An outline of the evening service introducing Spiritual gifts
1. Are the ‘miraculous’ gifts for today?
Our view is open but cautious (yes and no.)
YES! (Open)
1Cor. 12:7. God obviously gifts his children.
1 Cor 13:10-12. Scripture indicates that these things (specifically prophesy, tongues and knowledge) will pass away only, "when perfection comes." The end of time, 'when we shall see clearly."
The progress of salvation history gives no reason for gifts to cease.
NO! (maybe not; cautious)
1Cor. 12:11 1Cor. 12:29
God Sovereignly distributes gifts as HE desires and obviously does not gift everyone equally (even for the asking.) Some gifts have passed, such as an Apostle (as per Acts 1:21) and the ability to write inspired scripture.
God may have seasons when certain gifts are more necessary or times when he distributes them in different proportions. We need to ask, but we cannot demand nor presume God will give as we determine.
How do we practice using the gifts?
1. We seek gifts and provide opportunity for their use in the church (1Cor. 12:31 1Cor. 14:1; 1Cor. 14:26)
2. We test and prove (try and discern) (1Cor. 14:29; 1Th. 5:21)
The proof is in the tasting. Genuine giftedness in any area is discerned in the practice. For example, we do not permit someone to promote themselves into leadership merely on the claim to giftedness. Similarly, those who feel they have a message or word from God need to be open to scrutiny and willing to have it tested. In our context, this will ordinarily happen before it is delivered.
3. We use them in a way that edifies (1Cor. 14:5; 1Cor. 14:27 - 28)
Tongues in a service are not to be spoken unless there is an interpreter. Before a person speaks we need to ask if someone is being led to interpret.
4. With a right attitude (1Cor. 14:1; 1Cor. 14:20)
Love governs gifts and childish attitudes of pride, self importance or demanding we get our own way are out of place and actually diminish a gifts usefulness to the body.
Practising the Gifts
ReplyDeleteAs Christians, we desire to be used by God in the way He has created us to be used – we have a great hunger to discover our purpose and what our special ‘gifting’ is. To that end, we come back to spiritual gifts over and again, to continue to seek God and understand His will for our lives. Many resources are developed to help us in this quest – courses, books, surveys etc.
However, while our search and the resources have the right motivation, I think we need to come back to what the Bible teaches about spiritual gifts.
In my understanding, there are nine gifts listed as spiritual gifts: message of wisdom, message of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:8-10).
But I often hear of other things being listed as spiritual gifts – for example things like communication or leadership.
So my first question is – what is a spiritual gift?
A second passage (1 Cor 12:28) says that God has also appointed apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with the gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.
My second question – is an ‘appointment’ different to a spiritual gift?
I invite the following statements to be considered and commented on:
• A person who is anointed / appointed as a prophet, is different from a person with the spiritual gift of prophecy.
• An appointment by God is lifelong; a spiritual gift has no particular time frame.
• A spiritual gift is different from a talent or ability we are born with or develop through our life.
• A spiritual gift is not necessarily given for life – it may be given for a certain season, or situation; to fulfil a particular need.
• God can give and take these gifts in anyway, at any time – we shouldn’t lock ourselves into having one gift or another.
My third question – in what ways does WCCC provide opportunity, and test and approve the nine spiritual gifts as listed above?
If I am right in focusing on the nine gifts listed above as being the ‘spiritual gifts’ we are talking about, I would like to ask where we are being given the opportunity to test and see if we have the gifts of words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues??
My fourth and final question – where does the baptism of the Holy Spirit fit in with discussion on spiritual gifts?
My thoughts are that baptism in the Spirit would be a key part of discovering and using spiritual gifts?
That also causes me to think about the professions of faith coming up. The Bible clearly teaches that we are filled with the Holy Spirit when we give our lives to Christ. It also teaches a separate infilling and empowerment after conversion – there are various passages in Acts. As these girls come to profess their belief in Christ and desire to live for Him, should this not also be a point where we pray for them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? The Biblical model is a water baptism of repentance, followed by the laying on of hands and prayer for baptism in the Spirit – should this not be the practice in our church? Why is it that we do not regularly offer prayer for people to receive this incredible gift, particularly on such an occasion as a profession of faith, which would to me seem to lean itself to such?
I wasn’t actually there on Sunday night – so sorry if I have covered ground already discussed then! Thanks for ready and look forward to your thoughts!
Kaz (and Marty)