Interestingly, when you come to the subject of spiritual gifts in the NewTestament and in the church today it can be a matter of division rather thanunity. People have so many different opinions and ideas and biblical teachingsthat they're given about spiritual gifts that there's division in the churchover the gifts. That happened in the church of Corinth. It is apparent that inthis early church some believers thought because they had certain spiritualcharismatic type gifts that they were more spiritual...
Interestingly, when you come to the subject of spiritual gifts in the NewTestament and in the church today it can be a matter of division rather thanunity. People have so many different opinions and ideas and biblical teachingsthat they're given about spiritual gifts that there's division in the churchover the gifts. That happened in the church of Corinth. It is apparent that inthis early church some believers thought because they had certain spiritualcharismatic type gifts that they were more spiritual than other people. Theywere puffed up about it. No doubt that's why Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 13, wherehe talked about love. Basically, he writes and tells us that the exercise ofthe gifts of the Spirit without the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, whichis love, the gift “profits nothing”.
Weshould practice and exercise our spiritual gifts that we have been individuallygiven in the spirit and motivation of love to glorify God. When we do that, webuild up the body of Jesus Christ, encourage and comfort, and edify one anotheras we read in the three passages of scriptures that have to do especially withspiritual gifts. Remember the three main passages in the New Testament on thissubject are Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14 and here in Ephesians 4.
Itis important to remember as we look at the subject of Spiritual gifts that thereare difference of opinions. I personally teach that the gifts can be dividedinto three categories which are, the speaking gifts, the service gifts, and thesign gifts. For examples, in the early church the speaking gifts, would haveincluded teaching, exhortation, and prophecy. The service gifts would have includedadministration, giving, ministering, and mercy. The sign gifts would haveincluded healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation of tongues.
Whenit comes to the giving and exercising of the sign gifts, I personally believe, (andrealize that many Bible teachers and others, and some of my best friends woulddisagree with me when it comes to this particular category of gifts), that thesign gifts ceased with the completion of the New Testament being written. Thesegifts were only for the baby church. Remember in 1 Corinthians 13 when Paulwrote, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, butwhen I became a man, I put away childish things”. , I believe, Paul isindicating that when we have a complete Bible that we did not need the signedgifts.
Nowthis doesn't mean that today somebody couldn't speak miraculously speak in anotherlanguage and share the gospel to someone else. It doesn't mean that someonecouldn't pray and experience a healing for themselves or for someone else. Itdoesn't mean that someone can't pray for a miracle and a miracle takes place. Ibelieve all those things are still possible. But as far as a gift to aparticular person who could walk into hospital and empty it because he or she hasthe gift of healing. I just have never met that person today. I don't believeit's necessary because we have the complete Word of God and we don’t need signs.
Again,this is my opinion, and I have great fellowship with pastors and friends whofeel and believe differently about this particular subject, because we love oneanother and agree the main thing is that lost people need to experience salvationthrough Jesus Christ.
Itrust this has not confused you today but that we focus on exercising our Spiritualgifts for the purpose of edifying, encouraging, and exhorting one another inthe body of Christ with love and unity, and most of all glorify the Lord JesusChrist!
Godbless!
