Thursday, January 24, 2008
Gifts
Last Sunday Bible School Pastor Jim spoke about the Holy Spirit and that there were nine gifts. So I thought it would be nice to share what I found surfing our friend the Internet on the Gift of the Holy Spirit. To start out this nine days of the gift of the Holy Spirit Pastor Jim went over the Gift of Knowledge. So this is what I found on that one.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
I suppose there is more mystique surrounding the Holy Spirit than the other members of the Godhead, the Father and the Son. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is himself deity or God (2 Cor. 13: 14; Acts 5: 3, 4). The Spirit has performed a specific work. He was active in the original creation (Gen. 1: 2, see "let us" and "our image" in Gen. 1: 26). He also had the work of creating order to the last dispensation, the age of the gospel (Jn. 14: 26, 16: 13). His work was miraculous (Lk. 24: 49, Acts 1: 5, 8). The Spirit also helped stabilize the early church during its infancy by providing certain miraculous gifts. These gifts were experienced in two ways: the baptism of the Spirit (case of the apostles, Acts 1: 8, they appear to have had all the gifts), and the "laying on of the apostle's hands" (Acts 8: 17-19, Rom. 1: 11). The gifts of the Spirit are seen in I Corinthians 12: 8-10 and they are nine in number. Exactly what were these gifts?
"7: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10: To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues" (I Cor. 12).
Let us now consider each of these nine gifts to determine their nature, utility, and how they guarded the early church against false doctrine.
The "word of knowledge" (vs. 8). Notice the recurring expression "to another." As a rule and in general, probably only one gift was enjoyed by the recipient. However, there appear to have been exceptions (see I Cor. 14: 5, cp. vs. 2, 4). The "word of knowledge" seems to especially affect the intellect and enable the person having this gift to understand the deeper matters of the gospel. Jesus told the apostles that, "…when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak" (Matt. 10: 19). Notice the "how" (pos) and "what" (ti). "How" would seem to allude to the wisdom (word of wisdom) and "what" to the knowledge (word of knowledge).
Here is a chapter from our Bible that has a little more on the Gift of knowledge:
Knowledge: 1 Cor 13:8
Each Sunday he will speak on another of the Gifts. I have found them all while searching our friend the internet.
Don't forget that Sunday is our 3rd year Anniversary, we have some exciting things planned so come out and join us at 1:00pm at the YMCA in Kissimmee.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
I suppose there is more mystique surrounding the Holy Spirit than the other members of the Godhead, the Father and the Son. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is himself deity or God (2 Cor. 13: 14; Acts 5: 3, 4). The Spirit has performed a specific work. He was active in the original creation (Gen. 1: 2, see "let us" and "our image" in Gen. 1: 26). He also had the work of creating order to the last dispensation, the age of the gospel (Jn. 14: 26, 16: 13). His work was miraculous (Lk. 24: 49, Acts 1: 5, 8). The Spirit also helped stabilize the early church during its infancy by providing certain miraculous gifts. These gifts were experienced in two ways: the baptism of the Spirit (case of the apostles, Acts 1: 8, they appear to have had all the gifts), and the "laying on of the apostle's hands" (Acts 8: 17-19, Rom. 1: 11). The gifts of the Spirit are seen in I Corinthians 12: 8-10 and they are nine in number. Exactly what were these gifts?
"7: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9: To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10: To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues" (I Cor. 12).
Let us now consider each of these nine gifts to determine their nature, utility, and how they guarded the early church against false doctrine.
The "word of knowledge" (vs. 8). Notice the recurring expression "to another." As a rule and in general, probably only one gift was enjoyed by the recipient. However, there appear to have been exceptions (see I Cor. 14: 5, cp. vs. 2, 4). The "word of knowledge" seems to especially affect the intellect and enable the person having this gift to understand the deeper matters of the gospel. Jesus told the apostles that, "…when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak" (Matt. 10: 19). Notice the "how" (pos) and "what" (ti). "How" would seem to allude to the wisdom (word of wisdom) and "what" to the knowledge (word of knowledge).
Here is a chapter from our Bible that has a little more on the Gift of knowledge:
Knowledge: 1 Cor 13:8
Each Sunday he will speak on another of the Gifts. I have found them all while searching our friend the internet.
Don't forget that Sunday is our 3rd year Anniversary, we have some exciting things planned so come out and join us at 1:00pm at the YMCA in Kissimmee.
