What's Your Gift?

[hymnsinger]

"What's your gift?"
How many times have you been in a group of fellow Believers and you get asked that question?
Are they referring to our talents or the charismatic gifts of the Spirit?

I believe that the Bible talks about distinct and different gifts.

The gifts in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 are referred to as charismatic gifts and are the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, given to the different parts of the body (the church) as He wills.

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." (vv4-6)
What I see here is Paul saying that first, there are diversities in Spiritual manifestations and second, there is one GOD. Same God, same Lord (Jesus), same Spirit.

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:" (v7)
I don't believe that these are OUR gifts but are from the Holy Spirit in church for the church and that He can use whom He wills. The Greek word used here for "one" is sometimes translated as "some" or "this one"

I believe that He doesn't use the same person every week for the same gift or that person will become puffed up and covetous. Other members of the church may even become envious or seek counseling from the person deemed gifted. Some may even look at that person as more spiritual or gifted than they. (2 Cor 10:12)

"for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues." (vv8-10)
Again the word "one" can be "some" or "this one". The Greek word used here for "another" is also translated as "other", "next" or "else".
Therefore it doesn't appear to be the same person every time but one who has also received the gift of "faith" first mentioned in this passage.
Faith in the Bible is the Greek word {{pistis, pis'-tis; from G3982; which means persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher)}}
The charismatic gift of "faith" flowing from one to another would allow the Spirit to manifest Himself more easily. This would allow the speaking and interpretation of "tongues" to be more harmonious and seem less contrived. The healing to be imparted from the "gifted" to the "seeker", even the "working of miracles" as each witnessed continuously rather than simultaneously.

I believe that the gift of "faith" has to precede the other gifts as it has happened to me. I received the "interpretation of tongues" on several different occasions but when I hesitated it was given to another.

I didn't want to write a long post, but lightly touched on the subject in order to elicit a response from the reader.

In His service
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[hymnsinger]

In my conversations with people, there are still some that believe that these are our gifts and we should seek and develop them. No! The only gift we have is the gift of the Holy Spirit which is GRACE (2 Cor.9:14, 15).
[ Acts 2:38  "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"]
We have nothing to do with the Charismatic Spiritual Gifts accept we are in control to obey or disobey the prompting. [ 1 Cor 14:32  "And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets."]
We are merely instruments that the Holy Spirit uses as He wills for the good of the church, the Body of Christ, that He baptized us in to. [ 1 Cor 12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body;"]
Because we all have the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are all gifted; [ 1 Cor 12:7  "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:"]

We do have God given gifts in the form of talents and abilities. We pretty much grew up with them and even unbelievers possess God given gifts.

The word "GIFTS" does not actually appear in verse 1 but is added to clarify the intent and bolster the meaning of {{pneumatikos, pnyoo-mat-ik-os'; from G4151; non-carnal, i.e. (humanly) ethereal (as opposed to gross), or (daemoniacally) a spirit (concr.), or (divinely) supernatural, regenerate, religious:--spiritual.}}.
In verses 4, 9 the word used is {{charisma, khar'-is-mah; from G5483; a (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion); (spec.) a (spiritual) endowment, i.e. (subj.) religious qualification, or (obj.) miraculous faculty:--(free) gift.}}Doma is also used for "gifts" (Eph. 4:8).

A divine gratuity, a Spiritual endowment? uhm, doesn't sound carnal to me. I think it is pretty plain that these are Spiritual gifts given and used in a church setting for a specific time and occasion.

The gifts are supernatural rather than natural endowments. The Holy Spirit gives each Christian one or more gifts "as He wills" (vv. 7, 11) and I believe "when He wills."
The purpose of the gifts includes "for the profit of all," the common good (v. 7),
The proper functioning of the body of Christ (vv. 14-26),
Edification (14:3-12),
And the confirmation of the preached word (14:24, 25; Acts 1:8; Heb. 2:3, 4).

Each believer needs the contribution of every other member of the body of Christ (vv. 14-26). The outline which Paul follows is this:
(1) gifts and the unity of the body (ch. 12),
(2) gifts and love (ch. 13), and
(3) gifts and edification (ch. 14). (BSB electronic notes)

God intends for His people to have a variety of gifts, but there is only one God, one Christ, one Spirit. Diversity of gifts should not cause a division in the church (vv 4-6). The various gifts should unite the church. The variety of gifts is for the good of all. Christians are given gifts so they can serve each other (1 Peter 4:10). Anyone who uses a gift to create disunity among God's people is misguided. Gifts are for building up the entire church, not for making one person feel proud and another feel left out.

Peter and Paul mention about 20 different gifts.
The four lists in the N.T. differ according to purpose:
(1) Rom. 12:6-8, in which Paul speaks of gifts in a general way;
(2) Eph. 4:11, in which Paul deals with the gifts that most further the unity of the body of Christ;
(3) 1 Pet. 4:10, 11, where Peter emphasizes the service the gifts render;
(4) 1 Cor. 12 (vv. 28-30), in which Paul is concerned with an order of importance, and again this passage (vv. 8-10), in which he has to speak of the more spectacular, extraordinary gifts or "manifestations of the Spirit" (v. 7)

The ultimate gift of God is GRACE manifested through His Spirit!

The ultimate gift of the Spirit is the one gift available to all Christians: the gift of love (1 Cor 13).

To have all other gifts and lack love is to have nothing; to lack all other gifts and have love is to have everything (13:1-3). All other gifts should be used in a spirit of love (14:1). Next to love, Paul appeared to value the charismatic gift of prophecy most highly (1 Cor 14:1). This gift enabled the church to carry out its task of world evangelism. All gifts come from the Spirit to individuals for the church's good. Each can show that the Spirit is working in a believer's life, but not one of them is to be used as a test of a believer's spirituality as long as love uses the gift in ministry.

In His service
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[hymnsinger]

I watched Charles Stanley on Sunday and heard him talk about the GIFTS we have.
The GIFTS he was speaking about were the nine manifestations of the Spirit given to the church for the profit of all.

Charles, they are not OUR GIFTS if they are gifts at all! Read the posts above! They are not GIFTS, but manifestations of the Spirit.

I think if Charles Stanley is going to talk about the church and FALSE doctrine, like he did, then he should make sure his doctrine is according to the Bible.

If you buy into his "road apple" theology you will never be open to being used by the Holy Spirit when you attend church. You should not sit in church wondering what "your gift" is. You should have an open mind and heart expecting the Holy Spirit to gift you with a "manifestation" that will benefit all.

Every epistle Paul wrote, he warned about false prophets, leaders, and teachers.

Did he know something pastors yet don't know and understand.

Once more, here is the first Corinthians, chapter 12 scriptures from the NKJV.

Please read what it says.
"7  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8  for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."

One thing I know is that we are not to add nor subtract from God's word. The translators did that already.

Once you understand that the "gifts" in chapter 12 are wholly the manifestation of the Holy Spirit given to or more rightly using a Spirit filled Christian, we will understand that it is not us but Him that is performing miracles, signs, and wonders IN THE CHURCH today.

Thank you for using me!

In His service
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