The Spirit And His Gifts
In recent years the desire to be more "spiritual" has, on the part of many whose approach to God and religious matters -had been cold and formal, led them into varying degrees of acceptance of the miraculous with all of its baptism in the Holy Spirit and the accompanying gifts. The appeal of this movement has even been evident among brethren. A study of what the Bible says about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, would make plain the error of such a movement and would fortify us to withstand such false teaching.
Miraculous Gifts and Their Necessity
To begin such a study, one should turn and read the first eleven verses of I Corinthians 12, where the following miraculous gifts appear: (1) word of wisdom, (2) word of knowledge, (3) faith, (4) gifts of healing, (5) workings of miracles, (6) prophecy, (7) discerning of spirits, (8) divers kinds of tongues, and (9) interpretation of tongues. Please observe that these were miraculous gifts distributed to the members of the local congregations. The wisdom, knowledge, and faith were not the wisdom and knowledge gained from studying the Word and the resultant faith, but miraculously given wisdom, knowledge, and faith. The necessity of their being miraculously granted becomes clear when we remember that the Word was not in written form at the time; in fact, not even the first New Testament book was in writing. The Word was not in the book, but in the man. It became imperative, therefore, for there to be some means of instructing men that they might become Christians and members of the body that they might continue in the faith.
Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
The means that the Lord chose for accomplishing these purposes was the distribution of these spiritual gifts, which made possible the proclamation and proof of the Word. Just as Jesus and the apostles preached the Word and then proved it to be the Word of God by the miracles, wonders, and signs which they wrought (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:4; 1 Cor. 2:5; 2 Cor. 12:11-12; Rom. 15:19; Acts 2:22, 43), in like manner the early disciples preached the Word and then proved it to be from God by means of the miracles He enabled them to perform. (Acts 8:6; 1 Cor. 14:22.) Diligent study of the various passages dealing with these gifts of the Spirit will reveal that their purpose was the revelation and confirmation of the Word, not the designation of persons possessing them as especially spiritual. These gifts pertained to the inspired Word, not to the inspired man, except as their use indirectly made possible the spiritual progress of the man.
Means of Conferral
Jesus, who possessed the Spirit without measure (John 3:34), bestowed miraculous power upon the apostles when he ordained them to their apostolic office and on other occasions apparently conferred some miraculous benefits. (John 20:22; Acts 2:4-.) How were these miraculous gifts 0 the Spirit given to the members of the church in the first century besides the apostles? Passages in the book of Acts (6:5- 8:5-8; 8:14-18; 19:6) and Paul's second letter to Timothy (1:6) make it clear that the conferring of these gifts was done by the imposition or the laying on of the apostles' hands. In view of the absence of any other means of conferral being recorded, it is safe and right to say that this is the only means to which Divine testimony has been borne. If it be argued that Stephen was already full of the Holy Spirit before hands were laid on him, let us remember that being filled with the Spirit in Acts 6:5 does not necessarily refer to the
possession of the Spirit in a miraculous sense; for in Ephesians 5:18 Paul urges Christians to be filled with the Spirit, whereas in Colossians 3:16 he shows that the Spirit fills one when the Word of Christ dwells in him richly. The possession of these miraculous gifts never came in answer to prayer. If it be suggested that I Corinthians 14:13 suggests that they do, let us point out that Paul was not urging them to pray for the reception of the gift of interpretation, but to pray in such a way that someone might interpret. To say that the same one who spoke in the tongue could also interpret would construct a situation for easily deceiving the audience, for the same one who used the tongue could manipulate the interpretation to his own advantage. Another was to interpret; if another able to interpret was not present, there was to be no use of the tongue. (I Cor. 14:27-28.) Since we have established that these gifts were imparted through the laying on of the apostles' hands, it then follows that when the last apostle died the distribution of the gifts ceased, and when the last one possessing the gifts died the use of the gifts ended.
Duration of Miraculous Gifts
The duration of the miraculous gifts has long been the subject of debate. The above points, however, adequately Barely show when the gifts stopped and why they had to stop then. It can also be established from a study of 1 Corinthians 13 that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit served a special purpose, that their bestowal and use was planned by the Lord to be only temporary, and that when their purpose was fulfilled their bestowal and use ended. Let us notice several verses from this familiar chapter. In verse eight of the chapter Paul contrasted the lasting quality or the duration of love on the one hand and prophecies, tongues, and knowledge on the other hand. While love remains, the other three were even then during their Use said to be approaching an end. Notice also that verse nine says that these gifts pertained to. the partial, whereas the next verse points to the coming of the complete (perfect). The point becomes clear: the economy or the dispensation of the miraculous (consisting of the three gifts in verse eight and all other like gifts) gave only a partial knowledge of God's will. (v. 9.) Now if the partial in verse nine refers to the revealing of God's will (and these gifts do as shown earlier), then the opposite "that which is perfect" in verse ten refers to the arrival of the complete revelation from God. The following should make it clear that Paul is not here referring to the second coming of Christ or to heaven or to the more complete knowledge we shall enjoy in heaven." He is referring to the gifts being used then and the incomplete nature of the revelation they made possible; then in the very same line of thought, he speaks of the fullness of revelation, of which the spiritual gifts gave only a part.
All or None
Another significant point is that if one of these gifts remains, then all of them abide. Why all the emphasis upon one or two of them and the utter disregard of the rest? If one, then all; if not any, then no one is available.
Completeness of the Word
Yes, this last point moves us to close with a final point on the complete Word of God. James referred to the fully revealed Word as "the perfect law of liberty." Paul said it is, capable of making the man of God perfect (complete) and furnishing him unto all good works. (Jas. 1:25; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.) Furthermore, all truth was revealed by the Lord unto men by the end of the age of the apostles, for Jesus promised the apostles in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. We do not show ourselves to be more spiritual by desiring or praying for the gifts of the Spirit, but to be ignorant of the Word. The will of God for us is that we use His Word as our standard of faith and practice in the religious realm and that we become obedient to its principles and precepts in all of life's activities.
BG
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Last Updated April 21, 1998 by Bob Cleek
bcleek@niia.net
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Miraculous Gifts and Their Necessity
To begin such a study, one should turn and read the first eleven verses of I Corinthians 12, where the following miraculous gifts appear: (1) word of wisdom, (2) word of knowledge, (3) faith, (4) gifts of healing, (5) workings of miracles, (6) prophecy, (7) discerning of spirits, (8) divers kinds of tongues, and (9) interpretation of tongues. Please observe that these were miraculous gifts distributed to the members of the local congregations. The wisdom, knowledge, and faith were not the wisdom and knowledge gained from studying the Word and the resultant faith, but miraculously given wisdom, knowledge, and faith. The necessity of their being miraculously granted becomes clear when we remember that the Word was not in written form at the time; in fact, not even the first New Testament book was in writing. The Word was not in the book, but in the man. It became imperative, therefore, for there to be some means of instructing men that they might become Christians and members of the body that they might continue in the faith.
Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
The means that the Lord chose for accomplishing these purposes was the distribution of these spiritual gifts, which made possible the proclamation and proof of the Word. Just as Jesus and the apostles preached the Word and then proved it to be the Word of God by the miracles, wonders, and signs which they wrought (Mark 16:20; Heb. 2:4; 1 Cor. 2:5; 2 Cor. 12:11-12; Rom. 15:19; Acts 2:22, 43), in like manner the early disciples preached the Word and then proved it to be from God by means of the miracles He enabled them to perform. (Acts 8:6; 1 Cor. 14:22.) Diligent study of the various passages dealing with these gifts of the Spirit will reveal that their purpose was the revelation and confirmation of the Word, not the designation of persons possessing them as especially spiritual. These gifts pertained to the inspired Word, not to the inspired man, except as their use indirectly made possible the spiritual progress of the man.
Means of Conferral
Jesus, who possessed the Spirit without measure (John 3:34), bestowed miraculous power upon the apostles when he ordained them to their apostolic office and on other occasions apparently conferred some miraculous benefits. (John 20:22; Acts 2:4-.) How were these miraculous gifts 0 the Spirit given to the members of the church in the first century besides the apostles? Passages in the book of Acts (6:5- 8:5-8; 8:14-18; 19:6) and Paul's second letter to Timothy (1:6) make it clear that the conferring of these gifts was done by the imposition or the laying on of the apostles' hands. In view of the absence of any other means of conferral being recorded, it is safe and right to say that this is the only means to which Divine testimony has been borne. If it be argued that Stephen was already full of the Holy Spirit before hands were laid on him, let us remember that being filled with the Spirit in Acts 6:5 does not necessarily refer to the possession of the Spirit in a miraculous sense; for in Ephesians 5:18 Paul urges Christians to be filled with the Spirit, whereas in Colossians 3:16 he shows that the Spirit fills one when the Word of Christ dwells in him richly. The possession of these miraculous gifts never came in answer to prayer. If it be suggested that I Corinthians 14:13 suggests that they do, let us point out that Paul was not urging them to pray for the reception of the gift of interpretation, but to pray in such a way that someone might interpret. To say that the same one who spoke in the tongue could also interpret would construct a situation for easily deceiving the audience, for the same one who used the tongue could manipulate the interpretation to his own advantage. Another was to interpret; if another able to interpret was not present, there was to be no use of the tongue. (I Cor. 14:27-28.) Since we have established that these gifts were imparted through the laying on of the apostles' hands, it then follows that when the last apostle died the distribution of the gifts ceased, and when the last one possessing the gifts died the use of the gifts ended.
Duration of Miraculous Gifts
The duration of the miraculous gifts has long been the subject of debate. The above points, however, adequately Barely show when the gifts stopped and why they had to stop then. It can also be established from a study of 1 Corinthians 13 that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit served a special purpose, that their bestowal and use was planned by the Lord to be only temporary, and that when their purpose was fulfilled their bestowal and use ended. Let us notice several verses from this familiar chapter. In verse eight of the chapter Paul contrasted the lasting quality or the duration of love on the one hand and prophecies, tongues, and knowledge on the other hand. While love remains, the other three were even then during their Use said to be approaching an end. Notice also that verse nine says that these gifts pertained to. the partial, whereas the next verse points to the coming of the complete (perfect). The point becomes clear: the economy or the dispensation of the miraculous (consisting of the three gifts in verse eight and all other like gifts) gave only a partial knowledge of God's will. (v. 9.) Now if the partial in verse nine refers to the revealing of God's will (and these gifts do as shown earlier), then the opposite "that which is perfect" in verse ten refers to the arrival of the complete revelation from God. The following should make it clear that Paul is not here referring to the second coming of Christ or to heaven or to the more complete knowledge we shall enjoy in heaven." He is referring to the gifts being used then and the incomplete nature of the revelation they made possible; then in the very same line of thought, he speaks of the fullness of revelation, of which the spiritual gifts gave only a part.
All or None
Another significant point is that if one of these gifts remains, then all of them abide. Why all the emphasis upon one or two of them and the utter disregard of the rest? If one, then all; if not any, then no one is available.
Completeness of the Word
Yes, this last point moves us to close with a final point on the complete Word of God. James referred to the fully revealed Word as "the perfect law of liberty." Paul said it is, capable of making the man of God perfect (complete) and furnishing him unto all good works. (Jas. 1:25; 2 Tim. 3:16-17.) Furthermore, all truth was revealed by the Lord unto men by the end of the age of the apostles, for Jesus promised the apostles in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. We do not show ourselves to be more spiritual by desiring or praying for the gifts of the Spirit, but to be ignorant of the Word. The will of God for us is that we use His Word as our standard of faith and practice in the religious realm and that we become obedient to its principles and precepts in all of life's activities.
BG
Return to Table of Contents
Last Updated April 21, 1998 by Bob Cleek