More on spiritual gifts
In follow-up to our last bible study on 1 Corinthians 14, here is a helpful article on the same topic from Mars Hill church, Seattle. Here are some of the highlights I found especially helpful:
First, here is how they classify available opinions:
| Cessationist | Charismatic | Charismaniac | Pentecostal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supernatural gifts (e.g., tongues and prophecy) functioned only in the early church and are not to be practiced today. | Supernatural gifts are given to every generation and should be practiced according to the limits of Scripture. | Supernatural gifts are given to every generation. Contemporary revelations are, in effect, equal to Scripture. | Essentially the same as the charismatic position, but only Christians who speak in tongues have the Holy Spirit. |
- The spiritual gifts differ from natural talents (e.g., musical ability, creativity, athletic prowess, computer skills) in that one is given at new birth and the other is given at birth.
- We must be open to serving outside our area of gifting.
- Every gift must be cultivated so that we are most effective in our ministry service.
- Whatever someone’s gift, the purpose of the gift is to build up and benefit the entire church, not just edify the individual using the gift.
- Spiritual gifts are given by God’s choice; we cannot choose our gift. So, anyone who is unhappy about how God has designed them is, in effect, complaining about God not giving them the gift they wanted.