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Practical Instruction on the Use of Spiritual Gifts, Part 3
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, November 20, 2008
Part 10 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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According to biblical teaching on spiritual gifts, each and every Christian should expect to be gifted by the Spirit for ministry. This should be true every time the church gathers together. But, as I mentioned in my previous post, the large size of many churches inhibits the ministry of the Spirit. If you have even a couple of hundred people in your Sunday worship service, odds are that you aren’t going to make time for each person to exercise one or more spiritual gifts. Therefore, as I said in my last post, most of us will exercise spiritual gifts in other contexts, in small groups, classes, or when we’re out in the world.
Yet it’s not just the size of today’s churches that gets in the way of the work of the Spirit. We are also saddled by assumptions about ministry that keep “ordinary” Christians from ministering in the power of the Spirit. I’m thinking of clericalism and professionalism.
The Problem of Clericalism
Clericalism is the idea that certain people, the clergy, are specially gifted and empowered to do ministry. Those we call priests or pastors or reverends or ministers or fathers or preachers are the real ministers who are gifted by the Spirit. The rest of the people–just the lay people–are the receivers of ministry, but not the ministers. Clericalism reigned in the established church for centuries, though it was less prominent in independent or free churches. Even Protestants, who rejected the Roman Catholic version of priestly clericalism, developed their own brand before too long.
In the last century fifty years, however, the church has begun to rediscover the ministry of all of God’s people. We have seen in Scripture the truth that all of God’s people are called into and gifted for ministry. Though churches might still have ordained clergy, their role isn’t to do all the ministry, but to encourage and empower the laity to do the ministry. As most of you know, I’m now the Senior Director of Laity Lodge, a ministry devoted to helping lay people discover who they are as ministers of Christ, both in the church and in the world. (Photo: Laity Lodge on the Frio River in the Hill Country of Texas, an autumn photo. We do a lot outside of the retreat center, including our website, The High Calling of our Daily Work –www.thehighcalling.org.)
Nevertheless, clericalism continues to haunt the church, keeping non-ordained Christians from living their lives as ministers of Christ. It is fueled, in part, but the emotional needs of the clergy, who like to be in control of ministries and who often have a strong emotional need to be needed as “the minister.” Clericalism also draws strength from the fact that many lay people would just as soon not be involved in ministry. They’re too busy, or sometimes even too lazy, to be bothered with the call of Christ to serve him. It’s so much easier to assign ministry to a member of the clergy and pay that person to do the ministry.
The Problem of Professionalism
In my experience, as clericalism loses its choking grip on the church, it is being replaced by a similar syndrome: professionalism. In this perspective, the church isn’t divided up into the divinely-called clerics and the non-called laity. Rather, the division falls between the professionals and the non-professionals. Professional ministers are trained, educated, experienced, and paid. They do the ministry, not because they have cornered the market on calling and gifting, but because they are the resident experts.
This reflects my own experience as a Christian “professional.” I am a seminary-educated, trained, ordained Presbyterian “minister.” When I was in parish ministry, many people deferred to me because I was “the pro.” In some ways I was happy to play this role. I liked being “the minister.” I enjoyed being appreciated. And I was happy to be the recipient of people’s deference.
But, a church’s professionalism can inhibit believers from getting involved in ministry, and therefore from exercising spiritual gifts. If churches pay the “experts” to do ministry, and if these professionals do it with flair, how can we expect “normal” Christians to get involved?
Many faithful churchgoing folk remind me of myself during my first few games of little league. I wasn’t an especially talented player, so I quickly found myself warming the bench. Soon I just didn’t expect to play and my expectations usually were fulfilled. One night I took my usual spot on the bench. Before too long, the darkness of the dugout and the lateness of the hour lured me to sleep. Toward the end of the game as I was snoozing away, I heard my name being called as if in a dream: “Mark! Mark!” As I began to stir, I realized that I wasn’t dreaming. The coach was calling me. I was being put into the game as a pinch-hitter. It would b my first official appearance in little league! But sleepiness didn’t help my batting much. Three quick strikes later, I returned to my spot in the dugout, mortified with shame and swearing that I would again never be unprepared to play.
If you are not expecting to get into the game, you will probably not be ready when the Holy Spirit calls you up to bat. So let me give you advance warning. God has not put you on his team so that you can warm the bench and watch the pros play. He has called you into the game. He will empower you to play with effectiveness. But first you have to get off the bench. You need to commit yourself to a ministry or to a fellowship in which you will be free to minister. As you become more accustomed to functioning in spiritual gifts, you will realize that the Holy Spirit wants to use you, not just in official church gatherings, but in all times and all places.
Topics: Spiritual Gifts | 3 Comments »
Practical Instruction on the Use of Spiritual Gifts, Part 2
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Part 9 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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So far we have seen that if we want to receive spiritual gifts, we should focus, not on the gifts or on our experiences, but on loving others and building up the body of Christ. Spiritual gifts come in the context of ministry done for the sake of love and edification.
Do Your Part
In the middle portion of 1 Corinthians 14, Paul attends to the problem of tongue-speaking in greater detail. He does not prohibit the practice. In fact, he claims to speak in tongues more than any of the Corinthians (1 Cor 14:18). “But,” he says, “in a church meeting I would much rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language” (1 Cor 14:19). Why? Because Paul recognizes that the gifts are given for the good of the body, not the one who exercises the gifts. Understandable words will help the church grow. Unintelligible words won’t.
From verse 26 to the end of the chapter, Paul provides final instructions for how the Corinthians should use spiritual gifts in their gatherings. He does not want to squelch their enthusiasm for the Spirit, but rather to transform that enthusiasm for the benefit of the church. Verse 26 lays out his fundamental advice:
So then, what is it all about, my brothers and sisters? Whenever you gather together, each one of you has a psalm, each one has a teaching, each one has a revelation, each one has a tongue, each one has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up (1 Cor 14:26, my translation).
If you compare my literal translation with most English versions, you’ll notice what seems to be a missing word. The NIV, for example, reads:
What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church (1 Cor 14:26, NIV, emphasis added)
The NIV adds the word “or” when it doesn’t appear in the original Greek of 1 Cor 14:26. The NRSV and the ESV agree with the NIV. Only the King James Version maintains a literal rendering:
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying (1 Cor 14:26, KJV).
The addition of “or” to this verse quite dramatically changes its meaning, and thereby limits the work of the Spirit through spiritual gifts. This verse reveals, not that each person has one and only one gift to share with the body. Rather, the point is that each person can, in principle, minister in each and every gift. Given what Paul has said previously, this does not mean that every person should minister in every gift at every church gathering. But the potential is there for each person to function in each gift, as the Spirit wills.
It’s hard for us to apply Paul’s advice, given our presuppositions about and experiences of church gatherings. Most of our worship services include more than a hundred people, and many include thousands. If every person were to participate, even offering only one gift in a given worship service, that service would take hours, or perhaps days. We must remember that Paul envisions a different church setting, a house church that might have comprised as few as a dozen people and probably didn’t get much larger than fifty. It was actually possible for each person to contribute as gifted by the Spirit. (Photo: A worship service at Saddleback Church in Orange County, California)
For most of us, following Paul’s advice won’t lead to much public ministry in worship services. The sizes and traditions of contemporary churches won’t facilitate this option in most cases. Therefore, if you are to contribute the gifts the Spirit intends to give through you, you must be a part of a smaller fellowship group. Bible studies, prayer groups, ministry teams, growth groups, Sunday school classes – all of these can provide a place for you to contribute as the Spirit empowers you.
Topics: Spiritual Gifts | 8 Comments »
Practical Instruction on the Use of Spiritual Gifts, Part 1
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Part 8 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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Desiring Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 14 provides practical instruction on the use of spiritual gifts. Even though a substantial portion of the chapter deals with the specific problem of inappropriate tongue-speaking among the Corinthians, much in Paul’s discussion informs our use of spiritual gifts today.
“Pursue love,” Paul begins, “and keep on eagerly desiring spiritual manifestations, especially that you might prophesy” (1 Cor 14:1, my literal translation). By mentioning love, Paul connects his advice on spiritual gifts to the previous reflection on love in 1 Corinthians 13. Above all else, we should actively seek to love each other. Then, with this motivation, we should eagerly desire or strive for spiritual manifestations (gifts, energizings, etc.).
Paul’s advice might seem surprising at first. Isn’t the problem in the Corinthian church related to their zeal for spiritual experiences? Isn’t it risky for Paul to urge them to keep striving for such things? Yes, it is risky. But Paul is not willing to throw the baby out with the bath water. Christians should not settle for whatever gifts they have received in the past, but should be zealous for more gifts, just so long as they are motivated by love.
When I was a teenager, some Christians I knew imitated the Corinthians’ unbridled zeal for spiritual manifestations, especially speaking in tongues. My youth leaders reacted against this excess with what seemed at the time to be wise counsel. “Don’t worry about spiritual gifts,” they said. “Seek the Giver, not the gifts.” That sounded so solid, so balanced. What could be better than seeking the Holy Spirit, the Giver, rather than the gifts? Unfortunately, the “not the gifts” part of their advice directly contradicts biblical teaching. Paul says that we should keep on eagerly desiring spiritual gifts. We should seek them in addition to seeking God. It’s not an either-or situation. It would have been much better for my youth leaders to say, “As you seek first the Giver, seek also the gifts.”
The connection between love and seeking spiritual gifts can be easily illustrated. Suppose, for example, that you are praying for somebody who has cancer. The more you love that person, the more you will want the Spirit to give a gift of healing to that person. Or consider the example of a Sunday School teacher. If you have a class of first graders and your job is to teach them the Bible lesson, the more you love those children, the more you will seek a gift of teaching so you can explain the assigned biblical passage clearly and in a way that first graders can understand. So, the more we love others, the more we will seek the gifts that build them up. (Photo: Sunday School class from the First Presbyterian Church of Anaheim, California. Surely that teacher could use a spiritual gift or two!)
Focus on Building Up the Body of Christ
Paul tells us to strive for spiritual gifts, “especially that you might prophesy” (1 Cor 14:1). He explains the benefits of prophesying over speaking in tongues by pointing to the issue of intelligibility. Messages in tongues cannot be understood by those present in the gathering. Prophesies can be understood (1 Cor 14:2). Tongues-speaking, therefore, cannot help anyone other than the individual speaker, unless the message is interpreted (1 Cor 14:5). One who prophesies, however, is able to build up the body, to offer encouragement and comfort to those gathered (1 Cor 14:3-4).
When Paul speaks of prophesying, he is not referring primarily to foretelling the future. Prophecy within the Christian community happens when an individual delivers God’s word to the gathering. The prophecy could be words actually revealed by the Spirit, or a genuine revelation phrased in words chosen by the one who prophesies. The prophecy may refer to future events, but more often it addresses practical or theological matter in the assembly. Paul teaches that prophesy can build up, encourage, comfort, bring conviction of sin, and teach (1 Cor 14:3-4, 24-25, 31). If this sounds to you a whole lot like what we call preaching, then you’re getting the point. Most prophesying in church today happens when preachers, guided by Scripture and empowered by the Spirit, speak God’s word with pointed power.
New Testament prophets differ from Old Testament prophets in several ways. Most importantly, Christian prophets do not speak the word of the Lord with absolute authority, as the Hebrew prophets did. The church must welcome prophecies, therefore, but test them to see if they are really from God (1 Thess 5:19-22). Only the good prophecies should be embraced as genuinely from God, but even these should not be accorded the same authority as Old Testament prophecies. The content of our prophesying, even when it is judged to be from God, always stands under the ultimate authority of the Bible.
Paul urges the Corinthians to seek to prophesy, rather than to speak in tongues, because prophecy, being intelligible, leads to the building up of the church. This, Paul says, is the main purpose for spiritual gifts. The Holy Spirit gives bits of grace to members of the church so that they might edify each other and, therefore, the body of Christ. When we focus our attention on strengthening the church, spiritual gifts will follow.
The practical implications are obvious. If you wish to minister in spiritual gifts, don’t focus on the gifts, but on the ministry God has placed before you. Invest in building up Christ’s body wherever you are. If you feel the need for spiritual gifts, be sure to ask the Lord in prayer. As you serve, as you pray, as you step out in faith, the Spirit will empower for his ministry.
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All Gifts Matter to the Body of Christ
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, November 17, 2008
Part 7 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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After beginning his correction of Corinthian abuses by outlining the nature of spiritual gifts, Paul proceeds to an extensive discussion of the church as the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12-27). Because I have written about this in my recent series, The Church as the Body of Christ, I’ll make only a couple of summary observations here.
At the moment of conversion, every believer receives the Holy Spirit and is simultaneously immersed by the Spirit in the church, the body of Christ. Each Christian is necessarily and permanently connected to the fellowship of other Christians. Yet that does not mean every individual is just the same as every other. For, even as the human body is made up of different parts, so it is with the body of Christ. Diversity among members is essential to the body’s very nature and existence. But the diverse parts are also unified, composing one body together. Therefore, every individual part of the body is necessary to the whole. No part can exclude itself, or be excluded by others. In fact, the apparently less important members of the body are actually those which receive greater honor. (Photo: El Greco, “The Pentecost,” 1596-1600
It’s easy to see how this metaphor addressed the problems in Corinth. The “super-spiritual” folk who boasted of their superiority because they spoke in tongues were wrong to dismiss others as unimportant to the church. And the others, who bought the false line of their own worthlessness, were wrong to denigrate their value to the body. All believers are essential to the church, no matter what spiritual gifts they have manifested in the past.
As it turns out, most churches in today’s world, whether overtly or implicitly, value some spiritual gifts while devaluing others. Some congregations prize teaching and service, whereas others emphasize healing and prophecy. Some churches go so far as to forbid the exercise of certain gifts by their members, especially the gift of tongues. While other churches make tongues the most important of gifts. The Apostle Paul, on the contrary, goes out of his way to give value to all members of the body of Christ and to all expressions of the Spirit’s power. Thus, we should always resist the temptation to limit, intentionally or not, the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Paul concludes his discussion of the church as the body of Christ by relating the metaphor specifically to spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:27-31). This is a notoriously confusing passage, partly because Paul’s language use is so varied. I will translate it very literally to preserve the sense:
And those things which God placed in the gathering are: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then powers, then gifts of healings, instances of helping, instances of leadership, kinds of tongues. All aren’t apostles, are they? All aren’t prophets, are they? All aren’t teachers, are they? All aren’t powers, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak in tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. Yet I will show you the way according to excellence (1 Cor 12:28-31; my translation).
Paul is mixing types here, blending a discussion of people who serve in the church (apostles, prophets, teachers) with spiritual gifts, all of which God provides for the gathered assembly.
What is Paul trying to say in this passage? First, everybody in the church doesn’t minister in exactly the same way. Some have different roles. Some have different gifts. This difference is part and parcel of the Spirit’s plan. Although some roles appear to be rather fixed, spiritual gifts are given more flexibly. In one gathering of believers a person might minister in a gift of healing. The next time that same person might speak in tongues. It’s unlikely that all will be given the same gifts in the same meeting. We should be open to lots of variation in gifting, even as we recognize that certain people have abiding ministry roles, and will, therefore, be gifted regularly in ways that fit their roles. Those who are called by God to be prophets will, for example, ordinarily be given gifts of prophecy.
Second, while acknowledging that a diversity of gifts and roles exists within the church, Paul urges us to desire “the greater gifts” in particular (1 Cor 12:31). This verse comes as a surprise, because the series of questions that precede it would appear to suggest the opposite conclusion: “Since not everyone does everything, be satisfied with your role and your gifts.” But, curiously enough, Paul encourages us to be zealous for the greater gifts, gifts we may have not yet utilized in ministry. Operating in these gifts does not make us greater than others in the body to the body. The gifts are greater, not the users. So, what are the greater gifts and how are we to strive for them? Paul will answer these questions, but not right away. In the midst of his discussion of gives he interrupts himself with an extended meditation on “the way according to excellence,” the way of love.
Paul’s praise of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is extraordinary important to his overall discussion of spiritual gifts even though it interrupts the flow of his argument. For the sake of clarity and emphasis, I will skip to chapter 14 in my next post in this series and return to chapter 13 later.
Topics: Spiritual Gifts | 1 Comment »
Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, November 16, 2008
When Work Seems Useless
I replied, “But my work seems so useless!
I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose.
Yet I leave it all in the LORD’s hand;
I will trust God for my reward.”
In Isaiah 49, the Lord speaks to his Servant, sometimes pictured as Israel, and at other times pictured as an Israelite who embodies Israel’s own experience. This individual Servant of the Lord will restore Israel and even more (49:6).
Yet as Israel languishes in exile, it seems that her efforts to live for the Lord are in vain: “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose” (49:4). Nevertheless, Israel, as God’s Servant, decides to trust the Lord for the value of her work. “Yet I leave it all in the LORD’s hand; I will trust God for my reward” (49:4). Though she cannot see how God will make use of her efforts, she is willing to entrust him with this concern.
Can you relate to the situation of Israel in this text? Are there times when you can’t see the value of your work? Perhaps you put in hours on a project, but nothing seems to come from it. Maybe you go way out of your way to help one of your teenage children, but don’t even get a simple thank you. Or you serve tirelessly on your church’s evangelism committee, while your attendance numbers continue to decline. There are many times in life when our labor seems to be in vain. But, like Israel, we will find peace and hope when we entrust our efforts to God. Indeed, we are encouraged by Paul’s good word to the Corinthians: “Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58)
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: Have you known how it feels when your work seems to be in vain? When have you experienced that feeling? What parts of your work right now seem to be fruitless?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, how encouraging it is to realize that I’m not alone among your servants in feeling that my work is sometimes in vain. I think back over the past twenty-five years of my pastoral ministry, and remember so many times when it felt as if I was just spinning my wheels. Sermons preached bore so little obvious fruit. Pastoral counseling sessions seemed to make no difference. And so on.
How good it is, Lord, to be able to entrust my work to you. When I do, I don’t have to worry about the results. They are in your hands. Maybe someday I’ll learn how you used my effort. But, in the meanwhile, what matters most to me is that I’m serving you. You are my Lord and Master. Your pleasure is what means the most to me.
I do thank you, Lord, for those times when you allow me to see that my work matters. You know how much I am encouraged to know how you have used my efforts in people’s lives. So, though I work for your delight, I thank you for sharing some of that delight with me. Amen.
Daily Reflections from The High Calling.org
This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
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Autumn in the Texas Hill Country, Part 3
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Medina River as it runs through Bandera City Park in Bandera, Texas, “The Cowboy Capital of the World.”
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Unusual Hi-Tech Retreat at Laity Lodge
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, November 14, 2008
Laity Lodge is, quite intentionally, a lo-tech place. We don’t have cell service in the Frio Canyon where Laity Lodge is located, and we don’t want it. If people need to make phone calls, they can use pay phones! We don’t have televisions. We have a few computers with limited Internet access . . . only for emergencies. Our hope is to give people on retreat a break from the ever-present interruptions of technology. If folks can stop checking their email for a weekend, just maybe they’ll be quiet enough to hear from God! (Photo: The Frio River alongside Laity Lodge in autumn.)
But this week we’ve had a very unusual retreat at Laity Lodge. The Global Christian Internet Alliance has been meeting here. This is an international network of ministries using the Internet to further the cause of Christ. It is sponsored by Christianity Today International, the organization that published Christianity Today magazine and so very much more. GCIA met in the Cody Center of Laity Lodge, a space usually reserved for low-tech art and music. But, this week, the room was filled with computers connected by wi-fi to the Internet.
GCIA members spent most of the time sharing their ministries: a wide-ranging collection of Internet-based efforts. There was an extensive presentation on GodTube and its future. Participants came from across the globe, including: Chile, Germany, France, Sweden, Brazil, Korea, India, Canada, Costa Rica, and the Netherlands. The links I’ve supplied are just examples of the many ministries represented at the retreat.
There was also a conversation about the sociological and theological implications of the new media. It was led by Heidi Campbell, a professor at Texas A&M University who specializes in religious use of the Internet. Check out her fascinating website: When Religion Meets New Media.
It was great to have such a diverse group of visionary Christians out at Laity Lodge. I’m impressed by their creativity and commitment to Christ. Kudos to Christianity Today for their bold vision and efforts to communicate the gospel across the world.
If you’re a Laity Lodge fan, don’t worry. By next week the Cody Center will be returned to its quiet and peaceful norm. The Internet will be turned off. And Laity Lodge will be back to low-tech. But it’s been an honor for us to offer hospitality to this hi-tech bunch from around the world.
Topics: Sharing Laity Lodge | 1 Comment »
When and How Do We Receive Spiritual Gifts?
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, November 13, 2008
Part 6 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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You may be wondering why I am spending so much time in this series on clarifying the nature of spiritual gifts. I am doing so because I believe that a correct understanding will lead us into greater empowerment for ministry and will strengthen the overall ministry of the church. The “discover and use your gift” model of spiritual gifts has been extremely helpful for people who are getting started in ministry. It has given them a focus for their efforts within the church and has, therefore, contributed to the upbuilding of the body of Christ. One way to find out the ministry to which God has called you is by looking at how the Spirit has empowered you in the past, a process some would call “discovering your gift.” (I think Paul would call it “discovering how God has gifted you in the past.”)
Although there are benefits to the “discover and use your gift” model, it only takes you so far in ministry. If, for example, you believe that you do not “have the gift of teaching,” when it’s time for folks to serve as Sunday School teachers, you can simply say: “That’s not my gift. I have the gift of administration (1 Cor 12:28).” But this response might be limiting God’s work in and through you. It may just be that God is calling you to teach Sunday School in spite of your lack of previous experience and gifting. If you don’t say “yes” to God’s call, you’ll never the gifts of teaching God had intended to give through you. Your experience will be limited and the church will be deprived of your contribution to its growth. If, on the other hand, you trust God by stepping out into this new area of ministry, God will then empower you with new gifts of teaching. You will be blessed, children will be discipled, the church will be edified, and God will be glorified. But none of this will happen if you don’t step out in faith, trusting that the Spirit of God who lives within you will give you the power you need to do God’s work.
This example of Sunday School teaching helps to illustrate when and how spiritual gifts are given. After listing out some representative gifts in 1 Cor 12:8-10, Paul says, “The one and the same Spirit energizes all of these gifts, distributing to each one as he [the Spirit] wishes” (1 Cor 12:11, my translation). We can’t make spiritual gifts happen. It’s not our responsibility to do so. Rather, gifts come according to the will of the Spirit.
When does the Spirit chose to provide these added bits of grace? When they are needed for ministry. Gifts that help a person teach Sunday School come as that person is teaching (or, perhaps, preparing to teaching). Remember the story from Acts 14. Paul didn’t receive gifts of knowledge and healing prior to his encounter with the lame man. Rather, when the Spirit chose to heal that man as Paul was ministering, Paul was given a bit of knowledge about the man’s readiness to be healed and the power to restore the man’s legs.
There are two obvious prerequisites for receiving spiritual gifts. First, you must be a Christian and therefore one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Second, you must be doing the work of Christ, or, at any rate, be readily available for that work. You won’t receive spiritual gifts by locking yourself in the closet and praying for them until they show up, though it is certainly appropriate to ask God for the gifts you need. You won’t receive spiritual gifts if you live as a Christian couch potato, watching the action but never getting involved. You will receive extra bits of grace for ministry only when you step out in faith to minister. (Photo: Not apt to receive spiritual gifts.)
Of course this can be a little scary. In order to be a conduit for the Spirit’s power, you have to be in a situation where it is needed. This means that you are out on a limb, spiritually speaking, and forced to depend on the Spirit. There is always a sense of risk and adventure in the ministry of the Spirit. But when we take on the risk, the Spirit proves to be both faithful and powerful.
My friend Robert is an avid baseball fan. Even though he lives in Southern California, Robert has found a way to attend almost all of the World Series games in recent history. It doesn’t matter who is playing or where. Robert tries to get there. One year the series was close, with the American and National league teams battling evenly to the seventh game. Robert didn’t have tickets for this final game, which was being played on the east coast. But would lack of a ticket and distance from the game stop him? Not Robert! He started making phone calls to friends he knew who were connected to the home team for the last game. Before too long he found someone named Jerry in the team organization who was willing to let Robert use one of his reserved “family” tickets. Robert didn’t know Jerry personally, but they had mutual friends. Jerry promised through one of these friends that the precious ticket would be waiting for Robert at the “will call” window of the stadium.
Thrilled with his good luck, Robert quickly bought a plane ticket, boarded at Los Angeles International Airport, and began his trip to baseball heaven. But while flying somewhere over the Midwest, Robert began to reflect upon what he had done. Here he was, having spent a wad of money to fly across the country, going to a game for which he had no ticket. He had nothing in writing to prove to the folks at “will-call” that he deserved a ticket. He didn’t even know Jerry’s phone number. Moreover, Robert mused, he was going to use one of Jerry’s “family” tickets, even though Jerry and Robert were obviously from different ethnic backgrounds. They didn’t even look like distant relatives. “I feel like a fool,” Robert concluded. “What am I doing? What a giant waste of time and money!”
When he arrived at the city where the game was to be played, Robert almost turned around to fly home. But he decided to risk still further disappointment and embarrassment at the stadium. He arrived there just a few moments before the game began. Anticipating the worst, he approached the “will call” window.
“My name is Robert Wilson,” he said, “and I have a ticket waiting for me.”
“OK, Mr. Wilson, let me check,” said the man behind the window.
The wait seemed endless to Robert. After what felt like hours but was really only a couple of minutes, the man returned. “Mr. Robert Wilson, do you have some identification?”
“Sure,” Robert volunteered, “showing his driver’s license.”
“Here’s your ticket, sir. Enjoy the game!”
As you can well imagine, Robert did enjoy the game.
If you are going to enjoy ministering in spiritual gifts, you need to step out in faith, trusting that the gifts you need for ministry will be provided when you actually need them. When you show up at the Holy Spirit’s “will-call” window, the Spirit will always give you what is best. Remember whom it is that we trust: not some unfamiliar friend of a friend, but the very Spirit of God with whom we have daily fellowship.
One of the most common contexts for the receiving of spiritual gifts is personal evangelism. I have heard scores of Christians relate a very similar story. They walk out on a limb by beginning to share their faith with a friend. As they are doing so, they need to refer to a specific Bible passage, but they can’t remember the passage. At this moment they approach God’s “will call” window by praying silently: “Lord, help me!” Then, all of a sudden, as if by magic, they know both the words of the passage and sometimes even the reference. It isn’t magic, to be sure, but a gift of the Spirit, an added bit of grace to increase the effectiveness of their faith sharing.
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Spiritual Gifts as “Momentary Empowerments” for Ministry
By Mark D. Roberts | Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Part 5 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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In my last post in this series I sought to define spiritual gifts as they are explained in 1 Corinthians 12-14. I suggested the following definition:
Spiritual gifts are momentary empowerments provided by the Spirit to promote the work of God.
The notion of momentary empowerments differs from the most common understanding of spiritual gifts. According to this perspective, a spiritual gift is something you have if you are a Christian. If, for example, you are good at teaching the Bible in a church group, it is often said that you “have” the gift of teaching. I find it more accurate to say that you are often given gifts of teaching which, combined with your natural abilities surrendered to the Lord and your careful study of Scripture, enable you to be an effective Bible teacher. I don’t think a spiritual gift is something you have so much as something you use in a given situation when it is needed.
The whole idea of “having” or “possessing” spiritual gifts, language Paul rarely uses, by the way, seems to have peculiar implications (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 7:7; 1 Cor 12:30). For example, when I was a teenager, my youth leader claimed to “have” the gift of teaching. Usually the empowerment of the Spirit was evident in his teaching. But, every now and then, like most teachers, he would have a bad day. His explanations were hard to follow. His illustrations were duds. What happened to his gift? Did it disappear? Did he fail to use it? Did it conk out just when he needed it? If spiritual gifts that we have can fail to work when they are needed, how can we rely upon them?
Years ago, when I was struggling to understand spiritual gifts, I was helped by two outstanding Christian teachers. Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie, my pastor at Hollywood Presbyterian Church when I was a teenager, taught that the Spirit gives gifts to new Christians, but that the process doesn’t end there. Yes, we should discover and use our gifts, Dr. Ogilvie advised, but we should also be open to yet more gifting by the Spirit. This fit 1 Corinthians 12-14 better than the “one gift for one person” model. Dr. Ogilvie still talked about “having” spiritual gifts, but his use of the verb “to have” was much more fluid than the traditional model allowed. (Photo: Lloyd Ogilvie at my installation as Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church)
When I was in my twenties, I heard John Wimber, pastor of the Anaheim Vineyard, teach a lesson on spiritual gifts. He began by speaking of the gifts as momentary empowerments for ministry. I’m not sure if he used this exact phrase, but that was the gist of his teaching. All of a sudden everything clicked for me. Even without hearing the rest of Pastor Wimber’s message, I knew that he had supplied the key that unlocked Paul’s original meaning.
Let me to summarize this meaning in a nutshell. Spiritual gifts are situational, momentary empowerments given by the Spirit in specific situations of need. Gifts are not badges of honor or demonstrations of spiritual maturity. They are not resident abilities or added talents. They are bursts of divine power given when the Spirit decides that one who ministers needs some extra help. If you are praying for someone to be healed, for example, you need a gift of healing from the Spirit. If the Spirit happens to give that gift through you, it doesn’t mean that you now “have the gift of healing.” That might be the only time in your life when a gift of healing flows through you (although if you continue to pray regularly for the sick, it’s likely that you will be the conduit for gifts of healing again).
Certain spiritual gifts are closely correlated with natural abilities and talents. Gifts of teaching or knowledge, for example, help those with the ability to teach to be even more effective in their work of teaching. But gifts of teaching are also given to those who have little natural ability when they are called upon to explain something about God. Many people experience this gift without realizing that it is a spiritual gift of teaching. I think of parents in my church in Irvine, for example, whose children asked them really tough theological questions. The parents’ initial response was usually something like: “Oh my goodness! Where did that come from? I have no idea at all!” But in many cases parents reported to me that “all of a sudden” they had great answers to tricky questions. Where did these answers come from? They were gifts of teaching, given by the Spirit to help parents minister to their children.
In my seminary classes I have taught this situational or need-based understanding of spiritual gifts. Some of my students, especially those who have embraced the “possession and use” view of gifts, have been troubled. One raised this objection: “You’re telling me that I don’t ‘have’ the gift of preaching. Yet I’m going to stand up this Sunday and preach. If I don’t ‘have’ the gift of preaching, then I have no business pretending to preach God’s word. I shouldn’t even try.” What encouragement can I give to a man who feels like I have just pulled the spiritual rug out from under his ministry?
First of all, I believe that what the Spirit has done in the past is a good indication of what he will do in the future. If a person has been regularly empowered in the past with gifts relevant for preaching (knowledge, wisdom, prophecy, teaching), this tells us something about how the Spirit will continue to work through that person.
Second, if God has called a person to the ministry of preaching, then God will also supply the spiritual power needed for that ministry. That’s one of the main reasons God has given the gift of the Spirit, to empower us for that to which he has assigned us.
Third, and most important of all, those of us who dare to preach may not “have” the gift of preaching, but we have something far better: the gift of the Holy Spirit. Within us resides the Giver of all gifts, the source of unlimited spiritual power. When I step up to preach, I am not relying on my gift, but on the third person of the Trinity, on God the Holy Spirit. What could be better and more inspiring than this? What would you rather have if you’re a preacher? A gift of preaching or the very Spirit of God? I’ll take the Spirit. More importantly, I think this is what Scripture teaches about the nature of spiritual gifts.
Of course, when I preach I also utilize my own natural abilities, my talents, and my educational background. Although these are not spiritual gifts in the narrow sense, they are gifts from God in a broader sense. As Paul reminds the Corinthians: “What do you have that God hasn’t given you?” (1 Cor 4:7). You and I need to use everything God has given us, every talent, every opportunity, every relationship, every dollar – everything for God’s purposes. We are to be faithful stewards or managers of all that God has entrusted to us, including creation itself! Spiritual gifts come along when we need some additional help to do that which God places before us.
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Defining “Spiritual Gifts”
By Mark D. Roberts | Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Part 4 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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In my last post I asked the question: What are spiritual gifts? I explained that Paul does not define the phrase “spiritual gifts” in his writings. In fact, the phrase “spiritual gift” (charisma pneumatikon) does not actually appear in the Greek text of 1 Corinthians 12-14. Instead of providing a definition, Paul offers a list of representative gifts from the Spirit. From this list and the surrounding discussion we can formulate a reasonable definition of “spiritual gift.”
Paul’s list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 is representative only, since it doesn’t include all possible gifts. Paul mentions those gifts that fit his particular argument right here; elsewhere he mentions others (see Rom 12:6-11 or 1 Cor 12:28, for example). The list doesn’t give us a definition of “spiritual gift,” but merely some illustrations. Nevertheless, this list helps us to discover Paul’s notion of spiritual gifts:
To one person a word of wisdom is given through the Spirit; to another a word of knowledge is given according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another workings of powers; to another a prophecy; to another discernments of spirits; to another kinds of tongues; to another an interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:8-10, my translation).
This translation is awkward because I have tried to represent Paul’s own words very literally. Many common misunderstandings of his teaching depend up inaccurate English translations of the Greek which mislead the reader.
Spiritual gifts include: a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, faith, workings of power, a prophecy, discernments of spirits, kinds of tongues, an interpretation of tongues. Notice the variation in Paul’s language. “A word of wisdom,” singular, can be a gift. Or gifts can be spoken of in the plural, “workings of powers.” If we put aside our preconceptions about spiritual gifts, what is Paul describing here? He seems to be talking about spiritual empowerments provided by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gives extra bits of grace, some of which are spoken (messages of knowledge and wisdom, prophecy, kinds of tongues, an interpretation of tongues), others of which are experienced without words (faith, workings of powers). All are given for the common good (1 Cor 12:7).
There is plenty of debate among commentators over the precise nature of these gifts. I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure this side of heaven exactly what Paul means. But I do think examples from elsewhere in Scripture can help us figure out his basic sense. In Acts 14, for example, we encounter the following incident from Paul’s life:
While they were at Lystra, Paul and Barnabas came upon a man with crippled feet. He had been that way from birth, so he had never walked. He was listening as Paul preached, and Paul noticed him and realized he had faith to be healed. So Paul called to him in a loud voice, “Stand up!” And the man jumped to his feet and started walking (Acts 14:8-10).
Two spiritual gifts function here. First, Paul realized that the crippled man had the faith to be healed, apparently without discovering this by ordinary means (asking questions of the man, for example). Paul knew it because the Spirit revealed it to him directly, giving him what might be called a “word of knowledge.” Second, the lame man was enabled to walk as the Spirit gave him a gift of healing through Paul. (Photo: The so-called Spring of St. Paul at Lystra, in modern Turkey. Photo from http://www.holylandphotos.org/.)
As the story of Acts continues, Paul was journeying back to Jerusalem. Along the way he stopped in the city of Tyre where he stayed with some Christians for a week. Some of these “told Paul through the Spirit not to go on to Jerusalem” (Acts 21:4, my translation). Here we have another example of a spiritual gift. The Spirit gave a particular piece of information and counsel to Paul through some other believers. He would have called this a “word of wisdom” (or perhaps a “prophecy”).
In both of these stories, spiritual gifts are momentary empowerments provided by the Spirit to promote the work of God. This seems to me to be the best way to talk about spiritual gifts. When the Spirit reveals information, or heals one who is sick, or provides counsel, the revelation, healing, and advice are bits of grace or spiritual gifts.
I didn’t always think of spiritual gifts from this perspective. As a youth I was taught that the gifts are not situational bursts of power for ministry but indwelling abilities given by the Spirit at the moment of conversion. “When you accepted Christ,” I was told, “the Spirit gave you a spiritual gift. Your job is to discover it and to use it.” But this way of thinking always confused me. I wondered why Paul never actually told us to discover our gift and use it, if this was the key to ministering in spiritual gifts. I couldn’t see how the “one gift for one person” view was consistent with Paul’s teaching that “there are varieties of energizing, but the same God, who energizes everything in everyone” (1 Cor 12:6, MDR). This verse doesn’t assign one gift for one person, but seems to imply that one person can experience all of the gifts (so also 1 Cor 14:26).
Moreover, it seemed very difficult to distinguish spiritual gifts from natural talents and abilities. I was told by my youth leaders that I “had the gift of teaching,” but I knew that my ability to teach also reflected my natural endowments, education, and family culture. (There are many teachers in my family.) When I raised this point of confusion with my leaders, I was told that a spiritual gift is “a talent offered to God for ministry.” But I couldn’t find that description anywhere in Scripture. It seemed to turn spiritual gifts upside down, as something we offer to God, rather than as something the Spirit gives us.
In my next post I’ll say more about what I believe spiritual gifts are, and what they are not.
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The Ministry of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12-14
By Mark D. Roberts | Monday, November 10, 2008
Part 3 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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So far in this series on Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ, I’ve explained that the Holy Spirit is like a bodybuilder who seeks to build up the body of Christ. The Spirit does this, in part, by empowering members of the body with what we call spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12-14 we find substantial teaching about these gifts.
When we seek to understand the bodybuilding ministry of the Spirit by studying these chapters, we confront a couple of knotty problems. First of all, Paul’s discussion was not intended as a systematic theology of the Spirit’s ministry, but rather as a specific response to a troublesome situation in Corinth. Many essential points about the Spirit were not mentioned by Paul because they were not immediately relevant to the problem at hand. Plus, some of what Paul said is very difficult for us to interpret because we don’t know exactly what behavior he was addressing (for example, the passage about women in 14:34-35). As we attempt to derive instruction on the Spirit for ourselves from 1 Corinthians, we must keep in mind the original purpose and focus of Paul’s counsel. (Photo: A picture of the remains of ancient Corinth.)
Second, because Paul’s discussion of spiritual empowerment is situational and not systematic, those who attempt to construct more general teaching on spiritual gifts do not agree on many of the details. Wise, well-educated, Christ-centered, Bible-believing, Spirit-filled Christians have come up with different interpretations of 1 Corinthians 12-14. There is no widespread consensus on many of the particulars in this passage and its application to the church today.
Nevertheless, I do believe that we can derive a solid understanding of spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12-14. In my interpretation of these chapters, I will try to be faithful to the text of Scripture. As I explain this passage, I will also note some of the differences of opinion among Christians so that you can weigh my interpretation carefully in light of other options. You will find that the rest of this blog series will stick closely to the content and order of the biblical text.
Though scholars and pastors differ on some of the details concerning spiritual gifts, most are agreed on the main points, and these are what really matter for our purposes here. Putting secondary concerns aside, this passage teaches that the Holy Spirit empowers all members of the church for the purpose of building up the church, the body of Christ. Your assignment as an individual Christian, therefore, is to contribute to this bodybuilding process through faithfully exercising the gifts that the Spirit gives you.
What are Spiritual Gifts?
What are spiritual gifts? Paul includes “gifts” among the empowerments provided by the Holy Spirit:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of serving, and the same Lord. And there are varieties of energizing, but the same God who energizes everything in everyone. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the common good (1 Cor 12:4-7, my translation).
Among that which God provides, Paul includes “gifts” from the Spirit, that which we call “spiritual gifts.”
The Greek word translated as “gift” is, literally, charisma. It does not carry our connotation of “charisma,” however, as when we say, “That political candidate has lots of charisma.” Rather, charisma refers to something that has been freely given. A charisma is not the Christmas present you have to give because it’s expected of you, but something you give freely and joyously because you want to. In fact the Greek word charisma comes from the Greek word charis, or “grace.” A charisma, therefore, is a little bit of grace. When we become Christians, we receive a giant, once-never-to-be-repeated gift of grace in our salvation (Eph 2:8). Yet that does not exhaust God’s giving to us. Throughout the rest of our lives as believers, the Spirit keeps on giving still more grace, tidbits of grace, instances of charisma – what we call “spiritual gifts.”
Unfortunately for our purposes, Paul never gives a definition of these bits of grace. In 1 Corinthians 12 he does provide a list of examples, and from this list we can more-or-less figure out a definition of spiritual gifts. To this list I’ll turn in my next post in this series.
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Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling
By Mark D. Roberts | Sunday, November 9, 2008
The Arguing Clay
“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
‘How clumsy can you be?’ ”
Through Isaiah, the Lord made known his plans to use Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple. Of course this meant that the Israelites would be subject to Cyrus . . . not exactly the kind of restoration they would have wanted. Surely it was tempting for them to question God’s plans, to doubt his wisdom or goodness.
Yet the Lord points out the folly of such arguments. “Does a clay pot argue with its maker?” Of course not. The potter has the right to form the clay according to the potter’s design. The idea of the arguing clay is a silly one.
When God works in our lives in ways that don’t make sense to us–or when he appears not to be working at all–it’s tempting to take the role of the arguing clay. In his mercy, God is not put off by our questions and doubts. (See, for example, the Book of Job.) But, in the end, our confidence in God’s wisdom and goodness allows us to put our trust in him, to become willing clay. We know that he is in the process of forming us into the very image of Christ, even if we can’t quite understand that process.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: When have you taken the role of the arguing clay? What motivated you to question God’s plans? What helps you to become trusting, willing clay?
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I do affirm your goodness and wisdom. I do believe that your work in my life is masterful. But when I can’t understand what you’re doing, when hardship comes my way, when things don’t work out as I think they should, then I do find it easy to question, to argue, even to doubt. I wonder where you are and what you are doing. I can play the role of the arguing clay with the best of them.
Help me, gracious Lord, to trust you more each day. When you are molding me in ways I don’t understand, may I continue to have confidence that you are doing what is best in my life. I pray for vision to see your work in me, so that I may cooperate with you and rejoice in your presence. Amen.
Daily Reflections from The High Calling.org
This devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.
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Autumn in the Texas Hill Country, Part 2
By Mark D. Roberts | Saturday, November 8, 2008
Leaves of an oak tree in our back yard. The tree is known by various names: Spanish Oak, Red Oak, or Texas Red Oak. We don’t have many trees in the Texas Hill Country that turn red in autumn, but the Spanish Oak is one of the most common (along with the stunning but relativelty rare Bigtooth Maple, found in abundance in Lost Maples State Park).
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The Abuse of Spiritual Experiences in Corinth . . . and Today
By Mark D. Roberts | Friday, November 7, 2008
Part 2 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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In my last post I introduced the bodybuilding work of the Spirit. The church, as the body of Christ, is shaped and enlarged by the work of the Spirit through ordinary members of the body.
This bodybuilding work of the Spirit is explained in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. Paul did not write about the gifts of the Spirit simply to provide basic instruction for the new believers in Corinth, however. He wrote because the Corinthian Christians there were at odds over their diverse experiences and interpretations of the Spirit’s power. Like all Christians, those in Corinth had received the indwelling presence of the Spirit when they first trusted Christ for salvation. By the Spirit, they had been generously blessed with lots of spiritual manifestations, or at least some of the Corinthians had been so blessed (1 Cor 1:4-7).
In particular, certain people in the congregation were speaking in tongues (unknown languages). This may not have been a problem, except for the way the tongues-speakers were behaving. Not only did they interrupt the Christian gatherings with their unintelligible speech, but also they boasted of their spiritual prowess, claiming to speak in the language of heaven itself (1 Cor 13:1; 14:6-19). They even criticized other brothers and sisters who did not adopt their highfalutin practices, denigrating their spiritual maturity and questioning their value to the church (1 Cor 12:14-17). Those who thought of themselves as super-spiritual used their supernatural manifestations for their own selfish gain, to the detriment of the Christian community.
From Paul’s point of view, these folk got it all wrong–or almost all wrong. Speaking in tongues was not wrong, per se, as Paul would explain in 1 Corinthians 14. In fact, he claimed to speak in tongues more than any of the Corinthians (1 Cor 14:18). But their understanding of the purpose and significance of this experience was completely off base. Its effect in the community was precisely opposite from what the Holy Spirit intended. So as he wrote 1 Corinthians, Paul added a substantial discussion of spiritual empowerment to his letter, the chapters we identify as 1 Corinthians 12-14.
Ironically, we have seen what might be called an outbreak of “Corinthianism” in the last fifty years. Positively, millions of Christians began to discover the power of the Spirit through spiritual gifts. Negative, this often caused division in the church, sometimes because the “spiritual” folk focused too much attention on speaking in tongues, just like the Corinthians had done 1900 years earlier.
Let me supply a bit of history that places our conversation of spiritual gifts in context.
Awareness of the Holy Spirit has grown among Christians during the last several decades, in part because of the prominence of Pentecostal and so-called “charismatic” expressions of Christianity. Pentecostalism takes its name from the Jewish festival of Pentecost, during which the Holy Spirit was first poured out upon the earliest followers of Jesus (Acts 2).
Beginning early in the twentieth century, certain Christians experienced a powerful outpouring of the Spirit not unlike that of the first believers. They fashioned a theology of the Christian life in which a Pentecost-like experience or “second blessing” of the Holy Spirit was essential for all believers. Pentecostalism was characterized by emotional exuberance in worship and the exercise of spiritual gifts not generally practiced among Christians, especially speaking in tongues (or unknown languages). Because of its perceived peculiarity and disconnection from mainline denominations, Pentecostalism remained on the fringes of Christendom. (Photo: 312 Azusa St., Los Angeles, California. A Pentecostal revival started at the Azusa Street Mission in 1906, under the leadership of William J. Seymour.)
In the 1960’s, however, Pentecostal reality began to impact these denominations. Both clergy and lay people in mainline churches had life-transforming experiences of the Holy Spirit and began to worship in the more expressive style of the Pentecostals. Yet they remained actively involved in their own churches as part of a “charismatic” renewal movement. The word “charismatic” means “gifted” and focuses upon certain “gifts” that can accompany the presence of the Holy Spirit. (”Charismatic” is an unfortunate word choice, as we’ll see later, because all true Christians are gifted by the Holy Spirit whether they identify themselves as “charismatic” or not.)
Sadly, the charismatic presence in churches often led to conflict, partly for theological reasons, partly because of divergent worship preferences, and mostly because Christians both for and against the charismatics failed to exercise patience, humility, and Christ-like love. The charismatics, whose experience of the Holy Spirit was often associated with speaking in tongues, generally made this particular gift the most important of all. Sometimes they even tried to pressure other Christians into speaking in tongues, a strategy that was neither loving nor productive nor consistent with a biblical theology of the Spirit. Christians who didn’t speak in tongues felt rightly denigrated, and responded not only with theological critique, but often by rejecting both the charismatics and the spiritual experiences they were having.
In the last couple of decades, however, unity among “charismatic” and “non-charismatic” Christians has been substantially restored. Many who have had dramatic encounters with the Holy Spirit have revised their theology to reflect biblical teaching rather than their experiences, thus minimizing theological objections to their understanding of the Spirit. Moreover, formerly fervent opponents of “charismania” have realized that their own theological commitments were sometimes built upon their limited experience of the Spirit, rather than biblical teaching about the Spirit’s presence and power. Some differences of theology and experience of the Spirit still remain, but these are less divisive than they were since many Christians have rightly emphasized their true unity in Christ.
In my view, the most important corrective to the “Corinthianism” of the last fifty years and the negative response it spawned has come from a careful study of the biblical teaching on spiritual gifts, especially as it’s found in 1 Corinthians 12-14. So, to this text we will return in my next post in this series.
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Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ: Introduction
By Mark D. Roberts | Thursday, November 6, 2008
Part 1 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
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I just recently finished an extended series on the church as the body of Christ. Building on that foundation, I want now to consider the function of spiritual gifts in the body of Christ. Little is more important for the health and growth of the body of Christ than the power of the Holy Spirit manifested in what we call spiritual gifts. Through such bits of grace, the Spirit builds the body of Christ. In fact, it wouldn’t be too far off the mark to say that the Holy Spirit is a bodybuilder.
During my freshman year of college I took a job washing dishes in one of the Harvard dorms on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings. After spending a couple of hours in a hot, steamy dish room, I was pretty hot and steamy myself, so I took advantage of my condition and worked out in the weight room of the Indoor Athletic Building. I wasn’t planning to bulk up or anything like that. I just wanted to remain in reasonably decent shape.
Every time I went to the weight room, there was Mike. He was a honors English major at Harvard. Now if this description conjures up in your mind an image of a skinny person with glasses whose head is buried in a book of obscure poetry, you’d be partly right, but only about the poetry. Mike did love his poetry! But he was, besides a fan of English literature, a committed body builder. He looked more like Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator than Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter!
Mike approached weight lifting from a completely different perspective than I did. In thirty minutes, I’d quickly work each muscle group and be ready to hit the showers. Mike, on the other hand, would focus the whole time on one particular muscle. I found it fascinating to ask him: “So, what are you doing tonight?” He’d point to a place on his body and say, “I’m working on my left anterior deltoid. It’s a little bit smaller than the right one and I need to be more balanced.” Then, by using free weights to exercise this particular muscle, Mike would continue to mold his body as if working with clay. This molding, however, took not a few minutes of artistic manipulation, but years of strenuous exertion. Mike’s goal was to have a perfectly shaped body, a paragon of physical strength. All of his effort paid off in the end when Mike won the title of Mr. Collegiate America. (Photo: No, not a picture of Mike. Not a picture of me either.)
The Holy Spirit is a bodybuilder rather like Mike. With even more dedication than he demonstrated, the Spirit of God seeks to build up the church as the body of Christ. Like a committed bodybuilder, the Spirit invests years–indeed, millennia–of effort to help the church grow to perfection. Of course ultimate perfection won’t come this side of the eschaton. But, in the meanwhile, the Spirit molds the church, using members of the church–people like you and me–in the process.
In order to help us build and shape the church, the Spirit gives us gifts of power. These gifts are described in detail in 1 Corinthians 12-14. To this passage and its context we’ll turn in my next post in this series.
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