible for people to better grasp God’s will. 1 Cor 12:8

Influencial Bible teachers have this gift.

17. Discernment = Can tell whether a teacher, ministry or movement is of God or Satan. 1 Cor 12:10

      18. Intercessor = A great desire to pray fervently for others that yields dramatic results.  Col  4:12

P2 - An Outline of God's Supernatural Gifts - 1 Corinthians 12-14

1 Corinthians 12:1 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware."

Introduction
Thus far we have attempted to establish Paul's stated intentions for writing 1 Corinthians 12 (as well as 13 & 14) when it comes to this vital subject of the gifts. Today, we want to consider a possible way of outlining these three key chapters of 1 Corinthians. Yesterday's post focused on outlining part of 1 Corinthians 12. Today we will conclude our overall study of 1 Corinthians 12-14 by offering an outline of the remainder of 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14.  It is hoped that the proposed outline below will aid readers in the study of these chapters.

1. Spiritual gifts: the finger prints of God's activity. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Note: When I say that spiritual gifts are likened to fingerprints, I mean the way in which the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts in various mixes and clusters among individual Christians and churches. The first thought regarding "spiritual gift fingerprints" has to do with how God so-gifts individual Christians, hence...

a. Spiritual gift finger prints apply to individual Christians. 1 Corinthians 12:12-23a

This idea can then be expanded to include God's spiritual-gift finger print for local churches, hence...

b. Spiritual gift finger prints apply to churches. 1 Corinthians 12:23b-26
It would seem that if a church-body can identify the make-up of spiritual gifts in the church body, then the "spiritual gift finger-print" for that church has been identified. Such information can go a long way in seeing how to structure the church around the needs and gifts of the membership and more importantly, to understand how God has gifted that local church to fulfill a particular God-preferred future (i.e vision) for that area. 

thus, in apply these thoughts, we can note...

c. Spiritual-gift fingerprints define God's vision for the believer and the church. 1 Corinthians 12:27

which entails...

i. God has given the right mixture of gifts to result in uniquely gifted Christians. 

ii. God has given the right mixture of gifts to result in different looking churches.

note: When we consider the six places in the New Testament where the gifts are mentioned, it seems that each church was gifted by God to achieve whatever vision God wanted for that area. Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10; 12:28; 12:29-30; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10-11. 

2. God's love coursing through the gifts.  Corinthians 13

a. Problem of exercising the gifts without His love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

b. Power for the gifts is associated with His love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

c. Purpose of the gifts is found in God's love. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

3. Gaining a right perspective on the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14
Note: It is in this chapter that Paul devotes space to the issue of tongues, interpretation of tongues and having the right perspective on the gifts. The latter emphasis ought to be focused upon more so than the gift of tongues. Paul's point in this entire chapter is to issue forth a need to not emphasize the gifts too much nor avoid them all together. If anything, Paul is ending his section on the gifts of the Spirit by correcting the excesses and abuses of gifts in 1 Corinthians 14 whilst beginning his discussion by raising awareness of them in 1 Corinthians 12. The middle chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 serves to maintain the proper perspective by emphasizing God's love manifested and ministered by the gifts.

Closing thoughts
We have spent the last two days outlining 1 Corinthians 12-14. The following five headings were put forth:

1. Every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God. 1 Corinthians 12:1-7

2. Defining the supernatural gifts of God. 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; 28-29
(and other passages)

3. Spiritual gifts: the finger prints of God's activity. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

4. God's love coursing through the gifts. 1 Corinthians 13

5. Gaining a right perspective on the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14 

P1 - An outline 1 Corinthians 12-14, God's Supernatural Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware."

Introduction
In previous posts we have considered how the spiritual gifts function as a means of demonstrating the activity of the true and living God in the world and in the local church. God, by the Person of the Holy Spirit, exercises Agency in the distribution of the gifts. The Person of the Holy Spirit divinely and Sovereignly disperses the gifts as He so chooses (1 Corinthians 12:8). The Person of the Son administrates the ministries in which the gifts will operate (1 Corinthians 12:4). The in conjunction with the Spirit and the Son, the Person of the Father affects the ways in which each gift, working through each Christian, will accomplish the counsel and shared will of God that is expressed through Him and the Son and the Spirit. 

We have also considered as well how every Christian is gifted by God to do His will. Thus far we have attempted to establish Paul's stated intentions for writing 1 Corinthians 12 (as well as 13 & 14) when it comes to this vital subject of the gifts. Today, we want to consider a possible way of outlining these three key chapters of 1 Corinthians. Today's post will focus on outlining part of 1 Corinthians 12. It is hoped that the proposed outline below will aid readers in the study of these chapters.

1. Every Christian is Supernaturally Gifted by God. 1 Corinthians 12:1-7

a. The gifts are given at salvation. 12:1-3

b. The gifts are given to show forth God 12:4-6

c. The gifts are given to serve one another 12:7

So we see that every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God. How then do we define and categorize the gifts of the Spirit. Theologian Wayne Grudem has defined a spiritual gift as a supernatural ability given by God to do a specific ministry or task. Other writers, such as the late Dr. John Walvood, Dr. Charles Ryrie and Dr. Charles Stanley have identified the various lists of spiritual gifts found in the New Testament, along with a method of categorization. Below, I list four categories of spiritual gifts that in one way or another are drawn from observations of several major Christian thinkers. 

2. Defining the Supernatural gifts of God. 1 Corinthians 12:8-12; 28-31

a. Motivational Gifts (Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:10-11)
Note: These include evangelist, prophecy, teaching, exhortation, leading, speaking. In many situations, we will find these motivational gifts combined with the leadership gifts (see below). For example, pastors can preach with a prophetic gifting that exhorts a church or the church at large to be reignited to seek after God in a specific way. These gifts can also partner up with the service gifts (see below). Hence, a pastor can be an effective mercy shower to those in the community that are in need.  

b. Leadership gifts (1 Cor 12:28-30; Ephesians 4:11
Note: These include pastor, teacher, administrator, leadership. Much like the motivational gifts, we find the leadership gifts often in combination with the service and motivational gifts.

c. Service gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Peter 4:11)
Note: These include the gifts of service, mercy, giving, helps. As we have noted in the prior to categories of gifts, service gifts can also work in concert with leadership and motivational gifts. 

d. Sign gifts (occasional gifts) (1 Cor. 12:8-10, 29-30, 4:11)
Note: These include Apostle, Prophet, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. It can be also noted that not all are in agreement concerning the operations of these gifts with respect to their continuance today. Whereas most would classify the first three categories of the gifts above as "normative" or "regular" occurring gifts, the sign gifts occur infrequently, are for specific occasions and, in some cases, may cease all together for the sake of the other three categories of gifts. 

The last two gifts in the list are most fully treated in 1 Corinthians 14: namely "tongues" and its associated gift of "interpretation of tongues".  The gift of tongues in particular is considered the least of the sign gifts and must be approached with great caution, attention to scripture and precise definitions.1 



3. Spiritual gifts: the finger prints of God's activity. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Note: When I say that spiritual gifts are likened to fingerprints, I mean the way in which the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts in various mixes and clusters among individual Christians and churches. The first thought regarding "spiritual gift fingerprints" has to do with how God so-gifts individual Christians, hence...

a. Spiritual gift finger prints apply to individual Christians. 1 Corinthians 12:12-23a

This idea can then be expanded to include God's spiritual-gift finger print for local churches, hence...

b. Spiritual gift finger prints apply to churches. 1 Corinthians 12:23b-26
It would seem that if a church-body can identify the make-up of spiritual gifts in the church body, then the "spiritual gift finger-print" for that church has been identified. Such information can go a long way in seeing how to structure the church around the needs and gifts of the membership and more importantly, to understand how God has gifted that local church to fulfill a particular God-preferred future (i.e vision) for that area. 

thus, in apply these thoughts, we can note...

c. Spiritual-gift fingerprints define God's vision for the believer and the church. 1 Corinthians 12:27

which entails...

i. God has given the right mixture of gifts to result in uniquely gifted Christians. 

ii. God has given the right mixture of gifts to result in different looking churches.

note: When we consider the six places in the New Testament where the gifts are mentioned, it seems that each church was gifted by God to achieve whatever vision God wanted for that area. Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10; 12:28; 12:29-30; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10-11. 

4. God's love coursing through the gifts.  Corinthians 13

a. Problem of exercising the gifts without His love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

b. Power for the gifts is associated with His love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

c. Purpose of the gifts is found in God's love. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

5. Gaining a right perspective on the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14
Note: It is in this chapter that Paul devotes space to the issue of tongues, interpretation of tongues and having the right perspective on the gifts. The latter emphasis ought to be focused upon more so than the gift of tongues. Paul's point in this entire chapter is to issue forth a need to not emphasize the gifts too much nor avoid them all together. If anything, Paul is ending his section on the gifts of the Spirit by correcting the excesses and abuses of gifts in 1 Corinthians 14 whilst beginning his discussion by raising awareness of them in 1 Corinthians 12. The middle chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 serves to maintain the proper perspective by emphasizing God's love manifested and ministered by the gifts. 

Endnotes

1. For now, further elaboration on this point will be reserved for future posts. A definition of the gift of tongues, as so understood from studying passages such as Acts 2; 8; 10; 19 and 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, refers to a supernatural ability to speak a previously unlearned language in instances of evangelization of unreached people groups. It appears that this particular gift's use ranges from extreme infrequency (for who is anyone to limit God) to total disuse as one goes further away from the apostolic era. 1 Corinthians 13:8 hints at this general pattern with respect to Biblical defined tongues.  

As a general pattern, once the Gospel has sufficiently saturated a given people group, more typical methods are employed by God: such as Bible translation and missionaries that are trained to go to such areas. The so-called "gift of tongues" practiced in both Pentecostal and Charismatic church bodies is a different sort of phenomena all-together. Pentecostal believers associate tongues as a form of prayer language; whilst Charismatic believers view "tongues" as an initiatory experience into the full-range of the miraculous gifts. 

These trends and interpretations of tongues is different from the tongues we see in the scripture, and thus, for this author at least, would suggest that whatever we may call the phenomenon it is not strictly speaking the Biblical gift of tongues. In other words, it would seem far less probable to see a genuine exercise of true Biblical tongues and its attendant gift of interpretation in today's world, given that God employs either more ordinary methods of propagating the Gospel or other spiritual gifts to achieve the Great Commission. 

P1 - An outline 1 Corinthians 12-14, God's Supernatural Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware."

Introduction
In previous posts we have considered how the spiritual gifts function as a means of demonstrating the activity of the true and living God in the world and in the local church. God, by the Person of the Holy Spirit, exercises Agency in the distribution of the gifts. The Person of the Holy Spirit divinely and Sovereignly disperses the gifts as He so chooses (1 Corinthians 12:8). The Person of the Son administrates the ministries in which the gifts will operate (1 Corinthians 12:4). The in conjunction with the Spirit and the Son, the Person of the Father affects the ways in which each gift, working through each Christian, will accomplish the counsel and shared will of God that is expressed through Him and the Son and the Spirit. 

We have also considered as well how every Christian is gifted by God to do His will. Thus far we have attempted to establish Paul's stated intentions for writing 1 Corinthians 12 (as well as 13 & 14) when it comes to this vital subject of the gifts. Today, we want to consider a possible way of outlining these three key chapters of 1 Corinthians. Today's post will focus on outlining part of 1 Corinthians 12. It is hoped that the proposed outline below will aid readers in the study of these chapters.

1. Every Christian is Supernaturally Gifted by God. 1 Corinthians 12:1-7

a. The gifts are given at salvation. 12:1-3

b. The gifts are given to show forth God 12:4-6

c. The gifts are given to serve one another 12:7

So we see that every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God. How then do we define and categorize the gifts of the Spirit. Theologian Wayne Grudem has defined a spiritual gift as a supernatural ability given by God to do a specific ministry or task. Other writers, such as the late Dr. John Walvood, Dr. Charles Ryrie and Dr. Charles Stanley have identified the various lists of spiritual gifts found in the New Testament, along with a method of categorization. Below, I list four categories of spiritual gifts that in one way or another are drawn from observations of several major Christian thinkers. 

2. Defining the Supernatural gifts of God. 1 Corinthians 12:8-12; 28-31

a. Motivational Gifts (Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:10-11)
Note: These include evangelist, prophecy, teaching, exhortation, leading, speaking. In many situations, we will find these motivational gifts combined with the leadership gifts (see below). For example, pastors can preach with a prophetic gifting that exhorts a church or the church at large to be reignited to seek after God in a specific way. These gifts can also partner up with the service gifts (see below). Hence, a pastor can be an effective mercy shower to those in the community that are in need.  

b. Leadership gifts (1 Cor 12:28-30; Ephesians 4:11
Note: These include pastor, teacher, administrator, leadership. Much like the motivational gifts, we find the leadership gifts often in combination with the service and motivational gifts.

c. Service gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Peter 4:11)
Note: These include the gifts of service, mercy, giving, helps. As we have noted in the prior to categories of gifts, service gifts can also work in concert with leadership and motivational gifts. 

d. Sign gifts (occasional gifts) (1 Cor. 12:8-10, 29-30, 4:11)
Note: These include Apostle, Prophet, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. It can be also noted that not all are in agreement concerning the operations of these gifts with respect to their continuance today. Whereas most would classify the first three categories of the gifts above as "normative" or "regular" occurring gifts, the sign gifts occur infrequently, are for specific occasions and, in some cases, may cease all together for the sake of the other three categories of gifts. 

The last two gifts in the list are most fully treated in 1 Corinthians 14: namely "tongues" and its associated gift of "interpretation of tongues".  The gift of tongues in particular is considered the least of the sign gifts and must be approached with great caution, attention to scripture and precise definitions.1 



3. Spiritual gifts: the finger prints of God's activity. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Note: When I say that spiritual gifts are likened to fingerprints, I mean the way in which the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts in various mixes and clusters among individual Christians and churches. The first thought regarding "spiritual gift fingerprints" has to do with how God so-gifts individual Christians, hence...

a. Spiritual gift finger prints apply to individual Christians. 1 Corinthians 12:12-23a

This idea can then be expanded to include God's spiritual-gift finger print for local churches, hence...

b. Spiritual gift finger prints apply to churches. 1 Corinthians 12:23b-26
It would seem that if a church-body can identify the make-up of spiritual gifts in the church body, then the "spiritual gift finger-print" for that church has been identified. Such information can go a long way in seeing how to structure the church around the needs and gifts of the membership and more importantly, to understand how God has gifted that local church to fulfill a particular God-preferred future (i.e vision) for that area. 

thus, in apply these thoughts, we can note...

c. Spiritual-gift fingerprints define God's vision for the believer and the church. 1 Corinthians 12:27

which entails...

i. God has given the right mixture of gifts to result in uniquely gifted Christians. 

ii. God has given the right mixture of gifts to result in different looking churches.

note: When we consider the six places in the New Testament where the gifts are mentioned, it seems that each church was gifted by God to achieve whatever vision God wanted for that area. Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10; 12:28; 12:29-30; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 4:10-11. 

4. God's love coursing through the gifts.  Corinthians 13

a. Problem of exercising the gifts without His love. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

b. Power for the gifts is associated with His love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

c. Purpose of the gifts is found in God's love. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13

5. Gaining a right perspective on the gifts. 1 Corinthians 14
Note: It is in this chapter that Paul devotes space to the issue of tongues, interpretation of tongues and having the right perspective on the gifts. The latter emphasis ought to be focused upon more so than the gift of tongues. Paul's point in this entire chapter is to issue forth a need to not emphasize the gifts too much nor avoid them all together. If anything, Paul is ending his section on the gifts of the Spirit by correcting the excesses and abuses of gifts in 1 Corinthians 14 whilst beginning his discussion by raising awareness of them in 1 Corinthians 12. The middle chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 serves to maintain the proper perspective by emphasizing God's love manifested and ministered by the gifts. 

Endnotes

1. For now, further elaboration on this point will be reserved for future posts. A definition of the gift of tongues, as so understood from studying passages such as Acts 2; 8; 10; 19 and 1 Corinthians 12 & 14, refers to a supernatural ability to speak a previously unlearned language in instances of evangelization of unreached people groups. It appears that this particular gift's use ranges from extreme infrequency (for who is anyone to limit God) to total disuse as one goes further away from the apostolic era. 1 Corinthians 13:8 hints at this general pattern with respect to Biblical defined tongues.  

As a general pattern, once the Gospel has sufficiently saturated a given people group, more typical methods are employed by God: such as Bible translation and missionaries that are trained to go to such areas. The so-called "gift of tongues" practiced in both Pentecostal and Charismatic church bodies is a different sort of phenomena all-together. Pentecostal believers associate tongues as a form of prayer language; whilst Charismatic believers view "tongues" as an initiatory experience into the full-range of the miraculous gifts. 

These trends and interpretations of tongues is different from the tongues we see in the scripture, and thus, for this author at least, would suggest that whatever we may call the phenomenon it is not strictly speaking the Biblical gift of tongues. In other words, it would seem far less probable to see a genuine exercise of true Biblical tongues and its attendant gift of interpretation in today's world, given that God employs either more ordinary methods of propagating the Gospel or other spiritual gifts to achieve the Great Commission. 

P2 Every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God

1 Corinthians 12:1-7 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Introduction
In the church of the living God there is no such thing as the "haves" and "have- nots". Paul's concern is to inform and illumine his readers on the subject of spiritual gifts. At Corinth, the problem that the Christian believers had was the excess of focusing more on the gifts than the Giver - God. In a cultural center of the ancient Graeco-Roman world like Corinth, more was considered to be, well, "more". The Corinthians took a cultural assumption and attempted to apply it to the arena of the supernatural things of God. They though of the gifts as a means to self-promotion, or an avenue by which to display one's power or one's so-called "spirituality". 

Paul's exposition on the gifts of the Spirit is designed to inform and illumine the Christian's understanding. We saw in yesterday's post that when we speak of every Christian being supernaturally gifted by God, we first of all refer to how the gifts of the Spirit are given to every believer at salvation. We then saw a second point, namely, that the gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian to show forth God. In today's post, we will conclude our look at 1 Corinthians 12:1-7 by noting a third important truth: The gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian to serve others. 

The gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian to serve others. 1 Corinthians 12:7
In showing forth God, Paul is setting up what ought to be a cycle that proceeds from showing forth God to serving others. As God's people exercise their gifts with this God-centered focus, they will serve one another. 1 Corinthians 12:7 states - "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." Spiritual gifts are not given to primarily bless the recipient. They are given to bless others. In the local church, the church membership is given the task of regulating the atmosphere of that assembly. 

Whenever God's people are genuinely serving one another and showing forth God as they ought, the giftings of the Spirit will operate in fullness and power so as to perpetuate this cycle of showing forth God and serving others. 

The great commentator Alexander MacClaren notes: "Now, that involves two plain things. There have been people in the Christian Church who have said, ‘We have all the Spirit, and therefore we do not need one another.’ There may be isolation, and self-sufficiency, and a host of other evils coming in, if we only grasp the thought, ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man,’ but they are all corrected if we go on and say, ‘to profit withal.’ For every one of us has something, and no one of us has everything; so, on the one hand, we want each other, and, on the other hand, we are responsible for the use of what we have.

You get the life, not in order that you may plume yourself on its possession, nor in order that you may ostentatiously display it, still less in order that you may shut it up and do nothing with it; but you get the life in order that it may spread through you to others.

‘The least flower with a brimming cup may stand,

And share its dew-drop with another near.’

We each have the life that God’s grace may fructify through us to all. Power is duty; endowment is obligation; capacity prescribes work. ‘The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.’"

I have seen churches where the atmosphere is constricted. The people in the church become judgmental, self-serving or entitled - resulting in the grieving of the Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30-31). As a result, the gifts will be constricted, God will not be shown and the church becomes a temporary casualty of Satan's war to mute the testimony of that assembly. The cycle of serving others --> showing God --> serving others --> showing God is broken. 

But now I have also seen churches where the atmosphere is free and the people of God want to serve one another and thus, God's power and presence are clearly manifested in the giftings. People will come forward with the attitude of "here I am, use me, O God". They sense needs, they help out one another. Will it mean that the attacks of the enemy will lessen. Hardly. 

As the great commentator Matthew Henry notes: "If we have any knowledge of the truth, or any power to make it known, we must give all the glory of God. The greater the gifts are, the more the possessor is exposed to temptations, and the larger is the measure of grace needed to keep him humble and spiritual; and he will meet with more painful experiences and humbling dispensations. We have little cause to glory in any gifts bestowed on us, or to despise those who have them not."

For those who desire to use their God-given gifts to show forth God and serve others, that will be the persons who witness God's presence and power moving in their midst. Churches that regularly stress these points can be expected to be used greatly of God. 

Closing thoughts
As we have explored Paul's introduction to the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-7, we have pursued this main thought: "Every Christian is Supernaturally Gifted by God". The question is, how is it that this the case? Over the last two posts we have discovered three main thoughts:

The gifts of the Spirit are given to every believer at salvation. 1 Corinthians 12:1-3

The gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian to show forth God. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

The gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian to serve others. 1 Corinthians 12:7

P1 Every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God

1 Corinthians 12:1-7 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Introduction
In the church of the living God there is no such thing as the "haves" and "have- nots". Paul's concern is to inform and illumine his readers on the subject of spiritual gifts. At Corinth, the problem that the Christian believers had was the excess of focusing more on the gifts than the Giver - God. In a cultural center of the ancient Graeco-Roman world like Corinth, more was considered to be, well, "more". The Corinthians took a cultural assumption and attempted to apply it to the arena of the supernatural things of God. They though of the gifts as a means to self-promotion, or an avenue by which to display one's power or one's so-called "spirituality". 

Indeed, the ditch of excess was the chief sin of Corinth with respect to the gifts. I'm certain that another ditch is to be avoided - lack of emphasis on the spiritual gifts, or at least the hinderance thereof. Oftentimes in our church-world, we conceive of certain Christians as endowed by God with certain giftings. Tragically, many a Christian assumes that they were left out of God's line-up when He was distributing the gifts. I have talked to Christians over the years who took the view that they were a simple, "plain-vanilla" Christian. Such a set of assumptions can greatly constrict how one understands their full-identity in Jesus Christ. 

It appears to be one of the devices of the kingdom of darkness to coerce Christians into either the ditch of excess or lack when it comes to the gifts. Both ditches result in a misunderstanding of God or lack of focus on Him. Paul's exposition on the gifts of the Spirit is designed to inform and illumine the Christian's understanding. In today's post, I want to briefly unpack what Paul writes in his introductory remarks to 1 Corinthians 12:1-7. The underlying assumption will be that: "Every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God". So, when we lay forth this key idea, in what way can we grasp the fact that every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God?

The gifts of the Spirit are given to every believer at salvation. 1 Corinthians 12:1-3
This is Paul's first point in expounding on the giving of the gifts of the Spirit. Theologian Wayne Grudem defines a spiritual gift as follows in his Systematic Theology, page 1016: "A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and is used in any ministry in the church." At conversion the gifts are granted. Now certainly, every Christian has the responsibility to discover what has been given to them by God. The process of maturing in the faith includes understanding the way in which God has gifted us. The Apostle Peter spells out this particular point in 1 Peter 4:7-10 "The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. 8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 

Paul makes it clear that since the gifts are granted at salvation, then by definition, every Christian is gifted. There is no such things as "haves" and "have-nots". We read clearly in 1 Corinthians 12:7 "But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." So the gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian at salvation. Lets consider a second thought related to this notion that every Christian is supernaturally gifted by God....

The gifts of the Spirit are given to every Christian to show forth God. 
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
God in the Three Persons of the Trinity is the One that dispenses the gifts. As we noted in prior posts, the spiritual gifts function as a demonstration of the reality of the living God in His church and to the world. 

With respect to the distribution of the gifts, we discover that the Spirit is the Agent of the gifts. Notice 1 Corinthians 12:4 "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." We find this same thought again in 1 Corinthians 12:11 "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." 

Then secondly, we find that the Person of the Son Assigns the ministries for the gifts. Note if you will 1 Corinthians 12:5 "And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord." Throughout 1 Corinthians, we find this title "Lord" used in reference to the Son, Jesus Christ, when He is mentioned along with the Father in the same passage (see 1 Corinthians 8:6-7). Throughout Paul's letters, we will see this same pattern of "Lord" used as a title to distinguish the Son from the Father (see Philippians 2:5-11). The Son operates in the Executive capacity of assigning ministries and contexts wherein the gifts of the Spirit can operate. For example, we know that the Holy Spirit gifts some Christians to preach and teach God's Word, as seen for instance in 1 Peter 4:7-11. In Ephesians 4:11-12, we discover that those gifts operate in offices such as "pastor" and "teacher" as so assigned by the Son. So, the Spirit is the Agent of the Gifts and the Son is the Assigner of the ministries in which the gifts operate. 

We then discover that the Person of the Father affects the operation of the gifts. Notice 1 Corinthians 12:6 "There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons." All three Person of the Trinity exercise together as One God, with One will, as Agent, Assigner and Affector of the gifts. The pattern of distribution of the gifts aims to manifest the Giver. God is One and yet Diverse. He is One in Being and Three in Person. The church of the living God is designed to reflect this wonderful two-fold truth. In showing forth God, Paul is setting up what ought to be a cycle that proceeds from showing forth God to serving others. 

More tomorrow....