What is your spiritual gift? Is it important?

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The nature of the division

There are great divisions in the church today, but they are not new. A large part of the New Testament is devoted to problems within the church. It was even worse than what we see in American politics today.

There were no denominations. People did not claim to be Baptists or Catholics or some other division of the church. However, they did claim they were followers of Paul or followers of Apollos and probably other leaders.

It seems whether right or wrong, we all want to be a part of a select group. You see it every day. We divide ourselves by political viewpoints, sports teams, race, affluence, and even a person’s hair color.

In the early church, there were divisions over the importance of various gifts.

Spiritual gifts

You hear very little about spiritual gifts within the church today. In the early church, spiritual gifts were a hot topic. It seems that every Christian wanted to have some special gift from God as they should. The problem is not desiring a spiritual gift but believing their gift was more important than someone else’s.

Our battle with the sin of pride touches everything in our lives.

In the following Scripture, Paul tries to clarify their understanding.⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.  1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NIV

Many Christians

Today Christians tend to believe that going to church is being faithful to God. Having spiritual gifts is being a preacher or worship leader.

So what is worse, wanting the most important gift or not seeking your gift at all. If you belong to Him, He has already given you at least one gift. You need only to understand what it is and start using it for God’s glory.

So what are the gifts the Spirit gives for the ministry of the church? Paul lists a few: a message of wisdom, a message of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, spiritual discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues.

Within a healthy church, I believe that you will see these and perhaps many more. God gives gifts to individuals to help others, not for their own glory.

One Body – many parts – all working together

Nothing God does is haphazard. You see it in all His creation. He builds so that it all works together.

Paul uses the body to illustrate how the gifts of the Spirit are to work in the church. It has many parts, and its functions are different. Is one more important than the others?

Paul explains thus,

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”   1 Corinthians 12:12-21 NIV

You get the idea?

The church is to be a functioning body, all working together. God gives each gift that is meaningful and should be honored. All of our skills are needed to help the church grow and fulfill its mission.

Together we are the body of Christ

We argue over things that or important, perhaps, but not critical. Our relationship with Jesus and His church is the only pressing issue. We are not denominations or clubs; we are the body of Christ on earth with work to do.

My mother raised me in the Church of Christ and taught me that I would be lost if I believed differently. No Baptist, Catholics, Assembly of God, or any other believer in Jesus Christ would be saved. They had to be in the Church of Christ.

I believed and taught that false doctrine for many years. My background separated me from other believers that had accepted Jesus Christ just as I had.

Right and could not be wrong

Once a person decides they are right and could not possibly be wrong, we have a new church. Jesus did not come to bring division among us, but salvation to the lost.

The Bible says, ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.  1 Corinthians 12:27-31 NIV

In conclusion:

In the body of Christ, everyone has a place and a job to do, and God has equipped us through the Holy Spirit to do that job. We are not to look down on anyone’s faith or the gift that God has given.

It is important to note that in the 13^th chapter, Paul goes on to explain the most excellent way.