The continuation of our study on Spiritual Gifting focuses on a crucial principle: honouring the Giver and the Word above the blessings themselves. We look into how true spiritual maturity is defined not by the possession of powerful gifts, but by internal transformation and the unwavering priority given to the Word of God.
Our foundation is found in Genesis 24, detailing Abraham’s servant (Eliezer) bringing jewels of silver, gold, and raiment to Rebecca. Though Rebecca accepted these precious gifts with gratitude and reverence, she was not overwhelmed by them. When asked if she wished to wait ten days before leaving, her immediate answer was, “I will go.”
Rebecca’s enthusiasm was fixed on meeting the giver of the gift—Isaac, who here types Jesus Christ. She understood that the giver of the gift is greater than the gift. If the gifts were so admirable, the giver must be much more admirable. This serves as a vital reminder for the body of Christ: while we accept God’s blessings with gratitude, the most important thing is meeting and relating to the Giver.
The Dual Purpose of Gifts: Perfection vs. Edification
It is essential to distinguish between the various ways God gifts the Church.
1. Gifts for Perfection (Ephesians 4)
The gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:7 are given exclusively to men—the fivefold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers). The primary objective of these gifts is the perfecting of the saints.
Perfection happens “till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
- Transformation through the Word: The only thing that works on your perfection is the Word of God. Constant exposure to the Word is required for internal transformation.
- Character Building: God is more interested in our character than our comfort. The process of becoming like Christ—a wife submitting to her husband or a husband loving his wife—is the work of the Ephesians 4 gifts bearing the Word. If transformation is not happening, despite constant exposure to the Word, it indicates a stunted growth.
2. Gifts for Edification (1 Corinthians 12/14)
The spiritual gift (such as prophecy, tongues, or word of knowledge) is given to each member of the body for the benefit of another. These gifts are an immense blessing from God to ease the burden of the body.
These gifts do not perfect you. Instead, they serve three functions:
- Comfort
- Exhortation
- Edification (building up the body of Christ)
The church at Corinth came behind in no gift; they had all the gifts. Yet, this was the church that gave the Apostle Paul the most trouble, marked by quarrels, contention, divisions, and even grievous sin like fornication. Paul had to address them as carnal, not spiritual, even as babes in Christ.
This demonstrates that the mere presence of gifts does not validate a true church. What shows that a church is spiritual is when the gifts are administered according to the Word of God and when the Word is given its proper honor.
The Danger of Exalting the Gift Above the Word
When spiritual gifts are placed above the altar (above the Word), the result is a carnal church—people who are weak, easily thrown, and unsure what they believe.
Jesus emphasized, “Which one is more important, is it the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?” The gift cannot do more than the word that it is fed with. If you leave an assembly where the true Word is taught, the characteristics of your gift will change because the altar (the Word/assembly teaching) sanctifies the gift.
Do not depend on your gift or any outward sensation (like falling down during a prayer meeting) to think that you are justified. Anything short of an inner transformation, driven by love for Christ, is a mere sensation.
Faithful Stewardship and the More Excellent Way
Every single person has been given a gift. We are stewards of these endowments. The purpose of the gift is not for the benefit of the bearer or their family; it must be used selflessly, for the profiting of the body. If the gift is used for self-benefit or “weaponized against the body,” it will dry up, ceasing to be spiritual.
We must “Occupy till I come.” Failure to use the gift, or burying it (as the servant with one talent did), is an unfaithful use that can lead to being declared an “unprofitable servant” and being cast into outer darkness (the great tribulation). When we are not busy using our God-given endowments, we become distracted and susceptible to the devil’s workshop.
The ultimate framework for using any gift is the More Excellent Way: Charity.
- If the objective of your gift is outside charity, it is merely a natural gift, not a spiritual gift.
- If you have the gift of prophecy, tongues, faith to move mountains, or understand all mysteries, “and have not charity, I am nothing.”
- Charity is the strength of the church and covers multitudes of sins. If a brother or sister offends you, you have two options: meet them and discuss it, or forget about it.
Protecting the Vessel
To remain a faithful steward and ensure your gift retains its spiritual efficacy, three things must be observed:
- Stay Away from Gossip: Gossip defiles the vessel completely. This is crucial for vocal gifts, visions, and dreams, as the subconscious mind can conjure stories based on what you have heard, potentially blurring the line between divine revelation and mere mental fabrication.
- Never Lift Any Gift Above the Word of God: The Word of God must always have preeminence and be given its full course to ground people in the faith.
- Do Not Break the Order of Administration: If you wish to see the gift come to maturity, do not break the order that has been set in the assembly.
Furthermore, if God reveals something sensitive about another member (a vision or dream that is not a public prophecy), you have a divine trust. This information must never be shared with another person other than the pastor or bishop. Sharing it invites commotion and contention (as seen in Corinth). The appropriate response is to pray and intercede for that person.
Ultimately, our ambition, motive, and objective should be to seek to glorify Jesus Christ. The way we glorify Jesus is by edifying His body. We pray for God’s Word to have preeminence in our lives so that we become more like Christ and stand on solid ground, ensuring our work is not burnt but rewarded.