More than 2,000 years ago, the Book of Acts marks a period in early Christianity when believers could perform miraculous signs in light of Jesus' ascension to heaven. At the time, the early church was loosely formed, but their followers used their skills and abilities-both miraculous and ordinary- to spread to spread the Gospel of Christ.
Although the church today is a strong, dominating force, the use of spiritual gifts is sometimes questioned, especially those of the supernatural variety. In order to better understand these gifts in modern times, one must examine the scriptural basis for gifts and their purpose.
Basic Spiritual Gifts Given Through the Holy Spirit
In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul argues that godly gifts are given through the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. Among these gifts Paul lists several possibilities: the message of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, NIV).
Later, Paul also includes being an apostle, teaching, the ability to help others, and administration as additional gifts within the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:27-28)
Glorifying God Through Spiritual Gifts
Paul notes that this manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good of the Christian body, a conglomeration of gifts doled out by the Spirit as God determines as necessary. (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11)
The Apostle Peter elaborates that when graced with a gift, an individual has a duty to use that gift to serve others and faithfully administer God’s grace to others. (1 Peter 4:10) When using a gift, Peter also notes that the proper use of gifts is necessary for the glorification of God through Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 4:11) In this manner, the use of gifts becomes an act of stewardship and faith.
Building the Body of Believers
The purpose of spiritual gifts is two-fold: strengthening of the body of Christ and personal edification. While Paul notes that not all may be graced with a spiritual gift, he urges the church body to “eagerly desire the greater gifts” of the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:31)
E. A. Adeboye, an African pastor of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, once preached 12 hours straight to a crowd of 30,000. Through the use of Adeboye and his fellow ministers gifts of teaching, wisdom, and knowledge among others, the church members were “visibly filled with euphoria” at the altar call immediately following the session of prayer and teaching. (Miller, Nordland, Underwood, & Poptani, 2009)
This illustrates the importance of using gifts to edify and build the church. Other gifts are beneficial as well in a less noticeable way. The gift of administration, for example, allows an individual to maintain the church’s financial and personnel structure by managing finances and delegating responsibility. This gift contributes to the strength of the church and ensures the proper functioning of church time and resources.
Improving the Individual's Spiritual Life
At the same time, spiritual gifts serve a dual purpose. In addition to meeting the needs of the church, gifts of the Holy Spirit also fulfill a personal need. In Romans 12:4-8, Paul explains the necessity of spiritual gifts for the building of the church, but he glosses over the personal benefit individuals receive from these gifts.
In cases of those blessed with the gift of tongues, individuals reported that when using their gift they felt as if the Holy Spirit was personally speaking through them. Followers of Christ blessed with the gift of tongues felt that in prayer speaking in tongues allowed them to more fully repent, bless, and request the inner desires of their heart. Through this process individuals reported that they felt more fully connected to God and more at peace with themselves and their surroundings.
The fundamentals of spiritual gifts are still very relative in the modern world. Churches still need administrators to keep them running. Religious schools need those with the gift of teaching to instruct the next generation. Those with the gift of prophecy are needed to help individuals navigate a difficult future. And many others reflect the very personal nature of spiritual gifts. While some may feel like they do not need a manifestation of the Holy Spirit to provide them with a gift, many are pleasantly surprised at the greater self of personal and social fulfillment as a result of receiving and using their gift from God.
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