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What the Spiritual Gift of Giving Really Means

3/27/2017

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6-8, NKJV).

One would think that the spiritual gift of giving would require the person with this gift to have lots of money so that they may distribute it liberally. But if they thought that, then they would be misinterpreting the “gift” of giving. In fact, one would almost have to question whether the act of giving was really a spiritual gift at all if that were the case, because then only rich Christians would have it, which of course would be ridiculous. It is necessary therefore, to first look at the Greek words Paul used when he said, “he who gives, with liberality” and then to take what he said in the context of his letter to the Romans.

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The Gift of Exhortation

3/20/2017

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Till I come, give attention to reading,
to exhortation, to doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:13

Dictionary.com says this about the word exhortation – “an utterance, discourse, or address conveying urgent advice or recommendations”. The word used in Greek for exhortation is paraklēsis and according to Vines Expository Dictionary it means something slightly different - “a calling to one’s side” (para, “beside,” and kaleo, “to call”) and so it is often translated as comfort, consolation, entreaty or encourage. So what exactly is the “gift” of exhortation and how does one use it?

Biblical exhortation means something far more than conveying urgent advice or recommendations on a particular subject. While those who have been called to teach often use the gift of exhortation in this way. They use it to expound on Scripture, “calling” on those listening to give urgent heed to what the Scriptures are instructing. But it is more than just a gift for teaching. While those who teach do use it to build and edify the church, it is also used to offer words of encouragement, consolation and comfort. So people with this gift often find themselves in the positon of counsellor, pastor, teacher, or even worship leader. They will most certainly be on the visitation committee (if your church has one) to visit those sick and in hospital. For it is their heart’s desire, their passion, to come alongside members of the church body to lend an ear, offer a word of encouragement or advice, and instruct, using Scripture and bringing comfort where it is needed most. Those with the gift of exhortation then, are the “glue” that holds the body of Christ together when it is faltering.

I have a dear friend who, at age seventy-four, seems to have an endless amount of energy, in which she utilizes her gift of exhortation and she does it in several ways. Always the first to lend a hand (or an ear) to those in need, she flits here and there throughout her day visiting friends and family, encouraging and comforting them in their faith. She teaches ESL, and leads a weekly bible study for those ESL students. She loves to “exhort” from the Scriptures. If you are in hospital you can expect a visit that will most certainly brighten your day, her words often leave one feeling comforted. If you are down, she makes it her goal to “build you up” another aspect of the gift of exhortation. On most days, she pushes back her exhaustion because, as she puts it, “I have so many things to do”. In reality, she only has one class a week that she has made a commitment to teach, all the rest she does out of the passion that drives her – her gift of exhortation. She also has the gifts of hospitality, encouragement and helps, which complement her gift of exhortation and make her one of the best friends you could ever hope to have. But she cannot slow down and I think if she was forced to she would be miserable. For she loves to teach from the Word of God and she loves to encourage and comfort everyone she meets in their faith. At our church if you took a poll and asked the ladies who their best friend in the church was – I have no doubt they would all say, “Carol”. For that is how she makes you feel, like you are her best friend – encouraged, comforted, edified and built up in the Lord – rightly making use of her gift of exhortation.

If you find that you love to teach from the Word of God and you seem to have a knack for comforting and encouraging others, you probably have the gift of exhortation!

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The "Gift" of Teaching

3/13/2017

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Last time we established that a teacher is not a gift and that the “gift of teaching” is a combination of several gifts that give one the ability to teach from Scripture. However, in order to keep things simple I will refer to the act of teaching as a gift, because for all intents and purposes it is a blessing (a gift) God has given to certain people for edification of the church.

Teachers usually have the spiritual gifts of prophecy, exhortation, wisdom, knowledge and discernment, which help them to expound on the Scriptures and in turn helps the church to grow.

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (NKJV).

The word “dividing” in Greek is orthotomeō. Orthos, meaning “straight,” and temno, meaning “to cut”. Those that teach “cut” a straight line to the heart of the matter. In other words, those with the gift of teaching, will stay true to God’s Word. They will not veer from the truth in order to appease those around them with differing opinions. They will stay focused on context. They will not take one verse and try to make it mean something else.

Teachers will not base their Bible studies on revelations, visions, "words of knowledge", or dreams from God. Especially if those revelations, visions, etc., can’t be backed up with Scripture. Unfortunately, this is a big problem with many celebrity preachers today, who rely heavily on their “revelations” from God over what the Bible actually says. A good teacher will use the Word of God in context and will consider the whole Word of God as counsel when expounding on a particular subject. They do this because Scripture does not contradict Scripture.

Characteristics of a Teacher

Those who teach will often find themselves digging deeper into Scripture and will not be satisfied with meditating only on daily devotionals. They want “meat” and will do everything in their power to find those moments in the day where they can spend time in the Word of God. They will often spend hours (sometimes days) preparing lessons because they are extremely careful with what they teach and how they teach it. The main thing about teachers though is that they can’t wait for Sunday, or Bible study group (or wherever they serve) so that they can share the Word of God. They come “alive” when they can share what God is showing them.

I do want to stress one thing though, teaching the Bible and the gift of teaching is not the same gift as say a school teacher would have. There are many talented school teachers, who have a knack for getting their message across to students. However, you may find that those same teachers when put in the position of teaching the Bible, often flounder. Teaching the Bible is not the same as teaching "reading, writing or arithmetic". A teacher has to know their Bible and been given the spiritual gifts of exhortation, discernment, wisdom, knowledge and prophecy, in order to explain the Scriptures accurately.

I heard the story of a teacher who was pressured into teaching Sunday school by the elders of her church. They “assumed” she would be a great “fit” because she taught the age group they were trying to place her in. But she felt called to serve in different ways – as a greeter, in the kitchen, or in the nursery tending to little ones. She had the spiritual gift of helps and hospitality. Not teaching. When she knew it was her turn to serve in the kitchen serving coffee she came alive! She loved to pour someone a cup of coffee or tea on Sundays and talk to them. Especially if they were new to the church. She also served as a greeter. Her gifts of hospitality and helps fit right in with these types of service. However, someone convinced her that as a teacher she should be teaching Sunday school. In fact they made her feel guilty for not serving that way in her church. So she agreed to serve as a Sunday School teacher, but she soon became miserable. She wasn’t happy teaching all week and then having to prepare more lessons for Sunday. She was frustrated, tired and sad. Where once Sunday was her day of rest and a day to exercise her spiritual gifts, she soon began to hate the thought of going to church. It felt like work to her and she had no joy in serving the Lord in this manner. She was on the verge of quitting church altogether when she took a course on Spiritual Gifts and realized (with a shock) that she did not have the gift of teaching. She laughed with irony at the thought, and after much prayer and discussion with friends, went back to serving as a Greeter and serving coffee.

If you are a school teacher and you don’t feel comfortable teaching Sunday school or Bible studies, it is likely because you have not been called by God to teach in that way. Don’t let those who think they know best try to convince you otherwise. However, if you are a school teacher who has also been given the "gift of teaching" – you have (in my humble opinion) been doubly blessed. What a rare treat it would be to have you as a teacher!

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Understanding Your Spiritul Gifts

3/6/2017

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One of the problems that needs to be addressed before we get too deep into our look at Spiritual Gifts, is the issue of what makes a spiritual gift a “gift” rather than a talent, calling, or position. How do we differentiate between them?

First Corinthians 12:28 says, “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” Notice the word “appointed.” In Greek, it is tithēmi and means “to put in place”. Jesus used it in John 15:16 when referring to his disciples, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” The first three gifts Paul talks about here – apostles, prophets and teachers – are, according to Paul, by appointment. These first three appointments were instrumental in building up the church and establishing it in the early years. Jesus himself appointed those we know as apostles. He blessed them and sent them out to establish his church. But were these appointments spiritual gifts as well?

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.”

Paul makes it clear right from the start - whether gift, ministry, or activity – all come from God and He works His will through them all. So why did Paul make a distinction between apostles, prophets and teachers? Are these three positions, or spiritual gifts? If they are positions, how did we come to recognize them as gifts? Can they be both?

Ephesians 4:11 says, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” Here Paul seems to add evangelists and pastors to the list. “Teachers” are those who have the ability to interpret God’s Word and speak forth on it. This is something both evangelists, and pastors do as well. So Paul is not necessarily adding another group to the list, he is just broadening the scope of what teaching can look like and from whom.

The word "pastor" comes from the Greek word poimēn and it means "to shepherd or manage". It is a position, not a spiritual gift. While pastors do preach from the Word they require other spiritual gifts in order to interpret the Word. The actual meaning behind the word “evangelist” is anyone who brings a message of “good news”. For the Christian, that message is that there is forgiveness of sins and salvation in Jesus Christ. So the “position” of evangelist is something all Christians are to be actively engaged in. An evangelist, therefore, is not just a celebrity preacher you see on T.V. who draws huge crowds to hear them speak. An evangelist is anyone who shares the “good news” about Jesus with someone else. Something all Christians are called to do (Matthew 28:18-20). But it is one thing to “share” what you know and quite another to interpret the Scriptures.

James 3:1 says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”

In other words, those who teach from the Word of God, must know it and not take it out of context, keeping the full counsel of God close to their hearts as they seek to rightly interpret it. Why? Because those who teach from the Word of God are responsible for the growth and edification of the church body and for ensuring no false doctrine is taught. Ultimately, they will be held accountable by God for what they taught others from His Word. Those who teach from God’s Word do have a “gift” for being able to make things clear to others. But a “teacher” is not a spiritual gift. Rather, the gifts a teacher possesses in order to teach - prophecy, exhortation, wisdom, discernment and knowledge (to name a few) make up the “gift of teaching” in order for teachers to carry out their role.

Previously, we talked about the gift of prophecy. There is a difference between the gift of prophecy and a prophet. One exhorts, edifies and comforts (1 Cor. 14:3), while the other receives direct revelation from the Lord, as relates to the spiritual condition of God’s people or future events. Usually, these prophets herald warnings from God of coming judgment, with promises of blessings if people repent and turn back to Him. So a “prophet” is not a spiritual gift, but the gift of prophecy is.

As for the role of apostle, this too is not a spiritual gift. An apostle was someone who had seen Jesus and was an eye-witness to his resurrection (Acts 1:21-22). There are some who believe that anyone who plants a church is an apostle. This would be inaccurate, as an apostle (by Peter’s own definition) is someone who has seen the Lord, talked to him and was a witness to his resurrection. Since those who go out to establish new churches have never seen the Lord, nor eye-witnesses to his resurrection, they are not apostles. They may say they have a “gift” of apostleship to be able to establish a church, but the gifts necessary to establish a church would be the gifts of administration, faith, discernment and wisdom for example. An apostle is not a spiritual gift. It is a position in the early church that was held only by those who had seen and talked to Jesus. Those who call themselves apostles today are using the word falsely, for there is no such position in the church today.

Paul stresses the importance of edification in the church and the purpose behind Spiritual Gifts. With the gift of prophecy we use it to edify the church and likewise, all gifts should be used to edify the church. Paul even says in relation to the gift of tongues, “If I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?” (1 Cor. 14:6). In other words, if the gift you have is not being used to edify the church – what is the point of having it?

The Difference Between a Talent,
A Calling and a Gift

Do our talents or passions dictate our gifts? What is the difference?

A talent is something you are naturally born with. A calling is something you have a passion for and a spiritual gift is how you fulfill that calling.

For example, I had a talent for singing when I was growing up. I was professionally trained and my career as a singer was an open road before me. And right during the middle of it all I accepted Christ as my Saviour. I had a choice to make - sing for God or continue as planned and go for the career in music. I chose to sing for God, much to my instructor's dismay who had dreams of sending me on to Julliard's (her Alma-mater) in New York. She was quite furious with me actually. But God had grabbed me and I wanted to honour Him with the voice He gave me by using it to tell others about Him. In fact, I was compelled to use my voice in that way. As a "teaching" tool. I didn't realize then about the spiritual gifts God had given me, but He knew and He prepared me to use them in a unique way.

At one point I might have said singing was my passion or calling. But now, when I look back on my life and can see where God directed my focus, I know that my "passion" is studying His Word and sharing it with others. He has called me to teach and has given me the spiritual gifts to be able to carry that out. When I sang, I would often try to use my songs to teach a lesson about God. In fact, I was so focused on getting that message across that one gentleman said to me once after a concert, that I talked too much during the concert and needed to stop. He said, "People come to hear you sing, not preach." Clearly, my passion or "calling" - my gift - was teaching, not singing and without realizing it at the time, I was trying to use it. My talent was something I could use to honour God, but it was not a spiritual gift. Which is probably why God orchestrated events where I would permanently lose my singing voice (you can read about that here) as I was taking way too long (30 years) to put the gift He gave me (teaching) to good use.

As we journey through the Gifts of the Spirit you might begin to notice that your passions are a reflection of the spiritual gifts you have been given. Yes, our talents may dictate our career options or positions in the church. And they may even point the way to what our underlying gifts really are. But "talents" are not gifts any more than a position in the church such as Pastor, Prophet, or Teacher is a spiritual gift. Keep that in mind as we journey through the Gifts of the Spirit, as it will help you to understand your role in the church body, and what gifts you have been given to fulfill that role.

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Unlocking God's Word

What the Spiritual Gift of Giving Really Means

The Gift of Exhortation

Till I come, give attention to reading,
to exhortation, to doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:13

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Share Your Link to it Below.

The "Gift" of Teaching

Characteristics of a Teacher

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Understanding Your Spiritul Gifts

The Difference Between a Talent,
A Calling and a Gift

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Archives

Categories

​Unlocking God's Word

What the Spiritual Gift of Giving Really Means

The Gift of Exhortation

Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ​1 Timothy 4:13 ​

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog? Share Your Link to it Below.

The "Gift" of Teaching

Characteristics of a Teacher ​

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog? Share Your Link to it Below.

Understanding Your Spiritul Gifts

The Difference Between a Talent, ​ A Calling and a Gift ​

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog? ​Share your link below.

Archives

Categories

Unlocking God's Word

Till I come, give attention to reading,
to exhortation, to doctrine.
1 Timothy 4:13

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog?
Share Your Link to it Below.

Characteristics of a Teacher

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog?
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The Difference Between a Talent,
A Calling and a Gift

Do You Have a Faith-Based Blog?
Share your link below.