BIBLE TEACHINGS MADE PLAIN part 22 – Spiritual gifts

BIBLE TEACHINGS MADE PLAIN part 22

Spiritual gifts

In the previous lesson number 21 we discussed how the church is supported by its members through rendering God’s Holy tithe and bringing freewill offerings. The church is also supported by the gifts or talents of its church members as they have been endowed by the Holy Spirit. The gifts and talents we have are from the Holy Spirit and each one of us has a talent or two, some have more. We are all one in Christ, all sinners who are forgiven and bought by the blood of Christ, Gal.3:29; Eph.1:7; Col.1:14.

By baptism we become members of the body of Christ, which is His church of which Christ is the head. While we are all equal before God in value, because for each one of us the same price has been paid for our redemption, there is still diversity in function. The human body is also one unit but has a diversity of functions and organs and parts.
All these functions depend upon each other and one cannot operate without the other. The same is true of the Body, the church of Christ, and is carefully explained by the apostle Paul in 1Cor.12:13-20. In 12:26 he explains that when one part of the body is sick the other parts are sympathising. The same should take place in church.

From our study about tithing we learned that the tithe was used for those who had to do the ministry in the tabernacle, the tribe of Levi. It was an exclusive male function.
When the tabernacle was to be erected the Lord selected special people with the necessary skill to do the work of the building of the Holy Ark.Ex.31:1-11 and 35:30-35

Jesus in His teaching used two parables to explain the importance of using properly our God given talents. One you find in Matt.25:14-30 and the other in Luke 19:11-27.
Not everybody received the same, but all were responsible for what they received.
They had to work with it, “occupy till I come”, Luke 19:13. To occupy means to be active with it. Paul writes that for the NT church these talents or gifts are for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the church, the body of Christ. You read that in Eph.4:12. As we support the church with our financial means so we are asked to support the church with our gifts and talents as well, when a call is made upon is.
Not everybody will fit in the same function to keep the church smoothly operating.

There are functions to perform in the local church and that is regulated annually through the system of a nominating committee and voted into action by the church members in a church business meeting. There are also functions on the conference level which is regulated every three years and the union and General Conference every five years. This is based upon what happened in Acts 6:1-7. The infant Christian church grew in strength and numbers and more help was needed.

The apostle Paul also gives a listing of various functions operating in the church. We read about it in Rom.12:4-8. He mentions different gifts as the prophetic gift, ministry, teaching and exhorting which tends to be pastoral work of being a spiritual shepherd. Paul also writes about ruling which covers leadership or church administration. Some of these functions are voluntarily by what we call lay-people others are functions done by employed people.

The next listing we find in 1Cor.12:9-11 some are the same and others have been added to the list. Working miracles, which could be people with special skills, prophecy, discerning of spirits, people with special insight regarding what is right or wrong. Also divers tongues or languages and other interpretation of tongues or languages which may be translating languages. You may know a language but to translate that language requires special skills and knowledge. Some are more gifted in this respect than others. More is mentioned in 12:27, 28 about apostles those who are sent as missionaries to other places, so-called expatriate workers. Again we read about prophets, teachers, miracle performers as mentioned before and healing those who are skilful in medical work. Then also is added “helps” could be people who are always ready to help and give assistance where needed and finally again governments which tends to go in the direction of church administration, to govern the church correctly.
Tongues or languages are also mentioned in this section.

In 1Cor.12:29-31 Paul explains that not all have the same gift or talent and he adds I will show you a more excellent way which he does in 1Cor.13 the well known chapter about love. We may have many talents and excellent gifts but if they are not practiced from a heart of love towards God and our fellowmen it will be of no use to God. What Jesus in His ministry here on earth did was done from a heart of pure love, so should we be and act the same.

The next listing we find in Eph.4:8 and 11-16. He starts with verse 8 telling us that when Jesus ascended into heaven He gave gifts to men for the purpose doing the work of God on earth. In verses 11-16 we have the following listing, apostles as before, also prophets again, evangelists, pastors and teachers and all these gifts for the up building of the church.

In another place we find other church functions mentioned, like deacons in Acts 6:1-7 and in 1Tim.3:8-13. But we also have the position of elders as mentioned in 1Tim.3:1-7 and in Titus 1:5-12 It is clearly laid out who should be an elder.

In Romans 16:1 we read about women who have been servants in the church. The word servant here in the Greek relates to minister, a deacon and for females it becomes deaconess, being active in work for the church.

You may have noticed that each time in each listing the function of prophet is mentioned or the prophetic gift, which is the Spirit of Prophecy, according to Rev.19:10. We will have a closer look at this function in the church. When people give a testimony they testify of a certain experience. When Jesus gives a testimony He passes His message to a person and such a person is called a prophet or messenger of God. In Old Testament times such people were called seer, 1Sam.9:9

All 40 Bible writers are functioning as prophets or messengers of God. They were men or women of God and moved by the Holy Spirit, 2 Pet.2:21. I write women because there have been also females who had the prophetic gift, like Miriam Ex.15:20, 21; Mic.6:4; Deborah Judg.4:5; Huldah 2Kings 22:14-20; Anna Luke 2:36-38; and the four daughters of Philip Acts 21:9. All these people acted as prophet but they never wrote for the Bible.

We also find men who had the prophetic gift but did not write for the Bible, men like Nathan in the time of King David; Obed in 2Chron.28:9, Simeon at the time of Jesus’ birth; John the Baptist, Agabus and others. These men also are mentioned in the Bible as prophets but never wrote for the Bible It is true that Jesus warned against false prophets and that especially in the last days, Matt.24:11. But there were also false prophets in Old Testament times as well, read Ezek. 13. The apostle Paul warned false teachers would come to confuse the members of the church, Acts 20:30. At the same time Paul wrote in 1Thess.5:20, 21 not to despise it but to prove all things. It should be tested with the Word of God.Isa.8:20. Where there is false there must be also the genuine. Counterfeit money is evidence that there is genuine money. Often there is different kind of counterfeit money, so it is important to know what the genuine looks like.

In the Seventh-day Adventist Church the ministry of Ellen G.White is recognised as a genuine manifestation of the prophetic gift or the Spirit of Prophecy. In spite of the fact that she died in 1915 does not make her ministry less valuable. All 40 Bible writers are dead but we still regard their work highly in what they have left behind for us in the Bible. Ellen G.White is not regarded as a part of the Bible and not equal to the Bible writers but it is recognised that the same Spirit which inspired the Bible writers did inspire Ellen G.White. This is confirmed at each General Conference session of the Seventh-day Adventist church. The last statement of confirmation was done at Atlanta, USA in July 2010 during the 59th session of the General Conference. Ellen G.White herself never claimed the title of prophet but said I am a messenger of the Lord. Those who are endowed with this gift and used by God as such are subject to being tested, 1Thess.5:20-22; 1John 4:1

Through the years of her life and thereafter she has been severely subject to such testing and in spite of her enemies trying to prove the opposite she always came forth from any test pure and clean. Plenty books have been written to defuse the attacks of her enemies and attempts to denounce her as a false prophet. The first test always has to do with the Word of God, does her work and ministry confirm or contradict the Bible. Isa.8:20. Brilliantly she has always passed this test. She confirms and upholds the Bible always and at all times. She always gives in her writings the Bible first place, points to the Bible and encourages to study the Bible. Doctrine must be built on the Bible.

The next test has to do with predictions. We find this in Deut.18:21, 22 and Jer.28:9 Books are available where her predictions are published and its fulfilment. No one has failed. Some predictions were conditional, as they are at times conditional in the Bible.

How does she relate to Christ? Here again she is faithful to her Saviour Jesus Christ. Her last word before she died was, “I know in whom I have believed” and that was Jesus Christ her Lord and Master. Lift up Christ was always her message. She lifted Christ up in her own messages in writing and speaking but especially in books like STEPS TO CHRIST, DESIRE OF AGES, CHRIST OBJECT LESSON and others.

Then there is the test of fruit according to Matt. 7:16, 18-20. She gained an outstanding reputation in the community where she lived and laboured, doesn’t matter if it was in the USA, Europe or Australia. (Cooranbong). Her Christian life was always highly respected and accepted and always concerned about the welfare of her community, especially those in need.

She was one of the first organisers, pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and as such she had a positive influence upon the formation of the church in its infancy. That influence is still present, respected and where followed the results are noticeable.

We know from Rev.12:17 that the last day remnant of the seed of the woman, the church of Christ will be recognisable by two special marks. One of the first Christian churches was marked by that gift, 1Cor.1:6 “the Testimony of Christ confirmed” No wonder that the last day church has the same mark the Testimony of Jesus or Spirit of Prophecy.Rev.19:10 Only the Seventh-day Adventist church qualifies for being that last remnant of Christ. It is a Christian, believing and confessing Christ church and has that Testimony of Christ. There are churches that do keep the Seventh day Sabbath but do not have the prophetic gift. There are churches that do not keep the Seventh-day Sabbath and claim they have the prophetic gift. Such churches do not qualify either; it needs to be both together and not one or the other.

It is not a matter of boasting, because it is not of human origin. It should make and keep us humble thanking God that we have the privilege to learn about it and having come in contact with God’s last day remnant church. Dear reader you are invited in Christ’s name to join that remnant church without any necessary delay and be part of that body of Christ.
God bless in making that decision.

Commitment: It is my decision to become a member of God’s last day remnant church and use my God given talents and gifts to support that church in its preaching of the everlasting gospel.