9/12/2017 WhydidGodgiveusspiritualgifts?

|InstituteinBasicLifePrinciples

WhydidGodgiveusspiritualgifts?
KeyPurposesforSpiritualGifts
edifyingtheChurch,bringingglorytoGod
Godhasgivenusspiritualgiftsformanypurposes.Ultimately,allofthesegiftshavebeen
providedtoequipustoglorifyGod.

ThegiftsoftheSpiritweregivenfortheperfectingofthesaints,fortheworkofthe
ministry,fortheedifyingofthebodyofChrist:Tillweallcomeintheunityofthefaith,
andoftheknowledgeoftheSonofGod,untoaperfect[complete,mature]man,untothe
measureofthestatureofthefullnessofChrist...speakingthetruthinlove,[thatwe]may
growupintohiminallthings,whichisthehead,evenChrist(Ephesians4:1213,15).

ToManifestGodsPresenceintheBodyofChristonEarth
JesusisourperfectexampleHeexemplifiedallthespiritualgiftsthroughthewordsHespoke
andtheactionsHecarriedout.SinceJesusisnowattherighthandofGodtheFather,theHoly
SpiritistheprimarymanifestationofthepresenceofGodontheearth.Thusour
heavenlyFatherdistributesthegiftsoftheSpiritamongthemembersofHisBody,
sobelieversnowglorifyGodthroughthosegifts.

SincetheHolySpiritistheonewhoshowsormanifestsGodspresenceintheworld,itisnot
surprisingthatPaulcancallspiritualgiftsmanifestationsoftheHolySpirit(ICor.12:7).When
spiritualgiftsareactive,itisanotherindicationofthepresenceofGodtheHolySpiritinthe
Church(Grudem,page639).

OneoftheSpiritsprimarypurposesinthenewcovenantageistomanifestthepresenceof
God,togiveindicationsthatmakethepresenceofGodknown.AndwhentheHolySpiritworks
invariouswaysthatcanbeperceivedbybelieversandunbelievers,thisencouragespeoples
faiththatGodisnearandthatheisworkingtofulfillhispurposesinthechurchandto
bringblessingtohispeople(Grudem,page641).

RemindUsofOurDependenceUponOneAnother
Ratherthangivingeachbelieverallofthegifts,theLordchosetogiveeachofHischildrenone
motivationalgiftandanunlimitednumberofministryandmanifestationgifts.Hedidthissothat
noonewouldthinkofhimselfmorehighlythanheoughttothinkbuttothinksoberly,
accordingasGodhathdealttoeverymanthemeasureoffaith.Foraswehavemanymembers
inonebody,andallmembershavenotthesameoffice:sowe,beingmany,areonebodyin
Christ,andeveryonemembersoneofanother.

Havingthengiftsdifferingaccordingtothegracethatisgiventous,whetherprophecy,
letusprophesyaccordingtotheproportionoffaithorministry[serving],letuswaitonour
ministering:orhethatteacheth,onteachingorhethatexhorteth,onexhortation:he

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thatgiveth,lethimdoitwithsimplicityhethatruleth[organizing],withdiligencehe
thatshowethmercy,withcheerfulness(Romans12:38).

Asourunderstandingofthespiritualgiftsmatures,ourappreciationforallthemembersofthe
Bodyismagnified.Forexample,ifyouhavethemotivationalgiftofmercy,Godhasgivenyoua
heightenedsensitivitytothehurtsofothers(sothatHemightexpressHiscompassionto
themthroughyou).Untilyouunderstandthateveryoneelseisnotsupposedtobeassensitive
toothershurts(tothedegreethatyoudiscernthemandwanttorespondtothem),youwill
probablybetemptedtocondemnothersascallousandheartless.

Ourhumannature,whichnaturallyoperatespridefully,assumesthatmyperspectiveisalways
therightperspectiveandusuallytheonlyperspective.Ifyouthinkthatway,youare
deceivingyourself.Yes,yourperspectiveisvalidandessentialbutitisnottheonly
rightperspective.

Ifothersseeminsensitivetosomeoneshurts,itsprobablybecauseGodhasnotgiventhema
spiritualgiftthatincludesthemercygiversheightenedsensitivitytootherssuffering.Others
arenotbeingcalloustheysimplydonotseeasyousee.Infact,otherswillbesensitiveto
needstowhichyouaretotallyoblivious,suchas(1)thesufferingpersonsfinancialneeds
or(2)theneedtobeshownthetruthaboutthesituationthatiscausingthesufferingor(3)the
needtomowthesufferersovergrownlawn,whichisfrustratinghiswifeandhisneighbors!

Inthisscenario,thegiverwouldbequicktodiscernthefinancialneeds,becauseGodhasgiven
thegiveraheightenedsensitivitytothem.Theprophet,exhorter,andteacherwouldbe
especiallysensitivetotheneedtopointoutGodscommands,promises,andpreceptstothe
sufferingperson,sothathemightobeyGod,beencouraged,andknowthetruth(whichcanset
himfreefrombondage,i.e.typesofsufferingtowhichthemercygiverisnotassensitive).
Theserverwouldbequicktonoticeandaddresspracticalneedsaroundthehospitalizedpersons
house,likeanovergrownlawn.AsdifferentmembersoftheBodyofChristdiscerneachof
theseareasofneed,allofthesufferingpersonsneedscanbeaddressedandGodwillbe
glorified.

Weneedeachotherdesperately.Godhasnotgiventhewholepicturetoanyindividual,butHe
hasgiveneachofusawindowthroughwhichwearetoperceiveoneanothers
needsbyusingourspiritualgifts.AlltheneedscannotbemetunlesstheBodyofChristis
thriving,practicingourgiftsinlove.

ToBuildUnityintheChurch
SpiritualgiftsaregiventotheChurchtouniteit,nottodivideit.(SeeJohn17:2122.)
InhislettertotheEphesians,theApostlePaulexhortsbelieverstoendeavortokeeptheunity
oftheSpiritinthebondofpeace(Ephesians4:3),andheexplainsthatGodgavetheministry
gifts(apostles,prophets,evangelists,pastors,andteachers)fortheperfectingofthesaints...
tillweallcomeintheunityofthefaith(Ephesians4:1213).

WayneGrudem,inhisbooktitledSystematicTheology,offerstheseinsightsabouttheHoly
Spiritsroleinbuildingthatunityofthefaith:

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PaulsdiscussionofspiritualgiftsalsorepeatsthisthemeoftheunifyingworkoftheHolySpirit.Whereas
wemightthinkthatpeoplewhohavedifferinggiftswouldnotreadilygetalongwellwitheachother,Pauls
conclusionisjusttheopposite:differinggiftsdrawustogether,becauseweareforcedtodependon
eachother.Theeyecannotsaytothehand,Ihavenoneedofyou,noragaintheheadtothefeet,I
havenoneedofyou(ICor.12:11).

Thesedifferinggifts,Paultellsus,areempoweredbyoneandthesameSpirit,whoapportionstoeach
oneindividuallyashewills(ICor.12:11),sothatinthechurch,Toeachisgiventhemanifestationofthe
Spiritforthecommongood(ICor.12:7).Infact,inoneSpiritwewereallbaptizedintoonebodyJews
orGreeks,slavesorfreeandallweremadetodrinkofoneSpirit(ICor.12:13,authorstranslation).

TheideathattheHolySpiritunifiesthechurchisalsoevidentinthefactthatstrife...disputes,
dissensions,factions(Gal.5:20NASB)aredesiresofthefleshthatareopposedtobeingledbythe
Spirit(Gal.5:18,cf.v.25).TheHolySpiritistheonewhoproducesloveinourhearts(Rom.5:5Gal.
5:22Col.1:8),andthislovebindseverythingtogetherinperfectharmony(Col.3:14).Thereforewhen
theHolySpiritisworkingstronglyinachurchtomanifestGodspresence,oneevidencewillbeabeautiful
harmonyinthechurchcommunityandoverflowingloveforoneanother(Grudem,pages646647,
emphasisadded).

ToEdifytheChurchIndividuallyandCorporately
GodgivesusspiritualgiftsfortheedificationoftheChurch(ICorinthians14:12),tobuildupthe
BodyofChristinloveandunity,thatGodinallthingsmaybeglorifiedthroughJesusChrist(I
Peter4:11).AsGoddistributesHisgiftsamongHispeople,Hispower,love,and
wisdomaredisplayedgloriouslyandtheBodyofChristisedified.Themanifestationofthe
Spiritisgiventoeverymantoprofitwithal(ICorinthians12:7).

TheApostlePaulexhortedtheCorinthianbelievers,clearlyidentifyingedificationoftheChurchas
themainpurposeforthemanifestationofthegifts:Forasmuchasyearezealousofspiritual
gifts,seekthatyemayexceltotheedifyingofthechurch(ICorinthians14:12seealso
ICorinthians14:3,26,andEphesians4:1016).

Thespiritualgifts(motivational,ministry,andmanifestationgifts)areGodsprovisionto
equipHischildrentoministertoothersinwaysbeyondmerehumancapabilityand
ingenuity.ItisamanifestationoftheDivinePresencewhenanordinaryhumansuddenlyisgiven
illuminationofunknownfactsandwisdomhowtomeetadifficultproblem,orcandiscernwhatis
anevilspirit,orcanbelieveforamiracle,orcanadministerhealingtoanincurable,orcanspeak
forthamessagefromtheLordinhisownlanguageorinonehehasneverlearned,orinterpret
anutterancegiveninanunknownlanguage(Rea,pages133134).(SeeICorinthians12:7
11.)

ThegiftsoftheSpiritareneveranendinthemselves.Theyaretoolswithwhichwecan
articulatetheloveofGodtoallmen.Theyarenotmysteriouspowersthatcanbeboughtor
sold(seeActs8:924)thegiftsarebestoweduponGodschildrenbytheirFather,atHis
discretionandforHisglory.Allthese[gifts]areempoweredbyoneandthesameSpirit,who
apportionstoeachoneindividuallyashewills(ICorinthians12:11,ESV).

ToRevealtheLivingGodtoUnbelievers
TheSpiritofGodworksthroughthespiritualgiftsinwaysthatcanbeperceivedbyboth
believersandunbelievers.Believersareencouragedthroughthemanifestationofthespiritual
giftsbecausetheyareremindedthatGodtrulyisnearandisactively,diligently,carefully,and

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thoroughlycarryingoutHiswillintheearth.Unbelieverscomefacetofacewiththereality
ofthelivingGodasHedisplaysHispower,Hislove,andHiswisdomthroughHispeople.(SeeI
Corinthians14:140.)

InhislettertotheCorinthianchurch,theApostlePaulexplainedonewaythatthespiritualgifts
oftongues,interpretationoftongues,andprophecycanbemanifestedastoolsof
evangelism:Whereforetonguesareforasign,nottothemthatbelieve,buttothemthat
believenot:butprophesyingservethnotforthemthatbelievenot,butforthemwhichbelieve.If
thereforethewholechurchbecometogetherintooneplace,andallspeakwithtongues,and
therecomeinthosethatareunlearned,orunbelievers,willtheynotsaythatyearemad?Butif
allprophesy,andtherecomeinonethatbelievethnot,oroneunlearned,heisconvincedofall,
heisjudgedofall:Andthusarethesecretsofhisheartmademanifestandsofallingdownon
hisfacehewillworshipGod,andreportthatGodisinyouofatruth(ICorinthians14:2225).

ToBringGlorytoGod
GodhasgivengiftstotheBodyofChristtomanifestHispresenceamongus,toremindusofour
dependenceupononeanotherandthusbuildunityintheChurch,toedifytheChurchindividually
andcorporately,andtoreachthelost.Throughthespiritualgifts(motivationalgifts,
manifestationgifts,andministrygifts),thebelieverishumbled,fulfilled,encouraged,and
madeusefulinthehandsofourMaster,towhomallgloryisdue.

Thearticlesonspiritualgiftshavebeendevelopedfromavarietyofsources,includingthe
booklet,UnderstandingSpiritualGifts.

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