Gifting of the Spirit

            The gifts of the Spirit are one of the most controversial areas of theology. What are the gifts of the Spirit? Do they exist for the modern believer, or have they ceased at some point? Have some gifts ceased, and others continue on? What’s the difference between a spiritual gift and just natural talent or giftedness? We are going to strive to answer as many of these questions as we can in the allotted space that we have.

            We can find the spiritual gifts in four different passages: Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:7-16; and 1 Peter 4:10-11. None of these lists is comprehensive. It is even more than likely that the combination of these gift lists is not comprehensive. The Spirit is not bound to these lists. If he needs to gift someone in a specific circumstance in a way that is outside of those lists, he is able to do so. Each list is merely a sampling of the gifts relevant to the particular local situation that the writer of each letter was addressing.

            The purpose of spiritual gifts is the Spirit’s way of providing abilities to believers to serve God and one another in the body of Christ. It is through these giftings that we, as believers, are able to better serve in the church. It is through these spiritual gifts that the body of Christ is able to move forward together in a more effective and powerful way.

            Peter lays out several principles concerning spiritual gifts. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11). Every single Christian has at least one gift. Some believers are gifted with multiple gifts. However, if you are a believer, then you have a spiritual gift of some kind. Gifts are for the service to other believers. Our gifting furthered our outward-focused lifestyle, like we’ve been discussing in Galatians. Believers are stewards of their gifts. The gifts belong to God and are given to us as a gift. We must steward our gifts well. God’s manifold grace is evident in our gifts. This is seen through the reality that no two believers in the same context are gifted identically. There are two main kinds of gifts: speaking and serving. All of the gifts fall under one of these two categories. God empowers both the speaking and serving gifts equally. Finally, and most importantly, the ultimate goal of our gifts is for God’s glory.

            How do we figure out what our spiritual gift is? Some people try to take a test to see what their gifting is. While there is some merit to that, the best way to figure out your gift is to start serving. As you try to serve in various areas of your local church, you will find that there are some areas that you should not be serving in, and there are some areas that seem to fit you well. Do those things. Wherever you are able to best serve effectively in your church is what your gifting is.

            What then is the difference between a spiritual gift and natural talent? The obvious answer is that the Spirit gives gifts at salvation, and talents are given at birth. However, that doesn’t necessarily answer the question very clearly. We can see in scripture that Paul was a gifted thinker, speaker, and organizer before he got saved. We can see examples of this in our own lives as well. The thing that makes them different is the power and purpose behind our spiritual gifts. If we were gifted at teaching, for example, then with a renewed purpose in Christ and the power of the Spirit, we will be even better at teaching.

            While we didn’t discuss each individual spiritual gift, we were able to look at a definition and the purpose of Spiritual gifts. It is because of the gifting of the Spirit that we are able to move and work even more powerfully as the body of Christ. It is through this gifting that we are able to further our outward-focused lifestyle. Most importantly, we are able to glorify God.