Why Do We Neglect the Holy Spirit?
Can your car run without gas? Can a fish live without water? Can flowers and trees and grass and gardens grow without rain? Can you live without oxygen? Can you faithfully follow and serve Jesus without the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit is often neglected in our thinking and praying and serving and worshipping. If we’re honest, we don’t pray much for help from who Jesus calls the Helper. The Holy Spirit saves us by changing our hearts and uniting us to Jesus and then we pretty much ignore him.
We may do this because we come from a charismatic background where everything was about the Holy Spirit and there were excesses and abuses and confusion and chaos. Or we may do this because we come from a Baptist or Bible Church or Reformed background and have been indirectly taught that doctrine and knowledge is what really matters in the Christian life.
The apostle Paul stands as a good corrective to us wherever we fall on this spectrum. He says, on the one hand, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) and “Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts” (1 Cor. 14:1), and, on the other hand, “Be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom. 12:1) and, “Set your minds on things that are above” (Col. 3:2). Paul sees no contradiction between a life full of the Holy Spirit and a life full of the pursuit of the knowledge of God.
No Spirit, No Salvation
We need to remember that, apart from the Holy Spirit’s work, we wouldn’t be saved. Paul says it this way, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom. 8:9).
The Holy Spirit is given to everyone who turns away from their sins and believes the gospel. Ephesians 1:13, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit isn’t just for charismatics. The Holy Spirit is for Christians. Indeed, without the Holy Spirit, there would be no Christians.
One of the promises of the new covenant, one of the things Jesus died to purchase for us, is that all of God’s people would have God’s Spirit (Ezek. 36:27). But there’s even more than that. Not only do we get God’s Spirit, when God’s Spirit comes into the house of our lives, he comes bringing presents. The Spirit of God brings gifts from God to the people of God.
Definition of Spiritual Gifts
What I want to do today is start with a short definition of spiritual gifts, then go through the main New Testament passages on the various gifts looking at each gift. Next week we’ll look more broadly at the gifts and address a few common questions about them.
Let’s start with a basic definition of spiritual gifts. Thomas Schreiner, professor of New Testament at Southern Seminary, defines spiritual gifts as “gifts of grace granted by the Holy Spirit which are designed for the edification of the church.” Sam Storms, in his book Understanding Spiritual Gifts, points out that spiritual gifts are Spirit-given abilities for the purpose of fulfilling certain ministry tasks. The gifts are from the Spirit and for the church.
Gifts Imply Interdependence
Our discussions about spiritual gifts are usually self-focused: What are my gifts? How can I find a place to use them? But in Romans 12, Paul begins his discussion about the gifts by reminding us that our gifts are not about us or for us (vv. 3-5). Yes, each of us is unique and uniquely gifted (v. 4). But we belong to one another (v. 5).
Christians in America need to hear this because of the rampant narcissism and individualism in our culture. Paul says that we need to think of ourselves with soberness (v. 3). We’re not independent agents in need of no one.
Our culture sees dependance as immaturity, and maturity as becoming independent. But, in contrast, Paul says that we’re to live interdependent of one another. For example, one person’s generosity needs another person’s administration. Another person’s mercy needs the first person’s generosity. Paul’s point is that we must “unleash our gifts together.”
Prophecy
In verses 6-8, Paul lists several of these gifts. The first one he mentions is “prophecy” (v. 6). There’s a lot of debate about what prophecy is and isn’t and whether or not it’s still available to the church today.
I’m going to purposefully sidestep the question of whether this gift, and the gift of tongues and miracles, are available today because that would take us into a discussion that we don’t have time for and because I’m in the process of coming to a settled conviction on that question in my own mind. I will say that whatever your position is, you should hold it with an open hand, understanding that people who love Jesus and love the Bible disagree with you. The issue of the charismatic gifts is a third-order issue, meaning that Christians in a local church can disagree about this issue while remaining in fellowship with one another.
So what is prophecy, or what was it understood to be in the New Testament church? Simply put, those who prophesied communicated revelations from God. A prophecy was a spontaneous revelation from God meant to build up, encourage, or console the people of God (1 Cor. 14:3). In 1 Corinthians 14:6, Paul says, “If I come to you speaking in other tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?” Here Paul uses the word “revelation” as another word for “prophecy” (vv. 26, 30).
The gift of prophecy is when God communicates directly to the mind of the prophet, and, though the prophet may not share it immediately, the revelation itself is spontaneous. There’s the reception of a message and then a reporting of the message. But the reporting is regulated and should be evaluated by the church (vv. 29-33). All prophecies are to come under the authoritative teaching of the apostles (vv. 37-38). God’s word trumps a prophet’s word.
Theologian Christopher Green’s words on this point are worth quoting at length. He says, “The test (of a prophecy) is not the accuracy of the prediction, but the orthodoxy of the teaching…The primary rule of weighing any claimed prophecy will be to check its doctrine. Sounding biblical is not enough, because thousands of false prophets have fooled churches in that way. The prophecy must sit under Scripture, and cannot correct, supplement or in any way re-order Scripture’s teaching. This is difficult in practice, because we tend to get more excited when someone says ‘I have a word from the Lord,’ than when someone says, ‘Please turn to Romans 6.’ But the Bible is God’s guaranteed, authoritative word, containing his binding promises and warnings. Perhaps one reason we are easily fooled by exciting (but false) prophets, is that we are not truly thrilled by God’s word.”
Again, I’m not going to argue for or against the availability of this gift to the church today. But I am saying that, if it is available, this is how it should be done. Scripture is more important than any “word from the Lord” because Scripture is infallibly the Lord’s word.
Service
In Romans 12:7, Paul mentions the gift of “service.” This is probably the same gift as the gift of “helping” in 1 Corinthians 12:28. Deacons and deaconesses should have this gift, as the word for “service” is diakonia. But it isn’t limited to deacons. This gift is one of the most important and crucial gifts in the church because without it countless behind-the-scenes kinds of things wouldn’t get done. Those with this gift see a need and are quick to meet it. They see a full trash can and empty it, a need in the nursery and volunteer, a member who needs a ride to church and offer it. This gift doesn’t mean that those who don’t have it can refuse to serve. In Jesus’ kingdom, none of us are ever more than servants. There’s only one King and everyone serves him.
Teaching
The next gift Paul mentions is teaching (v. 7). Along with prophecy, this is the only gift mentioned in all the “gift lists.” Many scholars view the gifts of “utterance of wisdom” and “utterance of knowledge” from 1 Corinthians 12:8 as the same as the gift of teaching.
The gift of teaching is the ability to explain the Word of God to the people of God in ways that are helpful. Unlike prophecy, it’s a gift that explains truth that’s already been revealed. All elders should have this gift to some extent (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:9).
The existence of this gift teaches us something very basic about the Christian life: we all need to be taught. None of us ever mature beyond the point of needing to be taught. Even the paid teachers of the church should be life-long students. It may come as a surprise to you that I spend much of my week in class. I don’t know much of anything intuitively – I need to be taught just like you! So I read and study the Bible for most of the week so that I can teach it to you.
This also means that, when we’re getting ready to come to church, we need to come ready to worship and pray and sing and fellowship, but we also need to come expecting to be taught. The person who thinks they know everything can’t learn anything. We also need to remember that our call to make disciples means that the teaching we receive is for us and for others. God sends teachers into your life so that you can then teach others.
Exhortation
The next gift Paul mentions is exhortation (v. 8). This is the gift of urging others to obey the Word of God. It’s related to teaching and most preachers should have both these gifts because the Word needs to be explained and applied.
Contribution
The next gift Paul mentions is contribution, or giving (v. 8). As we saw a few weeks ago, all Christians are called to give generously of their material resources, but some will be compelled to do so in remarkable and unusual ways. This gift isn’t reserved for rich people. Any Christian at any income level can have it. I think my grandparents who lived off of social security had it.
Leadership
The next gift Paul mentions is leadership (v. 8). Many scholars see this gift as synonymous with the gift of “administrating” in 1 Corinthians 12:28. This gift enables some in the church to give direction in the church and to members of the church. It gives the ability to see clearly where to go and what to do. This gift brings clarity and order to complicated situations. Elders and deacons likely have this gift to one degree or another.
Mercy
The next gift Paul mentions is mercy (v. 8). This is the special ability to help those who’re hurting. We’re all called to “weep with those who weep” (v. 15). But some Christians will have a special knack for comforting and bringing relief to those in pain.
These are the unsung heroes in the church. If you have a teaching gift, you get a microphone or a class to teach. But if you visit the sick or call shut-ins or check in on members who’re going through a really tough time or help someone battle an addiction, no one will ever know.
Mercy is really hard work because hurting people often need long-term and frequent help, and when they no longer need mercy there will be someone else who does. This can grind us down and wear us out and make us upset that there aren’t more people helping out. Paul understood this, so he says that the one showing mercy should do so “with cheerfulness” (v. 8). Anyone wanting to go into counseling or pastoral ministry should have this gift in some measure.
Faith
Let’s look now at another list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. We’ve already covered the gifts in verse 8, so let’s look at the gift of faith in verse 9. This isn’t the same as saving faith because all believers have that. This is an extraordinary faith and trust in God for the future. This may be the faith that can “remove mountains” in 13:2. It may also be the “prayer of faith” that James is referring to when the elders come and pray for the sick (5:15). George Muller of Bristol likely had this gift, as he never asked for money but always trusted God to provide what the orphans in his orphanage needed.
Healing
The next gift Paul mentions is the gift of healing (v. 9). This is the ability to bring physical healing and comfort to those who’re sick. Healing has its foundation in the atoning work of Christ (Isa. 53:4-5; Matt. 8:16-17). It’s carried out in Jesus’s name (Acts 3:1-16), through the power of the Spirit, and must be appropriated by faith.
The full and complete healing that we long for won’t come until Christ returns, but through the gift of healing, God granted, and may still grant, a foretaste of life in the age to come. Those who have this gift aren’t “faith healers” who stir up the hopes of the sick, telling them to claim their healing. Rather, they use their gift to bless the church and point people to Jesus.
Miracles
The next gift Paul mentions is the gift of miracles (v. 10). The word for miracles can also be translated as “powers.” It thus has a broader application than healings. It could be any demonstration of God’s power. In the book of Acts, there were resurrections (9:36-43, 20:7-12), the exorcism of demons (16:16-24), judgment against opponents of the gospel (13:6-12), and rescue from impending disaster (ch. 27). Miracles always occurred when there was a need for divine intervention. They were performed out of a heart of compassion for those affected. They weren’t magic or exhibitionism or programmed. They were displays of God’s power.
Distinguishing of Spirits
The next gift Paul mentions is the “ability to distinguish between spirits” (v. 10). This is the ability to discern between a true spirit and a false spirit. This may’ve been what allowed Paul to know that the slave girl in Acts 16 was praising them because of an evil spirit (v. 18). This gift provides the ability to discern the work of the Holy Spirit or demonic spirits.
Various Kinds of Tongues
The next gift Paul mentions is “various kinds of tongues” (v. 10). Theologian Gregg Allison defines this gift as “the Spirit’s endowment and empowerment of personal acts of communicating encoded speech that rehearses the mighty acts of God (Acts 2:11, 10:46), utters mysteries directed toward God that are not cognitively understandable (1 Cor. 14:2, 9), and/or expresses prayers…that derive from one’s spirit but bypass one’s mind (vv. 13-17).”
In Acts, there are instances of the apostles speaking in human languages other than their own (2:1-13; possibly in 8:14-17, 10:44-48, and 19:1-7). Here in First Corinthians, the tongue speaking is a personal act of communication with God that no one understood, including the speaker (14:2, 9). Because this gift was personal and not corporate, its value was very limited. The person speaking in the tongue could be edified, but not the congregation. This is why Paul mentions the next gift in 12:10.
The Interpretation of Tongues
This gift made the unintelligible speech of a tongue speaker intelligible in the public gathering of the church. This is why Paul forbid tongue speaking without this accompanying gift (14:27-28). Paul says that when interpretation is available, the gift of tongue speaking is just as valuable to the church as prophetic messages (v. 5). Paul isn’t saying that they have the same function (prophecy is speech from God directed to others, whereas tongues is speech from God directed to God), but that they both have equal value in building up the church.
Apostleship
Another list of spiritual gifts is in 1 Corinthians 12:28. The only gift here we haven’t covered is apostleship. This gift was uniquely given to the Twelve and to a few others such as Paul and James the half-brother of Jesus. It was given to those who saw the risen Jesus and were commissioned to be his authorized representatives. They were the foundation of the church, exercising unique and irreplaceable authority in the churches then and now as the New Testament was written by them and under their auspices.
Evangelist
The last list of spiritual gifts is in Ephesians 4:11-12. We’ve covered all of these but the “evangelists.” They were most likely itinerant preachers, men who traveled from place to place preaching the gospel. Someone can tell the gospel without traveling, but the word used here usually involves the element of traveling, of going to another place to proclaim the gospel.
All Christians should be sharing the gospel because all Christians are called to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). But there are some with unique abilities to share the gospel who’ll be “unusually fruitful in leading people to Christ.” They’ll also be training other members of the body to evangelize. Local churches should discern whether church planters and missionaries have this gift before they’re sent out.
Gifts of Speaking and Gifts of Serving
These gifts can be divided into gifts of speaking and gifts of serving. Peter seems to have this in mind in 1 Peter 4:10-11. It’s not a perfect division since those who speak are also serving and those who serve will be speaking. But, in general terms, the gifts of speaking are apostleship, prophecy, teaching, evangelism, exhortation, discerning spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpreting tongues. The gifts of service are leadership, helps, mercy, giving, faith, healing, and miracles.
God is Creative, Wise, and Gracious
This wide array of gifts given to the church tells us three things about God: He’s creative, He’s wise, and He’s gracious. God didn’t create a bland, uniform, homogenous church where everyone is just the same. We’re all gifted differently to reveal his beauty and creativity.
God also knew that his church would have a multitude of needs, so in his infinite wisdom, he gave his church gifts to meet those needs. He didn’t leave us to fend for ourselves. He gave us gifts to help us.
And he gave us gifts to show us his grace. Jesus is the King of the universe, so he’s free to do whatever he wants, free to give to whoever he wants, whatever he wants, whenever he wants. He’s not bound by anything. He owes no one anything. He doesn’t owe us saving grace or gifts of grace.
This morning, some may need to repent of the prideful assumption that we deserve what we have (deacon ministry, to be an elder, etc), or the prideful neglect of using our gifts for the good of the church. We have what we have because Jesus gave it to us, and he gave it to us to use.
Jesus is a sovereign King, but he’s also a good and gracious King. He loves to give good gifts to his children just as parents love to give good gifts to their children. He’s not a hoarder of grace. He’s not a miser or a cheapskate or a scrooge. He gives generously out of his wealth of grace.
And one of things he’s given is spiritual gifts. May our use of his gifts reflect the joyful generosity of the Giver.