There is a lot of important conversation in Christian communities about finding your God-given calling. I think this is incredibly important. One of the key elements of this, for Christians, is understanding spiritual gifts. What are they? How do we discover them? What is the purpose?
Here are five truths from Scripture about spiritual gifts you might find helpful:
First, we read in Ephesians 4:7-8 that the source of our gifts is Jesus himself:
Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. For it says:
When he ascended on high,
he took the captives captive;
he gave gifts to peopleJesus told his disciples that when he left the earth and ascended to heaven, he would send the Spirit of God to empower the people of God (John 14-16; Acts 1:8). It was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Joel 2:28). The above passage tells us that spiritual gifts are given to us by Jesus, our conquering, risen King.
Second, we should understand that spiritual gifts are spiritual. The word the Bible uses is pneumatica. It’s important for us to realize that spiritual gifts are different than ordinary talents and abilities that every human being possesses. Spiritual gifts are a supernatural ability to fulfill the mission of God through the body of Christ. The spiritual nature of the gifts should guard us from pride. We can’t take credit for power we didn’t generate. 1 Corinthians 4:7 asks, “What do you have that you have not received?”
Third, we should recognize the grace of the gifts. To be gifted by God for ministry is to possess something we didn’t earn or deserve, much like our salvation. The Bible uses three terms to indicate that the gifts are gifts of grace:
· Romans 12:6-8 uses the term charismata
· Ephesians 4:7 uses the term charis
· Ephesians 4:8 uses the term domata
All of these words ways to describe the concept of grace. We often only think of grace as an attitude of forgiveness. Grace often does refer to overlooking flaws and God’s ability to save us from our sin (Amazing Grace, that saved a wretch like me.). And yet grace is so much more. It’s being given something we don’t deserve.
To serve God on mission in the body of Christ is a privilege, a rich gift given to us by a loving Father and a sacrificial Savior. Gifts of grace are given to us so we can be a gift to the body of Christ.
Fourth we should understand the purpose of spiritual gifts. Why has God chosen to empower us with supernatural power? Paul explains this in his letter to the Ephesians:
And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into him who is the head—Christ. From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part.
Note the four-fold purpose of spiritual gifts:
· Equipping people for God’s work and mission
· Sanctification (growing of our faith)
· Unity in the faith
· Spiritual maturity
Fifth, we should understand the intended outcome of the spiritual gifts. Listen to Ephesians:
From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part (Ephesians 4:16).
A healthy church, with members exercising their gifts, not for self-promotion or glory, but for the spiritual growth of the body and for the mission of proclaiming Christ in the world, will be identified by love. Love for each other. Love for Christ. Love for those who are without salvation.
In other words, the gifts of the spirit should produce the fruits of the spirit.
If this was helpful and you’d like to study spiritual gifts further, you might check out my small group Bible study, published by Lifeway: Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and How to Use Them.