Spiritual Gifting, Not Spiritual Gifts

For years, I have wrestled (internally) with my views on “spiritual gifts.” My ecclesiastical tradition has had much to say on the matter (especially in recent days).

So the long and short of my answer is this…Believers do not have spiritual gifts.

Allow me to continue. Our individualistic mindset has vastly distorted our concept of spiritual gifts. We, and by we I mean most evangelicals, see them as something believers have. Believing as such, we see it was an irrevocable gift from God. It is also commonplace to believe that having a spiritual gift is an indicator of how God has uniquely blessed us as individuals for his church. Perhaps we are far from the Biblical understanding of this subject.

A spiritual gift is a gifting of the Spirit in the lives of the elect for the benefit of the church.

Common Questions Answered:
1. When does some one receive their Spiritual Gift(s)?
One is given abilities in varying stages of life but these abilities are only “spiritual” when empowered by the Holy Spirit for the common edification of the local church.

2. Does everyone “have” a Spiritual Gift?
Everyone has gifts that are all given by God but the gifts, talents, and abilities are not always and at all times used by God.

3. Can I lose my gift?
God is the giver of every good gift and is certainly able to take these gifts or abilities away. Spiritual gifts are not possessions that believers own. When the gifts and abilites that God has given are used by the Spirit they become our spiritual gifting.

4. Are those gifts listed in Scripture (and those often mentioned in the OT) exhaustive lists?*
Definitely not! They are ways in which the Spirit of God was manifesting Himself through the people of God for a particular time.

5. What about the “cessation” of gifts? Are there gifts that are no longer present?
Yes and No. The Holy Spirit no longer manifests himself to believers in such a way to create “new prophecy.” However, we cannot deny that other “miraculous giftings” exist as the Spirit determines necessary.

6. Is this a consistent theology for the Old Testament?
The Holy Spirit was present in the lives of OT saints for a special anointing in which He worked for the good of His people. Often times the working of the Spirit was to bring His people to repentance. The Holy Spirit was also present using abilities of men and women for leadership and for even manual tasks such as constructing tabernacles, temples, and walls.

7. Are there “non-spiritual” gifts?
There are abilities that are God-given and other talents that are not from God. Certainly, God is able to use all human experiences to bless His people, but it is unreasonable to consider certain abilities, especially those pertaining to skillful sinning, to be in anyway spiritual in nature.

8. Is there one spiritual gift(ing) that all believers have? Do they have a responsibility to use that gift?
Yes! As I read 1 Corinthians, the one gift that we all have is love. Jesus, Himself, said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples….” The love of Christ is one thing the Holy Spirit gives ALL believers. This spiritual gift is and should always be present in the manifestations of the Spirit’s gifting of believers for service.

9. How can Christians discover their “spiritual gifts”?
As defined above, spiritual gifts are the ways in which the Spirit of God uses both supernatural and natural abilities to bring about His purposes. Therefore, the best way to discover how God uses someone is to ask others in the body how they have been recipients of God’s work through them.

10. So why make the distinction between spiritual gifts and spiritual gifting?
We must not loose site of the most important thing. It is not the gifts and abilities that we have that are spiritual; but, the use of those gifts by the Holy Spirit that make them spiritual. Our gifts are not ours to keep. God has gifted his children for giving themselves to the community of faith for the building up of others. When we give our gifts and the Spirit uses them—we are exercising our spiritual gifting.


**(1 Cor. 12:28, 1 Cor. 12:8-10, Eph. 4:11, Rom. 12:6-8, 1 Cor 7:7, 1 Peter 4:11)