Understanding & Utilizing
our Spiritual Gifts
PMBC Summer Session Bible Study
Instructor: Dr. Guy A. Williams, Sr.
The Importance of Spiritual Gifts
• It is central to one’s identity as a Christian
• It is essential to fulfilling one’s destiny &
purpose before God
• Their proper use is paramount to the will of
God (individual & corporate)
• It is a key catalyst to Jesus’ Church’s growth,
development & maturation
• It is an effective draw for the unsaved
The Importance of Spiritual Gifts
• Its appropriate use is extremely “profitable” (1
Tim. 3:17)
• It clearly depicts the Christian’s presentation of
themselves to God as a “living sacrifice” (Rom.
12:1-2)
• It helps the believer see themselves in proper
perspective before God (12:3)
– Not “too highly”
– According to one’s “measure of faith”
New Blessings from a New Covenant
Relationship
• Key New Testament Passages
–
–
–
–
Romans 12:6-8
1 Corinthians 12-14
Ephesians 4:11
1 Peter 4:10-11
• Key Words
– “Spiritual things” (pneumatikon) – 1 Cor. 12:1
– “Gifts” (charisma) – Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4, 9, 28, 30-31; 1
Pet. 4:10
– “Ministries” (diakonia) – Rom. 12:7
What is a Spiritual Gift
• “Extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain
Christians and enabling them to serve the
church of Christ, the reception of which is due
to the power of divine grace operating in their
souls by the Holy Spirit.” (J.H. Thayer)
• “An ability given to an individual supernaturally
by God through the Holy Spirit so that the
recipient may utilize that ability to minister to
the needs of the church, the body of Christ.”
(T.A. Edgar)
What is a Spiritual Gift?
• “A divinely ordained spiritual ability through
which Christ enables His church to execute its
task on earth.”
• “Extraordinary endowments bestowed by the
Holy Spirit sovereignty and undeservedly on
believers as instruments for Christian service
and church edification.”
• “A divinely bestowed ability given to every
believer in Jesus Christ in order to serve the
church.” (T. Evans)
Who are the Recipients of Spiritual
Gifts?
• The born-again believer in Jesus Christ, at the
point of salvation
– 1 Corinthians 12:7, 11
– Ephesians 4:16
– 1 Peter 4:10
What is/are the Purpose of Spiritual
Gifts?
• A few examples:
– Mk. 16:17-20 – accompanying the preaching of the
Gospel
– Rom. 12:6-8 – ministries to be exercised
– 1 Cor. 14:22 – sign to unbelievers
• The Answer = “FOR THE COMMON
GOOD . . . of all in the church” (1 Cor. 12:7)
– All three members of the Holy Trinity are united on
the divine purpose of the gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
What is/are the Purpose of Spiritual
Gifts?
• The Answer = “FOR THE COMMON
GOOD . . . of all in the church” (1 Cor. 12:7)
– To minister to the church to “build” spiritual
maturity (Eph. 4:11-12)
– To “serve one another . . . as good stewards” (1 Pet. 4:10)
What is/are the Purpose of Spiritual
Gifts?
• Critical Priority:
– “. . . let all things be done for edification (to
build up) – 1 Cor. 14:26
– “love” must be the principle motive and guiding
means (1 Cor. 13:1-13)
• Never Self
– In no instance does the NT ever state that gifts were
to be used for personal benefit
• (e.g., “teaching” or “helps” = others oriented)
The Giver of Spiritual Gifts
• Fundamental premise:
– All spiritual gifts are sovereignly given by God . . .
according to His Will . . . according to His
assessment of the recipient’s capacity and potential
(1 Cor. 12:11; Rom. 12:3-8; cf. Matt. 25:14-30)
Does Spiritual Giftedness = Spiritual
Maturity
• NO!
– As seen in the Corinthian context, though they had
all the gifts (1:7), they were spiritually immature and
carnal (3:1-3)
– In almost every chapter, the apostle Paul had to deal
with some manifestation of their spiritual infantilism
• Yet . . .
– A spiritually mature believer is one who is being
filled, led, guided, in fellowship with, empowered by,
and flowing in their spiritual giftedness
OT Examples NT Elevation
• In the OT the Holy Spirit is associated with all
sorts of special endowments He provides and
there is no clear distinction made between
“secular” and “sacred” gifts
– Craftsman skilled in wood & metal (Exod. 31`:3, 6)
– Sampson’s unusual strength (Judg. 14:6)
– Political wisdom to Othniel (Judg. 3:10) and Daniel
(Dan. 1:6-11, 17)
– Spiritual wisdom to Joseph for leadership &
management over Egypt (Gen. 41:38)
OT Examples NT Elevation
• But in the NT, the Holy Spirit’s gifts are referred
to as “spiritual” (1 Cor. 12:1; 14:1, 12)
• As the gifts are from the same Holy Spirit, the
key difference is “context” and “function” of
the gifts
– Context = the Church, the body of Christ
– Function/goal = spiritual maturity of the Church
OT Examples NT Extension
• Common problem in misunderstanding the
difference:
– Failure to call all believers to use every talent and
skill with which they’ve been endowed to carry out
the revealed purposes of God in the world
• Downgrading these abilities and uplift the “spiritual” gifts
from the NT as God’s only ratified blessings
– Overemphasis on the nature of the listed gifts that we
have misunderstood ministry
• Individual vs. coordinated expression of Spirit’s activity
The Distinction between
Gifts and Talents
• Principally we must remember James’
affirmation (Ja. 1:17)
• A natural talent is:
– Given from God at one’s natural birth (saved &
unsaved)
– Is a special ability to perform a task in a clearly above
average manner for one’s personal benefit and
potentially for the benefit of others
– It can be used to advance God’s cause and bring
God glory
The Distinction between
Gifts and Talents
• Principally we must remember James’
affirmation (Ja. 1:17)
• A spiritual gift is:
– A special ability (freely and graciously given) at one’s
spiritual birth (by the Holy Spirit) to perform tasks in
a manner that is clearly supernatural
– It is specifically designed by God to bring Him glory
and to build-up His Church (the body of Christ) and
empower and advance His cause on the earth
The Diversity of Gifts
• God gives differing gifts to Christians
– Rom. 12:4-6
– 1 Cor. 12:4, 8, 10
• Moreover, all Christians cannot have the same gift
(1 Cor. 12:17-22)
• Every gift God gives to the body is essential and
valuable
The Difference in Value
• While every gift is indeed essential and valuable
to God, not all gifts have the same value
– God’s order is reflected in gift of leadership to the
church (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:17-8, 11-12)
• While every gift is indeed essential and valuable
to God, some gifts are more essential than
others
– The gift of prophecy vs. the gift of tongues (1 Cor. 14:5,
19)
God’s Order of God’s Gifts
• Foundational principles:
– “God is not the Author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Cor.
14:33)
– When it comes to the use and operation of gifts . . .
“let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40
NKJV)
• While persons may be supernaturally “filled with
the Spirit” they are NOT truly “in the Spirit” if
they are “out of control” and operating “out of
order” (1 Cor. 14:26-35)
The First Edifying Gift: Apostle
• Aside from the Lord Jesus Christ, the most
important person in the NT church was the
apostle
• “Apostle” (Apostolos) = “a sent one”
• In the LXX (Septuagint – the Greek translation
of the OT) the Heb. Word “shalach” = “send” is
used (1 Kgs. 14:6)
– The idea here is one who is “sent” as a
“representative” – thus, “sent one”
The Apostle in the Gospels
• The Twelve were “apostles” of the Lord
– (Matt. 10:2; Lk. 6:13; 9:10; 17:5)
The Apostle in Acts
• The Twelve were “the” apostles (Acts 1-2)
– The number remained the same even in the selection
of Matthias (Acts 1:21-26)
• Critical Qualification: An apostle was a witness
of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:22; cf.
4:33)
– Proof (Acts 1:1-14; 5:17-32; 10:41-42)
The Apostle in Acts
• Key Ministries of the Apostles:
– Taught (2:42)
– Performed miracles (5:12)
– Held the authority of the church, as Jesus’ representatives
(2:42; 4:35-37; 5:1-11; 6:2-6; 9:27)
• Interesting: Except for Barnabas & Paul, the apostles
were not characterized by missionary activity
– They actually remained at the home-base in Jerusalem while
others were sent forth (Acts 5:2, 18; 6:2-6; 8:1; 9:27; 15:2;
Gal. 1:17-2:10)
The Apostle in the Epistles
• The Epistles use the term apostle to refer to any of the
Twelve and Paul
• The Epistles indicate that an apostle was a direct witness
of the resurrection of Jesus
– (1 Cor. 9:1-2; 1 Cor. 15:5-8)
– One must have had to actually see Jesus in one of His
resurrection appearances
• The Epistles indicate that an apostle was able to perform
miracles
– (2 Cor. 12:11-12)
The Apostle in the Epistles
• The Epistles indicate that the gift of apostle was
given only at the beginning of the church
– (Eph. 2:20)
– The context of Ephesians refers to the universal
church = the whole body of Christ
– Note: so called “present day” apostles (in the strict
sense) CANNOT be foundational for the universal
church
The Apostle in the Epistles
• The Epistles indicate that an apostle received very
special and unique responsibilities and revelation
– Over local assemblies (1 Cor. 4:19-21; 5: 3-4; 2 Cor.
13:2-3, 10)
– They were specifically called and/or appointed by
the Lord (Rom. 1:5; Gal. 1-2; 1 Tim. 2:7; cf. Eph. 3:5
– also prophets; Paul – 2 Cor. 12:1-17)
The Uniqueness of the Apostle
• Like the OT prophets they performed mighty miracles
• They shall sit on the 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of
Israel (Matt. 19:28)
• Their names will be on the foundation of the heavenly
city (Rev. 21:14)
• They have authority even over NT prophets (1 Cor.
12:28; 14:37)
• Church history denotes that not only were they the
originals; but that no other duplicates were accepted
The Broader Use of the Term
• Beyond the 12, there were others called apostles
–
–
–
–
–
Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14
James (Gal. 1:19)
Silas & Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1; 2:6)
Matthias (Acts 2:14; 6:2; 9:27; 1 Cor. 15:5, 7)
Paul (1 Cor. 15:5, 7; 1 Cor. 9:1-5)
• The last NT reference for their official use was
at the Council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:2-6, 23;
16:4)
The Broader Use of the Term
• The word “missionary” conveys the broader
meaning today w/the following qualifications:
– Being sent
• “missionary” = (Latin) “to send”
• “apostle” = (Greek) “to send”
– Transcultural Ministry
– Church-Planting Ministry (Rom. 15:20; 1 Cor. 3:10)
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• The word “prophecy” conveys the idea of:
• “fore-telling” = “to tell those things before”
• “forth-telling” = “to tell those things already revealed”
• The word “prophesy” means “to expound or
preach under the influence of the Holy Spirit
• The “prophet” is one who speaks for God and
interprets His will to the people.
– (Heb. “nabi”) = one who speaks by direct command
(revelation) of God (cf. Deut. 18:20-22)
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• The OT prophet’s message was primarily warning
against judgment (re: sin)
• The OT prophet expressed the Voice of God,
address contemporary issues & future events
• The biblical prophet was viewed as a national
leader & reformer
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• The word “prophecy” was used in the culture of
the day for the oracular gift & sometimes the
prophet (cf. 2 Chron. 32:32; 15:8; Ezra 5:1)
• The word “prophesy” occurs 28x in the NT
– Most instances referring to the OT prophets
• The prophetic ministry is seen as supernatural
(cf. Matt. 7:22-23; Matt. 26:67-68 Mk. 14:65)
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• The “Prophet” in the Gospels:
– Point out the similarity in the OT & NT usages of
the term (Lk. 7:39; Jn. 4:19; 6:14; 7:40)
• The “Prophet” in the book of Acts:
– Some refer to NT prophets, but most OT prophets
(2:30-31; 3:18-25; 7:52; 10:43; 11:27-28; 13:1; 15:32;
21:10; 26:22-23)
– Their ministry primarily involved foretelling
– Specific examples: Acts 11:27-28 & 21:10 – Agabus;
15:32 – Judas & Silas
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• The “Prophet” in Romans:
– Each of the usages refer to OT prophets
• The “Prophet” according to Paul in other
Epistles:
–
–
–
–
1 Cor. 12:28-29; 14:29-32
Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:1
Titus 1:12
1 Pet. 1:10
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• The “Prophet” in Revelations:
– They will be present during the end of the great
tribulation and are tied to foretelling (22:6; cf. 22:9)
The Second Edifying Gift: Prophecy
• This gift is clearly differentiated from edification
or exhortation (Acts 2:17-18; 19:6; 21:9; 1 Cor.
11:4-5; 13:9; 14:1-39)
• Three important essentials of a prophet:
– Must receive his/her message from God in the form
of special revelation
– Must have divine guidance in the declaration of the
prophetic message tied to the Word of God
– The message must be correct & w/out error
Summary of the Gift of Prophecy
• Not all have the gift
• They are recipients of divine revelation
• Their ministry particularly involved foretelling or
prediction – very specific; not vague & general
• When they spoke via revelation, their ministry
exhorts & causes hearers to learn
• They were given at the inception of the Church
• Their ministry was both in the local church &
itinerant
Summary of the Gift of Prophecy
• The gift of prophet is a high priority gift, often
linked with that of apostle
• This gift (in its strictest sense) is not operational
in the church today
– Their predictions must:
• Come from special revelation
• Be specific
• Be verifiable
The Gift of Evangelism
• The gift of evangelism is taken from the word
evangelize (euanggellion) = to proclaim God’s
message of salvation = the gospel or good news
• The evangelist is the one called of God to
proclaim His message of salvation
• The word applies to both an office & a ministry
– Phillip (Acts 21:8)
– The early believers after persecution (Acts 8:4, 40)
The Gift of Evangelism
• The evangelist did not have the authority of an
apostle, nor the gift of prophecy, nor the
responsibility of pastoral supervision over a
portion of the flock
• The evangelist were itinerant preachers, having it
as their special function to carry the gospel to
places where it was previously unknown
• The writers of the four Gospels are known as
the Evangelists
The Gift of Evangelism
• The evangelist’s effectiveness was measured (in
part) by those who got saved as a result of the
proclamation (Acts 2:37; 14:1)
– At times b/c of a hard-heart persons simply rejected
the message (Acts 19:9; 24:25)
• While there are those with this spiritual gift, all
Christians are responsible for being a faithful
witness of Jesus’ gospel (Acts 1:8; cf. Matt.
28:19-20)
The Gift of Shepherding
• The word shepherd (poimen) comes from the root
meaning “to protect”
• The word has an OT origin – commonly
referencing adverse behavior of these chosen by
God (Jer. 2:8; 3:15; 10:21; 12:10; 23:1-4)
– This gives the reverse of God’s expectations of them
• The word shepherd appears only 1x in the NT
(Eph. 4:11)
– Referring to the office & the gift
The Gift of Shepherding
• The word shepherd (poimen) referring to an office
is used interchangeably with:
– “bishop” or “overseer” (episcopos) – referring to one
who functions as an overseer of ministries or
ministers (cf. 1 Tim. 3:1)
– “elder” (presbuteros) – referring to an older mature
male who with authority serves in a position of
authority (Num. 22:7; Exod. 3:16; 24:1; Num. 11:1617)
The Gift of Shepherding
• The word shepherd (poimen) referring to an office
is used interchangeably with:
– “elder” is the keystone of the social and political
fabric wherever the patriarchal system exists
– At the present day this is the case among the Arabs,
where the sheik (i.e., "the old man") is the highest
authority in the tribe
– The body of the "elders" of Israel were the
representatives of the people from the very first, and
were recognized as such by Moses
The Gift of Shepherding
• The word shepherd (poimen) referring to an office
is used interchangeably with:
– All down through the history of the Jews we find
mention made of the elders as exercising authority
among the people
– They appear as:
• Governors (Deut. 31:28) and Local magistrates (Deut
16:18)
• Administering justice (Deut. 19:12)
• They were men of extensive influence (1Sam. 30:26-31)
The Gift of Shepherding
• In New Testament times they also appear taking an
active part in public affairs Mt 16:21 21:23 26:59
• The Jewish eldership was transferred from the old
dispensation to the new
• The creation of the office of elder is nowhere recorded
in the NT (as in the case of deacons and apostles) –
which were created to meet new and special
emergencies
– Elders were transmitted from OT times and their office was
the only permanent essential office of the church
The Gift of Shepherding
• The "elders" of the NT church were the "pastors"
(Eph 4:11), serving as the "leaders" and "rulers"
of the flock (Heb 13:7; 1Th 5:12)
• Everywhere in the NT bishop and presbyter are
titles given to one and the same officer of the
Christian church
– He who is called presbyter or elder on account of his
age or gravity is also called bishop or overseer with
reference to the duty that lay upon him (Ti 1:5-7;
Acts 20:17-28; Phil. 1:1)
The Gift of Shepherding
• Jesus is referred to as:
– The Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:11, 14; Heb. 13:20)
– The Chief Shepherd (1 Pet. 2:25; 5:4)
• The fundamental ministry of shepherding is:
– To guide (cf. Psa. 23)
• At times discipline (2 Tim. 4:2b)
– To graze (i.e., feed) the sheep (Jer. 3:15; Isa. 40:11;
cf. Jn. 21:16; Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2)
– To guard (1 Sam. 17:34-37; Acts 20:28-31)
The Gift of Shepherding
• The gift of shepherding is to believers other those
who hold the office
– Church leaders (e.g., staff, counselor, minister,
deacon, deaconess, Sunday School or Bible Study
teacher) who mentor
• Older women (cf. Titus 2:3-5)
– Seminary or Bible College professors
The Gift of Teaching
• What proceeds the operation of the gift of
teaching is the supernatural Teacher of Teachers
– Who teaches the teacher
• Before Moses ever taught, God taught Him (Exod. 4:12,
15)
• Before the tribal & family leaders could teach, God first
taught them (Deut. 4:1)
• God’s expectation is for the continuation of this critical
ministry to the next generations (Deut. 4:9,-10; 6:1, 7)
• Critical after the return from captivity (Ez. 7:10, 25)
The Gift of Teaching
• The gift of teaching is the supernatural ability to
clearly explain the intended meaning of the truth
of God’s Word
– Remember, this is a spiritual gift. Thus, just b/c a
person has a talent to teach does not mean they have
the spiritual gift of teaching
– The possession of the gift does not mean the gift
does not need to be honed and perfected (Ecc.
10:10)
The Gift of Teaching
• Teaching was dominant in the ministry of the Lord Jesus
(Matt. 4:23; 7:28; 9:35; 21:23, 55)
• Jesus was a profound Teacher (Lk. 4:31-32)
• This ministry of Jesus set the stage for other miraculous
ministry (cf. Lk. 5:17-20; 13:10-13)
• This ministry was the primary methodology He
established in the process of “making disciples” for the
birth & development of His Church (Matt. 28:20)
• There was a clear connection with the gift of teaching
and that of prophecy (Acts 5:42; 31:1; 15:35; 28:30-31)
The Gift of Teaching
• The ministry of teaching was central to the
qualifications of those who serve as
pastors/overseers of God’s Church (1 Tim. 3:2;
2 Tim. 2:24-25)
• It is through the ministry of teaching that enables
the believer to walk as a Christian and have
proper fellowship with God and others (Rom.
12:2)
The Gift of Teaching
• The ministry of teaching was critical in equipping
faithful ministers/servants of God (Acts 18:2428; cf. 1 Cor. 4:6)
• This gifted ministry is essential for the whole
body
– Those who minister through song (Col. 3:16)
– Older women to younger women (Titus 2:3)
– Limitation of authority (1 Tim. 2:12)
The Gift of Teaching
• The ministry of teaching was expected to be a
primary ministry for the church – as a measure
of its maturity (Heb. 5:12)
• Those who participate in the ministry of teaching
are particularly accountable to God (Ja. 3:1)
• If one has this gift, they should be completely
dedicated to flow effectively in it (Rom. 12:7)
The Gift of Exhortation
• The word exhort in its noun form is the same
word used for the Holy Spirit (Paraclete – Jn.
4:16) = the one called alongside to help
• It is also the same word of Jesus (Advocate – 1 Jn.
2:1)
• The word exhort (parakaleo) means “to call to” or
“to call for” or “to exhort” or “to encourage”
– The word conveys the idea of comforting, consoling,
appealing, and counseling
The Gift of Exhortation
• The gift of exhortation then is the supernatural
ability of the Holy Spirit to “call to, encourage,
appeal to, and comfort:
– Someone who needs challenging, lifting,
strengthening, consoling, and comforting
The Gift of Exhortation
• NT characters with the gift of exhortation were:
– Paul
• Shown to the believers in the churches at Lystra, Iconium,
and Antioch (Acts 14:21-22)
• Shown to those who were persecuted for the faith (Acts
16:40)
• Shown to the Ephesian Christians (Acts 20:1, 17-35)
– Judas (the other) and Silas
• Prophets of God who also flowed in this gift (Acts 15:3132)
The Gift of Exhortation
• NT characters with the gift of exhortation were:
– Peter
• In ministering to other elders (1 Pet. 5:1-2)
• Certainly fulfilling his ministry assignment from the Lord
(Lk. 22:32)
• The operation of the gift of exhortation was
encouraged in the church in general
– Among the Corinthians (10x in 5 verses – 2 Cor.
1:3-7)
– Church member attendance (Heb. 10:25)
The Gift of Exhortation
• The most notable NT figure who’s dominant
gift was exhortation was the apostle Barnabas, the
son of encouragement (Acts 4:36)