Spritual Gifts

Intro

Who I am

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Church Background

Grew up in a pentecostal/charismatic church

Moved to Hawaii when I was 15

Lived on a YWAM base (charismatic org)

Went to a calvary chapel (cessationist/open but cautious church)

Attended college at a four square affiliated church (pentecostal church)

I have been blessed to experience a wide range of differing views on the gifts and have seen those views expressed in both corporate and private settings.

With that said I have a deep appreciation for all of my brothers and sisters in Christ who stand on both sides of this theological position and I hope that tonight I may be able to bring clarity to some of these positions while also not alienating anyone who may hold to one or the other.

PRAY

First we will talk about the general position of the three main positions or views of the gifts of the Spirit.

Views of the Gifts

Cessationist

Pentecostal/charismatic

Open but cautious

I do recognize there are more views out there than just these three but for the purpose of our 2 hours we can only cover three so I have tried to pick the three most widely held views

Then we will move to what the gifts are and how to use them

Various gifts and their use

After this we will divide the gifts into three main camps

Miraculous gifts

Word gifts

Service gifts

Finally we will talk about what each views positions are on the use of the gifts today with specific reference to prophecy, healing, and tongues

Positions on the use of gifts today

Lastly before we begin I would like to say that there are certain topics we will not be covering today.

A person must speak in tongues to be a “true christian”

A person must speak in tongues to show the Holy Spirit dwells inside them

People who speak in tongues are more “spiritual” or mature

If someone is not healed after prayer it is the fault of the sick person for not having enough faith

God wants ALL believers to be healthy and wealthy today

It’s always God’s will to heal a Christian who is sick

God will grant the things that we claim in faith

There are apostles like Peter and Paul in today’s church

God should not be expected to heal today in answer to prayer

God never works miracles today because those have ceased

Charismatics and pentecostals are not Christians or they are a cult

Charismatics are unintellectual

Cessationists are dry and rationalistic in their faith

These are very broad extremely general statements that are often applied to groups as a whole and it is very difficult to defend these statements with the totality of scripture.

Wayne Grudem says this in the preface of the book (Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? - Four Views) about these topics

“I believe it is fair to say that all four authors would unite in their rejection of these teachings. These positions, as far as we know, are defended by no academic leaders in any branch of the evangelical world. In some cases they are misrepresentations of the teaching of Scripture, and in others they are caricatures of other positions, but in every case they are teachings that we think hinder and disturb the body of Christ, not building it up or strengthening it in truth and in faithfulness to God’s Word.” - Wayne Grudem

I recognize that some may have or still hold some of these views and if we have time after equip we can talk through some of these statements however for the sake of time we must jump into our first discussion time.

Discussion Time (5 Minutes)

What is your view of the Holy Spirit’s role in our church and in our world today?

The drawing of unbelievers to salvation and the equipping of believers to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth

Views of the Gifts

Cessationist

Cessationists believe that certain gifts of the Holy Spirit were confined to the first century and were used at the time the apostles were establishing the churches and when the New Testament was not yet complete. Cessationist theology began during the reformation and is widely held in reformed and dispensationalist circles

They would hold the position that certain gifts were given to the apostles for the purpose of showing the authority of God on their lives in order that they may grow the church, and add to the canon of scripture (the Word of God) through their words and letters. Literally showing that they have authority from Him to speak on behalf of Him

Once the canon of scripture is completed some, (not ALL) of these gifts ceased because there was no need for supernatural authority to be given through gifts as we can find supernatural authority through the Words of God written in the canon of Scripture.

Pentecostal/Charismatic

Most Pentecostals trace their roots back to the United States in 1901 with the Pentecostal revival at Azusa Street

Pentecostal view

They hold the view that

All gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the new testament are intended for today

Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowering experience that follows after a believers conversion and should be sought by believers today

When people are baptized in the Holy Spirit they will speak in tongues as a “sign” that they have received this experience

Charismatic view

The charismatic movement began in the 1960’s-70’s with the charismatic renewal movement

They as well seek to practice ALL the gifts of the new testament but they differ on whether baptism in the Spirit follows conversion as well as not all believe that speaking in tongues is a requirement of a sign on the baptism of the Holy Spirit

There is no denominational adherence when it comes to the charismatic movement

instead they see themselves as a force for renewal within the existing protestant churches

Due to their views that ALL the gifts are for the New Testament church we have included them together for our discussion tonight

Open but Cautious

The last group of believers makes up a vast number of evangelicals who do not see themselves as either Cessationist or Pentecostal/Charismatic.

They are open to the possibility of all the gifts being used today but they are cautious around certain “miraculous” gifts due to their possibility of abuse of these gifts that has been seen in various movements in todays culture

This group of people who are open but cautious have the name...

Open but Cautious

Gifts and Their Use

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

Apostle

This is typically accepted as an Office or position held by the twelve disciples, and Paul

Some point to places like Acts 14:4 to point out that people like Barnabas were also included as apostles

This can be because he was with Paul and helped Paul to establish churches and advance the Gospel around the world.

None the less the office/gift of apostle is almost universally accepted as an office reserved for the 12 and Paul

Prophet

One speaking on behalf of God

Prophets or prophecy typically reveals coming events or the will of God in a given situation

Prophesy in scripture differs from prophesy today (if prophesy exists today)

Prophesy in scripture holds the same authority as the scripture itself.

If we entertain the idea that prophesy exists today then we must understand that prophesy today is subjected to scripture as the ultimate authority.

A believer must understand that scripture holds the ultimate authority in the life of a believer as the inherent word of God

John Piper says this about Prophecy

Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999) The Authority and Nature of the Gift of Prophecy

Let me begin by affirming the finality and sufficiency of Scripture, the 66 books of the Bible. Nothing I say about today’s prophecies means that they have authority over our lives like Scripture does. Whatever prophecies are given today do not add to Scripture. They are tested by Scripture. Scripture is closed and final; it is a foundation, not a building in process.

The best way to see this is to see how the teaching of the apostles was the final authority in the early church and how other prophecies did not have this final authority. For example, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:37–38, “If any one thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that what I am writing to you is a command of the Lord. If any one does not recognize this, he is not recognized.” The implication is plain: the teaching of the apostle has final authority. The claims to prophecy in the church, then and now, do not have this authority

Teacher

Historically teachers (specifically of the law) would teach in various settings, not just on stage.

It’s why we see Jesus teaching in many places like on hill tops, sea shores, as they are walking from place to place, in houses.

The gift of teaching means you are equipped to teach the word of God where ever you go

Obviously one who is a skilled communicator may be an effective teacher, but without a deep understanding of the word of God he can become nothing more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing or a false teacher.

Teacher does not mean stage communicator

If you believe you have the gift of teaching ask yourself who am I teaching right now?

Teachers teach wherever they are, it’s why guys like Donnie and Ben and Spencer are able to teach kids as little as 1 to kids as old as 100. They teach where they are planted

Miracles

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Miracles, Signs, Wonders

Events which unmistakably involve an immediate and powerful action of God designed to reveal His character or purposes.

Miracles we see in the Old Testament

Split of the Red Sea

Ten Plagues

Walls of Jericho

Sodom and Gamorah

Miracles in the New Testament

Apostles set free from prison

Jesus and Peter walking on water

storms calmed

Kinds of Healing

Self explanatory

Helps

The ability to offer help and assistance

We see this gift used by many of our shepherds and servants who do behind the scenes work of setting up and tearing down events, our care ministry, and others who faithfully serve week in and week out in building up others in the church

Administration

Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary Administration

Spiritual gift that God gives to some members to build up the church (1 Cor. 12:28 NASB, NIV, RSV; HCSB “managing”), called “governments” in KJV. The Greek word kubernesis occurs only here in the Greek NT. It describes the ability to lead or hold a position of leadership.

Tongues

We will address this more in depth after our break but I will say this...

The word to describe tongues are dialektos (language) and glossa (tongue, language)

1 Corinthians 12:8–13 ESV

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

Word of Wisdom

Word of Knowledge

Faith

Distinguishing Between Spirits

Interpretation of Tongues

Ephesians 4:11 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,

Evangelist

Pastor-Teacher

Romans 12:6–8 ESV

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Serving

Encouraging

Contributing

Leadership

Mercy