Spiritual Gifts - What the Bible has to say
Contents:
Key Scriptures on Spiritual Gifts
Their Nature - what are "spiritual gifts"?
(see also "Purpose" and "Duration")
Their Purpose - what do they do if correctly used?
Their Use - what does "correctly" mean?
Our Attitude how should we regard spiritual gifts?
(see also "Their Use")
Their Duration how long will God be giving gifts?
Summary
Final Conclusions
A List Of Gifts
Key Scriptures on Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 12-14
Romans 12:3-10 and context
Ephesians 4:11-13 and context
1 Peter 4:10-11 and context
1 Corinthians 7:7
Hebrews 2:4
Their Nature - what are "spiritual gifts"? (see
also "Purpose" and "Duration")
General:
Prophecy:
Tongues:
Their Purpose - what do they do if correctly used?
General:
Prophecy:
Tongues:
Their Use - what does "correctly" mean?
General:
Prophecy:
Tongues:
Our Attitude how should we regard spiritual gifts? (see
also "Their Use")
General:
Prophecy:
Tongues:
Interpretation:
Their Duration How long will God be giving gifts?
Spiritual gifts are different supernatural manifestations or abilities that God gives to individual believers. They are given for the believers to use in their ministry, for the purpose of building up the Body of Christ and its individual members (through their effects), and for the purpose of glorifying God (through their supernatural nature). Every believer is given gifts, and is expected to use them, and must therefore be given opportunity to do so. A gift is under the conscious control of the user, whose motive must be one of love.
We should desire gifts, eagerly desiring those which have greater capacity to edify. In particular, although tongues is a good gift (and therefore, like all good things, to be sought after), it is not to be so greatly esteemed or sought after as others (for example prophecy) since if not interpreted, it can only edify the speaker - evidently the Body still profits thereby, but much less than if more than one had been edified, for example through the speaking of understandable words.
Some claim that spiritual gifts ceased after the time of the apostles. The main argument to support this claim is based on two assertions. The first is that the phrase "That which is perfect" in 1 Cor 13:12 refers to the New Testament scriptures. This is based on the second, which is that the "supernatural" gifts all relate directly or indirectly to the production of these scriptures, either through inspired teaching or by confirming the apostles for who they are.
Neither of these assertions can be logically and clearly derived from the relevant scriptures. A study of the gift of prophecy, for example, reveals that its purpose was to edify the believers, to bring unity to the Body, to convert unbelievers, and (apparently) to warn of coming danger and to direct the specific details of God's work. Although the New Testament canon is now "in full", all these effects of the gift of prophecy remain "in part" to this day. The "perfect" edification and unity has not yet been accomplished in the body of Christ, and will not be accomplished before His return.
The idea that "supernatural" gifts ceased with the apostles (but presumably "natural" ones like administrations and mercy continue) also does not sit easily with the other passages relating to the duration of spiritual gifts (that they appear during the "last days", and that Jesus gives "some to be prophets until we all come to unity of the faith and the knowledge of God"), nor with the teaching that all spiritual gifts, including the "natural" ones, are in fact manifestations of the Spirit, and glorify God through being supernatural.
This list is in alphabetical order. Some argue that there are additional gifts not mentioned in scripture. The Bible does not specifically exclude this possibility, but rather commands "test all things, hold fast to that which is good", and gives a number of tests to apply, which I have not listed here. Any supposed spiritual gift must fulfill the description and purpose of spiritual gifts in general as given in the scriptures (and outlined above). Also, many spiritual gifts listed as one type here are referred to in the plural in the scripture (eg "Different kinds of tongues", or "Gifts of healings") and in some cases, some of the different manifestations of the gift are outlined (eg "Everyone has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation" - 1 Cor 14:26) Such distinctions are not reflected below. In addition, there may be some overlap between the various gifts. Our focus should not so much be on identifying what gift any particular manifestation is, but rather to use this list as a starting point to help identify what supernatural abilities God has given for us to use.
Administration (1 Cor 12:28); Apostlehood (1 Cor 12:28,29, Eph 4:11); Distinguishing between spirits (1 Cor 12:10); Dreams (Acts 2:17); Encouraging (Rom 12:8); Evangelism (Eph 4:11); Faith (1 Cor 12:9); Giving (Rom 12:8); Healing (1 Cor 12:9,28,29); Helping Others (1 Cor 12:28); Interpretation of Tongues (1 Cor 12:10,29); Knowledge (1 Cor 12:8); Leadership (Rom 12:8); Mercy (Rom 12:8); Miracles (1 Cor 12:10,28,29); Not Marrying (1 Cor 7:7); Pastoring (Eph 4:11); Prophecy (Acts 2:17, Rom 12:6, 1 Cor 12:10,28,29, Eph 4:11); Service (Rom 12:7, 1 Pet 4:11); Speaking (1 Pet 4:11); Teaching (Rom 12:7, 1 Cor 12:28,29, Eph 4:11); Tongues (1 Cor 12:10,28,29); Visions (Acts 2:17); Wisdom (1 Cor 12:8)