GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
THE “GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT”
1. Corinthians chapter 12:1-11.
There are nine “named gifts” listed in verses 8-11; specifically;
1 The word of wisdom.
2 The word of knowledge.
3 Faith.
4 Healing.
5 Working of miracles.
6 Prophecy.
7 Discerning of spirits.
8 Diverse kinds of tongues.
9 Interpretation of=2 0tongues.
1 Cor 12:4-7 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal”.
In addition to the nine “Spiritual Gifts” that any dedicated person of faith may receive; there are at least nine “Gifts of Ministry:
In introducing this instruction in the proper understanding of the “Gifts of the Spirit”, let’s examine the Greek word for “gift” S# 5486 “chrisma”; from which we get the words “Charismatic” or the “gifted ones”. The word is used 17 times in the N.T. First in Rom. 1:11 “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift , to the end ye may be established.
NT:5486 “<START GREEK>xa/risma
<END GREEK> charisma (khar’-is-mah); from NT:5483; a (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion); (specifically) a (spiritual) endowment, i.e. (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively) miraculous faculty: KJV – (free) gift. (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
The “Gift Ministries” are listed below.
1 Apostle
2 Prophets
3 Teachers
4 Miracles
5 Gifts of Healing
6 Helps
7 Governments
8 Diversities of Tongues
See First Corinthians 12:28.
Next there is the “Gifts of the Spirit”.
1 Word of wisdom.
2 Word of knowledge.
3 Faith.
4 Gifts of healing.
5 Working of miracles.
6 Prophecy.
7 Discerning of spirits.
8 Diverse kinds of tongues.
9 The interpretation of tongues.
1 Cor 12:11 “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will”.
I want to examine closely each of these “gifts or callings”
NT:S# 652 apostolos, apostolou, ho;
1. A delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders, John 13:16
2. Specially applied to the twelve disciples whom Christ selected, Matt 10:1-4
3. In a broader sense the name is transposed to other eminent Christian teachers; as Barnabas, Acts 14:14 The Greek word for Apostles S#652 is found 81 times; And is translated as apostle 78 times , apostles, he that is sent 1 time and messenger and messengers 3 times. See Thayer’s Bible dictionary.
Paul gives us a good description of an Apostle in; 2 Cor 12:12; “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds”.
Some teach that there were only 12 Apostles, others that this office ended with the early church. Still others call elder ministers Apostles or use the word as an honorary title to leaders. Paul is identified as an Apostle no less than 15 times in the N. T. See Romans 1:1.
It is my understanding that all of the ministries of 1st. C or. 12:28 are viable in the Christian Church today.
The next gift ministry is Prophets: NT:4396 profeetees, profeetou, ho an interpreter or spokesman for God; one through whom God speaks. Found 150 times in the N.T.
1. an interpreter of oracles
2. a foreteller, soothsayer, seer
II. In the N.T. 1. one who, moved by the Spirit of God and hence, his organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration
a. the O.T. prophets — and with allusion to their age, life, death, deeds: Matt 5:12
b. John the Baptist, the herald of Jesus the Messiah: Matt 21:26
c. That illustrious prophet whom the Jews (apparently on the ground of Deut 18:15) expected to arise just before the Messiah’s advent: John 1:21,25
d. the Messiah: Acts 3:22,23
e. universally, a man filled with the Spirit of God, who by God’s authority and command in words of weight pleads the case of God and urges the salvation of men: Matt 21:46
f. The prophets that appeared in the apostolic age among the Christians: Matt 10:41
g. Prophets both of the Old Testament and of the New Testament are grouped together under the name profeetai in Rev. 11: as the two witnesses. (from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon.
The Office of Prophet is much more than a person foretelling future events; although it includes this but the Prophet of God speaks the words that are directly revealed by God through the Holy Ghost. [Holy Spirit of God] This title is commonly used among the Black Christian Churches and the Charismatic Movement of the Christian Faith, but is seldom found among the other church organizations. Yet if properly researched and understood this is still an important office in the Church; and should be recognized as such.
Next is the office or calling of teachers:
NT:1320 didaskalos, didaskalou, ho “a teacher”
1. used of one who is fitted to teach, or th inks himself so: Heb 5:12; Rom 2:20
2. used of the teachers of the Jewish religion: Luke 2:46; John 3:10
3. used of those who by their great power as teachers drew crowds about them
a. used of John the Baptist: Luke 3:12
b. used of Jesus: John 1:38 (39)
4. by preeminence used of Jesus by himself, as the one who showed men=2 0the way of salvation: Matt 23:8
5. used of the apostles: 1 Tim 2:7; 2 Tim 1:11
6. used of those who in the religious assemblies of Christians undertake the work of teaching, with the special assistance of the Holy Spirit: 1 Cor 12:28 (from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
This office or calling is used 58 times in the N.T. and is translated as Master 47 times, as
Teacher or teachers 10 times and as doctor [of the law] 1 time.
We have many in the Christian Church that have the title of teacher but I am concerned that most of these are not qualified as Biblical Teachers. It is my belief that to be teacher of the Bible a person must have a “working knowledge” of both Hebrew and Greek texts and also the history of God’s relationship with both the Hebrew [Jews] and Gentile races and especially the Covenants made with Adam, Noah, Moses and the Covenant of Grace by the gift of his Son to all who receive it and walk by faith.
The next “Gift Ministry or Calling is “Miracles”; S# NT:1411 dunamis, dunameoos, hee;
strength, ability, power
a. universally, inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth: Luke 1:17
b. specifically, the power of performing miracles: Acts 6:8
c. moral power and excellence of soul: 1 Cor 4:19
d. the power and influence which belong to riches
e. power and resources arising from numbers: Rev 3:8
f. power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts,
g. meaning of a word or expression: 1 Cor 14:11
(from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.) This word is used 116 times in the N.T; First in Matt. 6:13 in the closing of the “Lords Prayer”; “For thine is the kingdom, and the “power” and the glory forever”. Amen.
It is used last in Rev. 19:1; “ And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and “power” , unto the Lord our God”:
This Greek word for “miracles” is S# 1411 “dunamis” that Holiness and Pentecostal Preachers like to use to describe the “demonstrative” power that is manifested among the faithful when the “Holy Ghost” falls and there is a “quickening” of the body according to Rom 8:11 “ But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you”. This word is used 116 times in the N.T. and is translated as; power, wonderful works, mighty works, ability, virtue, miracles, mighty signs, strength, meaning of the voice [of God], mighty deeds, quince the violence of fire and abundance. All of these words and terms are used in an attempt to present to people a description of the “Third person of the Godhead”. This is the problem of comparing the “finite” nature of mankind and the infinite nature of God.
The sixth in order is the “gift of prophecy”; S# NT:4394 “ a Noun” propheteia (
<START GREEK>profhtei/a <END GREEK>, NT:4394) signifies “the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God” (pro, “forth,” phemi, “to speak”: see PROPHET); in the NT it is used (a) of the gift, e. g., Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10; 13:2; (b) either of the exercise of the gift or of that which is “prophesied,” e. g., Matt 13:14; 1 Cor 13:8; 14:6,22 and 1 Thess 5:20, “prophesying (s)”; 1 Tim 1:18; 4:14; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Rev 1:3; 11:6; 19:10; 22:7,10,18,19.”Though much of OT prophecy was purely predictive, see Mic 5:2, e. g., and cf. John 11:51, prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, fore-telling. It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means, Matt 26:68, it is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future, see Gen 20:7; Deut 18:18; Rev 10:11; 11:3….
“In such passages as 1 Cor 12:28; Eph 2:20, the ‘prophets’ are placed after the ‘Apostles,’ since not the prophets of Israel are intended, but the ‘gifts’ of the ascended Lord, Eph 4:8,11; cf. Acts 13:1;…; the purpose of their ministry was to edify, to comfort, and to encourage the believers, 1 Cor 14:3, while its effect upon unbelievers was to show that the secrets of a man’s heart are known to God, to convict of sin, and to constrain to worship, vv. 24,25.
“With the completion of the canon of Scripture prophecy apparently passed away, 1 Cor 13:8,9. In his measure the teacher has taken the place of the prophet, cf. the significant change in 2 Peter 2:1. The difference is that, whereas the message of the prophet was a direct revelation of the mind of God for the occasion, the message of the teacher is gathered from the completed revelation contained in the Scriptures.” (from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
As described by Vines above; there is much miss-understanding of the N. T. word Prophecy or to Prophesy. The primary use of the word is to describe the action of a person when they are under “the anointing” of the Holy Ghost and speak the “revealed word” inspired by the Spirit for the “perfecting of the Saints, and the edifyin g of the “Body of Christ” till we all come to the unity of the Spirit. Eph. 4:12.
The next Gift is “Discerning of Spirits”; there is a “Spirit of God”, there are “evil spirits”, false spirits, spirits of devils, unclean spirits and spirits that deceive. There is a “Gift of discernment” that will reveal to the Church the difference.
Next is “Diverse kinds of tongues”; [The ability to speak different languages] This was demonstrated on the “Day of Pentecost”; See Acts chapter # 2 where there were assembled @ 120 Jews from “every nation under Heaven” to celebrate Pentecost. Many of these Jews had been held as slaves all over the known world and had lost the ability to speak the Hebrew language. When the Holy Ghost was received; after the initial evidence of speaking in “Cloven tongues”; they began to speak with other tongues [gift of tongues] and these foreign Jews were able to hear these 120 Jews that had received the “gift of tongues” speak in the language that they were born with.
See also Acts chapters 10 and 19 where this “gift” was repeated years later.
The next named gift is the “Gift of interpretation of tongues”. [Languages] This gives the person the ability to interpret the “unknown tongue” see 1st. Cor. 14:1-28.
1 Cor 12:11 “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will”
1 Cor 12:27-31; “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, di versities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way”.
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website godswordtooyou.com
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