Introduction
The importance of a consistent study of theology
Many people undertake a study of theology to inquire more into their faith. Theological study is found to enrich their comprehension of the Gospel while opening new horizons although it adheres to the ancient paths. In this case, one will not need to possess the faith to find the matters rose by theology convincing. Consistent study of theology involves the study of the whole Bible teachings and articulate a consistent method of theological deliberation based on the whole. It then offers the basis for all practical theology that is the systematic theology application to life. The significance of the consistent study of theology is it ties together all the separate scripture themes, hermeneutics, and exegetical observations to create a unified and consistent method upon which the Christian life may be established.
Spiritual gifts as an inheritance of the Holy Spirit
God speaks to people about the Holy Spirit that is the inheritance guarantee that people have in Jesus Christ. As it is written that we “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” The Holy Spirit confirms that we belong to God. For instance, we can listen to Romans 8:15-16 that asserts, “…you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons…The Spirit himself bear witness … we are children of God.” One of the essential Holy Spirit ministries to believers today is the bestowal of His spiritual gifts on Christians at their conversion time. Spiritual gifts are associated with God’s special purpose in calling Christians and saving them as it says in Ephesians 2:10, they are “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
An Overview of Spiritual Gifts
Potential origins
Textual analysis of sources
As it is written in Corinthians 12:8-10 reveals that there are nine listed Holy Spirit gifts; the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, healing, faith, discerning of spirits, prophecy, speaking of tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Further, these nine spiritual gifts are also categorized into three groups; power gifts, revelation gifts, and vocal gifts. The Corinthians 2:8-10 shows individual prototypes of what people refer to as spiritual gifts although it may be asserted that they are together implicating a one-sided prototypes collection that should balance out with others. The New Testament is the meaningful starting point they could attempt to explain the New Testament in comprehending the spiritual gifts and of their importance for today.
In Joel 2:28-29, there is a revelation on how God will avail His Spirit during the last days. God promises to give His Spirit to all people. God has promised to give out His gifts and Spirit without discrimination. Ephesians 4:12-13 implies that the spiritual gifts are unique abilities provided by God to Christians to fully equip them in serving Him, the church, and witness to this world. In Corinthians 12:7; and Peter 4:10-11, the Bible is unequivocal that gifts are assigned to every Christian or believer.
Personal beliefs
Spiritual gifts are things God has selected specifically for believers; thus, a believer may assist with the growth of the church in this world by using one’s unique ability and serving God’s people. Spiritual gifts assist support believers in growing in Jesus Christ’s knowledge. However, some people become sidetracked with these spiritual gifts and are more obsessed with the gifts than with Christ. Believers started to follow wonders and signs, rather than wonders and signs following believers. It shows a sign of spiritual immaturity. Besides, the gifts of grace from God are to be comprehended as the empowerment and equipping of the believing Christ’s followers by the Holy Spirit; thus, they may undertake in establishing the body of Christ.
Types and forms of spiritual gifts
Distinguishing spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit from the gifts of ministry
Spiritual gifts are divinely given capabilities to carry out God’s functions, mostly in the spiritual service area. As the human body has various capabilities, individual Christians establishing the church as Jesus Christ’s body have various capabilities. These spiritual gifts assist them in contributing to the church’s welfare as a whole and to bear an effective witness to the universe. Spiritual gifts are bestowed by God’s sovereign choice and should be exercised in authority and under the Holy Spirit’s direction. Individual Christians possess at least some spiritual gifts as written in Corinthians 12:7, “To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Spiritual gifts primary goal is establishing Jesus Christ’s body. As the salvation gift is by grace through faith; therefore, spiritual gifts.
Spiritual gifts entail all the things God gives to us to show His grace at work in people’s lives. Spiritual gifts can be divided into three different kinds, gifts of Holy Spirit Ministry, gifts of Holy Spirit Manifestation, and gifts of Holy Spirit Motivational. Therefore, the contributions of ministry are under the type of spiritual gifts. These ministry gifts imply the way God operates with what Christians do to serve other people and fulfill their needs.
Gifts of ministry show how we administer or minister the grace, truth, and love of God to other people. Administering or ministering is applying and bringing into use the words of God. As it says in Corinthians 12:5, “And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.” The Bible has offered a list of the gifts of ministry and their purpose. The gifts of ministry are that some people are called to be prophets, some to be apostles, some to be pastors, some to be teachers, and some to be evangelists to equip the saints for the ministry work, for edifying Christ’s body and establish the unity of knowledge and the faith of Jesus Christ, the son of God.
The gifts of ministry may be referred to as five-fold ministry. It is noted that not everybody is called to the ministry even though Corinthians 12:28, has added a gift for helping. As God graciously empowers all people to help each other by His Spirit. Beyond the five-fold ministry gifts are apostles, evangelists, prophets, teachers, pastors, and helpers. The significance of gifts of ministry is building up Christ’s body. They have nothing concerning selfish and inward motivation. They are to give away, pouring away, being of help, and blessing others. These gifts require Christians to work, where they should work from all in Christ’s calling as they are called to serve. Corinthians 3:9 reads that “We are laborers together with God.” The Bible tells us that God does not want us to labor for him; however, He wants us to work with him that attribute to great honor and privilege gave to Christians.
Spiritual Gifts as Legacies of the Past
The historical origins of gifts
At different times in history, God applied supernatural miracles and signs to accompany the message offered by His messengers (prophets). The signs and miracles aim was twofold: to attract special attention to this message as it was in most instances, newer or stronger than the one provided before; and to validate the speaker. The special power, and the miracles given to people to effectuate them, was not the message focus.
They were aimed to attract attention to the spoken words and to authenticate the speaker as the chosen representative of God. Similarly, the Lord Jesus Christ’s gospel –salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ-was new as it focused the relationship of humans with God on Christ Himself-the son of God, and our advocate. Similarly, Jesus’ Holy Spirit promises as our Helper needed such current Jewish thought abandonment that the ministry of Christ and that of apostles were facilitated by constant miracles fashioned by God to support His truth and direct witness to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Christians have practiced the spiritual gifts from the commencement of the apostolic period even though there were no many writings about them in the first 600 years in the history of the church. Biblical teachings extracted from the early church years indicate that the existence of the spiritual gift was identified. However, the statements developed about them during that era are brief. During the Medieval era (590-1517), the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts doctrine were neglected. Today, there are two positions regarding spiritual gifts, one that holds that all spiritual gifts are for today, and another state that some spiritual gifts were temporal and some permanent.
The latter considers spiritual gifts such as apostleship, wisdom, faith, prophecy, speaking in tongues, knowledge, interpretation of tongues, and miracles are temporal gifts. Together with the temporal gifts, the latter stand considers several permanent gifts such as pastors, evangelism, and teachers, and those with spiritual gifts of administration, assistance, showing mercy, giving, exhortation, and giving. However, the main goal of all these spiritual gifts is establishing the body of Jesus Christ.
Recognition of gifts by great philosophers
When one starts to discover who he or she is in Jesus Christ, one may also start to realize how he or she has exceptionally wired him or her and gifted one to create an impact on this universe. For example, Brian Houston illustrates that one of the signs of one being spiritually alive is if he or she is thriving in his or her gifts and utilizing them for God’s glory. He believes that sandwiched in between grace and salvation are our calling and purpose, and he emphasizes that God’s people not just live to save even though to live called. One’s purpose in Jesus Christ’s body will be partly measured by his or her blend of spiritual gifts, as all members of the body and are aimed to work in the way God has designed and equipped them to work.
Thomas’s doctrine of the spiritual gifts uses the “instinctus” term when speaking of the Holy Spirit’s gifts, and it is a substantial development in the St. Thomas’s spiritual gifts’ doctrine. The development indicates St. Thomas’s awareness of the norms about the divine initiative in the human being action and the reconnection to the spiritual gifts’ scriptural roots because he illustrates in the “Summa Theologiae”, the gifts as the “spirits” when referring to Isaiah 11:2-3.
Spiritual gifts as a current agenda
A discussion of the gifts inherent in contemporary society
God promises the innovation about how He shall create His spirit available in the last days. God promises to pour out His Spirit to everybody; sons and daughters, young and old, and men and women as written in Joel 2:28-29. David Baker noted that this innovation in the promise implies “the beneficiaries of the Spirit-gift and its accompanying revelation will not only be a special class, the prophets, or even a few folks…. Rather, this bestowal will be universal, blessing young and old, male and female, free or slave; it will affect all of humanity.” In the current agenda, God promises to reveal His gifts and Spirit without favor or discrimination to genders. As it is written in “Acts 2:16-21 claimed that the equal filling of the Spirit for the 120 disciples comprising women.” Spiritual gifts in the current agenda are special capabilities given by God to the believers to fully equip them to serve the church, Him, and witness to the Universe.
B.Misperceptions of the spiritual gift
Misperceptions of the spiritual gifts are given to specific genders at some point emerge in society. Some ask if the spiritual gift of pastoring is gender-specific since some churches in the current society do not consider women to being pastors. However, based on Corinthians 12:12, it says that the church is the body of interdependent members after all of whom the Spirit bestows His diverse and many gifts. Among the gifts as written in Ephesians 4:11 says that the Holy Spirit reveals to some of the members of the body of Jesus Christ are the power, grace, and authority to function or serve as pastors. Hence, offering service as the pastor is the foremost and first spiritual gift other than the mere office or profession. Thus, the decision of who receives what spiritual gifts is not an ecclesiastical body’s prerogative.
One should not intervene with the Holy Spirit’s ministry in any life of a person. It demands the humility to acknowledge the Holy Spirit’s sovereignty in issues of the apportionment of spiritual gifts to believers. There is no sign or authorization in the Bible that certain spiritual gifts are reserved for specific genders. The Holy Spirit and the gifts God gives to anybody who is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, obeys God, and understands and acknowledges spiritual things.
Concessions to the church in favor of spiritual gifts
The current reality of the Cessationists stand is proof in the public forum in which John Macarthur held the conference referred to as “Strange Fire” to speak out against the aberrant practices of the Charismatic and Pentecostal us of divine healing, miracles, and glossolalia whereas at the same time agreeing non-revelatory spiritual gifts are valid.
A symbiosis of two paradigms
Ashift in the perception of spiritual gifts
Spiritual gift inventories have shifted the perception of spiritual gifts widely applied by Christians to confirm or reveal spiritual gifts. These inventories all have either explicit or implicit spiritual gifts’ theologies or their purpose in Christian life. In the connection of the Holy Spirit and gifts and distinguishing their interrelation with work and service, Paul reiterates the point that because all gifts have a common initial, they must serve a common goal. Paul is claiming that the common goal is the solidarity promotion among believers because the Holy Spirit is the doctrine of the community depicted in the final greeting of Paul to the people of Corinth referred to as “the fellowship (Koinonia), of the Holy Spirit is with you.”
There is a perception of using the spiritual gifts for the growth of a church, specifically in association with the sovereign Holy Spirit’s work. Since the Holy Spirit functions through believers to establish Christ’s body, advocates of biblical church growth must seek to use his means to inspire spiritual giftedness in the church to enhance its growth. God has a purpose and plans for His Kingdom on this world; hence, He has given every believer an exceptional set of tools and gifts to assist in bringing those plans to fruition. When believers utilize the given gifts in better ways, they help in expanding and growing the church. After a believer discovers his or her spiritual gifts, they utilize them to serve the people of God.
A qualitative change in inherited conceptions
God provided spiritual gifts to believers for signs, proving to everybody that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the disciples were divinely chosen. Jesus understood that His people would feel empty, useless, and powerless in some instances. People at the time failed to comprehend the full implications of their human nature. Therefore, Jesus Christ comprehends human nature; thus, He left Holy Spirit as the comforter. As it is written in John 14:16, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.” Currently, there are believes about the spiritual gifts’ existence, a belief that all these gifts are for the modern-day church and there are permanent and temporal spiritual gifts.
Temporal gifts are prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, healing, faith, and miracles, speaking in tongues, and tongues interpretation. The permanent gifts are pastors, evangelism, teachers, helps, giving, and exhortation. However, the major aim of these spiritual gifts is to build up the body of Christ. The spiritual gifts were given to authority stamp upon the apostles and their teaching and preaching. Besides, God will and can impart the gifts today. The Holy Spirit divides everybody severally as he wishes. Today in some churches, there are arguments concerning which spiritual gifts are most significant or better. Believers are to covet the best gifts of knowledge, wisdom, and faith even though, most significantly, they should love. Lacking love, these spiritual gifts manifestation can be misused for self-refrain rather than glorifying God.
Predictions for future changes
The New Testament depicts those spiritual gifts as equipment for all believers to continue in the hope of Christ. However, the current church does not work like the apostolic church even though the same God and the same Holy Spirit exist today.
There is declining use of the Holy Spirits’ gifts, although it does not remove the ability of God to impart his power or gifts to perform them through God’s people. The gifts of the Holy Spirit belong to the church because Jesus considers the real need for the manifestation of the spiritual gifts in the church’s work. The main goal of these gifts is to establish Christ’s body regardless of whether they are permanent or temporal determined they get God and His people the victory. There are continued changes for all people to be given better chances in serving God. Spiritual gifts do not discriminate based on genders. In the future, we expect to see more women becoming teachers, apostles, and preachers of the word of God.
Conclusion
The importance of continuing to study theology
Many people continue to study theology to inquire more into their faith. Continuing study of theology is found to open new horizons and enrich their comprehending of the Gospel, although it adheres to ancient paths. Continuous study of theology assists people in understanding why and what they believe and how to defend those beliefs. The word of God instructs us to be capable of answering people for the why we have the hope of Jesus Christ. Besides, continuing to study theology is significant in the light of equipping ministry leaders’ responsibility. After people’s conversion, continuing to study theology increases our knowledge which in turn improves our faith by believing the word of God.
The designation of spiritual gifts as an inheritance of the Holy Spirit
God promises to pour out His Holy Spirit on all persons. He further promises to give His Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts to all people without discrimination. God gives every believer an exceptional set of tools and spiritual gifts to assist bring about purpose and plan for His Kingdom on the earth. God gave these spiritual spirits of equipping His people for the ministry rather than utilizing the gifts for ministry there is an argument over what gifts are essential, desirable, significant, and value.
Recognition of the symbiotic properties of the gifts
The value of these spiritual gifts is enabling believers to carry out the ministry work that God has called them to do. Spiritual gifts are not gifts reserved for preachers or spiritual giants in other lands. It is revealed that gifts are part of the spiritual equipment for all Christians until Jesus Christ returns.
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