Spiritual Gifts 101
By Tracy Close

Introducing you to the gifts of the Holy Spirit spoken of in the Bible.


Charismata is the plural form of the Greek word charis, meaning grace. Charismata are the visible effects of grace in word or deed, known more commonly to us as spiritual gifts.

Much has been written about the subject of charismata, enough that one could devote quite possibly a lifetime to the reading of all of it in the pursuit of total understanding and grasp of exactly what gifts of the Spirit are, how they are used, whether they exist or not(if that understanding is actually possible).

There are many belief systems or theories existing today regarding Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

One theory, called cessation, states that spiritual gifts died with the apostles of Paul's time (sometime around the end of the first century AD). It is believed that charismata existed to empower the budding Christian church, to ensure that through miraculous happenings people would be brought to a belief in Jesus Christ as the Savior and therefore the church would increase in numbers. Once the church was on it's feet, so the theory goes, the gifts were no longer needed and therefore ceased. There are other cessation theories, but this seems to be the most popular.

However, this author takes the stance that the gifts of the Spirit are now and have always been present. No where does the Bible state that the gifts of the Spirit were to cease for the Church, not until Jesus comes again. There are historical accounts of the manifestation of charismata in the church through the ages. Most importantly, because I believe I have personally witnessed spiritual gifts in practice, I believe that they are alive and well in many churches today.

Having said that, the purpose of this article is to provide what I hope is a minimal education as to what spiritual gifts are and what they are not. The statements contained herein are derived from studying The Bible, literary resources, online articles and teachings in local churches.

The prophet Joel predicted, before Jesus walked the earth, that spiritual gifts would be made available to many. "It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions; And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days" (Joel 2:28). No longer would the prophets and miracle workers be a small group of people.

So it happened at the first Pentecost after Jesus ascended to heaven that the prophecy was fulfilled. "They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:4)

Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to those that have experienced the salvation of Christ (Acts 2:38). The purpose of the gifts is twofold: primarily, to edify (instruct and improve in moral and religious knowledge, improve the mind or morals of) the church and secondarily, to convict and convert the non-believer.

Their purpose is not to exalt one member of the church above another, or to be used as a tool of self-promotion. Paul is very clear on this matter when he writes in 1 Corinthians (12:12 - 31) that we are all members of one body, that not one member is more important than the others, but all must work together toward the health of the body (referring not to the human body, but the body of Christ, the Church).

What exactly are the Gifts of the Spirit? First, let me say what they are not. They are not the same as talents or skills. Talents by definition are special abilities, which sounds like gifts, but what differentiates them is that talents are present at birth and are not temporary. If one is a talented singer, the ability to sing has always existed. One can nurture and refine a talent, but the talent will be the foundation and will remain (barring outside effects such as illness or injury). One who goes from being tone deaf to having the ability to sing in perfect pitch has been gifted.

Skills are derived from practice, education and the development of expertise. They also generally have a permanent nature and something we can pursue of our own power and volition. A person may learn to speak Italian fluently with a perfect accent, but one who speaks in tongues has been gifted by the Holy Spirit.

Charismata are given only by the Holy Spirit, at the sovereign will of the Spirit and given to achieve the purpose of the Holy Spirit through special service. These gifts can be for a moment or for a lifetime. We may not know how long God will enable us for His purposes. Did I mention the sovereign will of the Spirit?

If you feel driven to do something within the church that seems alien to you, it's quite possible you have been anointed (enabled) with a gift of the Spirit. They are not our natural abilities or desires, but things given supernaturally. That's why they might feel uncomfortable at first.

We are no more in control of when, where, why or how the gifts are distributed than we are the wind. The Holy Spirit will bestow them according to the purpose of God. We are told to desire these gifts and request the "best" ones (1 Corinthians 12:31,14:1, 14:39). We are then to use them wisely, with humility and love (1 Corinthians 13:1). Paul's definition of love in his first letter to the Corinthians gives us very clear guidelines for the use of gifts. They are to be used in the spirit of that love and in the pursuit of truth.

If you would like to see a (partial) list of charismata I suggest you read 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14.

Now that you know the basics, pray that through the Holy Spirit, God would bestow upon you the gifts He has in mind for you, that you can be used to glorify Him and further His Kingdom according to the purpose for which you were called (Romans 8:28).

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Resources:
The Holy Bible (New King James version)
The New Bible Dictionary (Inter-Varsity Press)
The New Bible Commentary (Inter-Varsity Press)
"Understanding Spiritual Gifts" by Dr. Dale A. Robbins
Sermon notes taken during the teachings of Pastor Adam Ayers (Faith Worship Community Church)
Webster's Dictionary
Halley's Bible Handbook by Henry H. Halley
The Pneuma Review (various articles)

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Copyright 2003 Tracy Close.