Overview

There are three main lists of spiritual gifts in the Bible, and they are all in the New Testament. Each of these lists is distinct and different from the other two. Many teachers approach this subject as if all of these gifts can be lumped together into one big list, but this hinders us from properly understanding and receiving the gifts.

Romans 12:6-8 lists seven gifts which almost seem like personality types. They have been called “Motivational Gifts,” because they tell what motivates us, what “makes us tick,” and how we approach life. I believe that we, to some degree, are born with these gifts, but they cannot be fully seen until we trust in Jesus for our salvation and are filled with His love. Then, as we seek to love and help others, our primary motivational gift will show itself more clearly.

1Corinthians 12:7-10 lists nine gifts which are described as “manifestations of the Holy Spirit.” These are supernatural giftings or empowerments by the Holy Spirit to enable believers to minister to others.

Ephesians 4:11 lists four (or some say five) of what many call “Office Gifts.” In this case, the person is a gift to the church, sent to function in a particular office or position.

 

Motivational Gifts- Romans 12

 

Romans 12:4-8   For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy,  in proportion to one’s faith; if service, in serving; or the one who teaches, in teaching; or the encourager, let him give encouragement ; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who leads, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” (My own translation based on the NASB).

I believe that each of us is born with one of these gifts or aptitudes, but that it really comes to life when we are born again. When Christ comes into our life, His love causes us to want to help others. We all have some ability in all of these areas, but we are stronger in some areas than in others. Each of us has the ability to serve and help others in all of these ways, but one of these is what really motivates us. One of these “gifts” is the way that WE approach life. Ask God to help you understand which gift from Romans 12 is what really “makes you tick.”

Imagining the following scenario may help you to discover what motivates you, and which of these gifts is the main one that God has given you:

Imagine that you are at a party. Everyone had dinner, and the leftovers have been removed from the table. Everyone has been talking for a while, and now it is time for dessert. The hostess walks into the room carrying a big cake, balanced up in the air on one hand. Suddenly she catches her foot on the leg of a chair, and she stumbles. The cake flies out of her hand, flips over, and hits the carpeting icing side down. What do YOU do?

The PROPHET says something like, “Well, that cake is history!”

The TEACHER is thinking, “The reason that she dropped the cake was because she was holding it with only one hand..”

Almost before anyone can say or do anything, the SERVER has already grabbed a rag and is beginning to clean up the mess.

The GIVER says, “Here is $10 to buy a new cake.”

The LEADER says, “Yes, Mark, can you go buy us a new cake, and, Jeff, can you get a broom and help Mary clean up that cake?”

The MERCY PERSON says, “Oh Liz, I’m so sorry that this happened!”

The ENCOURAGER says, “Yes, but it will all work out just fine!”

How would you respond? To which of these people can you best relate? This is just a fictitious scenario… but would you want to teach people how to do it better next time? Is your first motivation to comfort the lady who dropped the cake? Do you want to help everyone get organized? Are you a blunt person who just tells it like it is? Do you want to encourage the whole group? Are you generous and supportive… or are you the first one to just quietly do what needs to be done?

Again, all of us should have at least some ability to function in all of these ways. This teaching on “Motivational Gifts” is not to put you or anyone else in a box. On the other hand, understanding our different gifts can help us understand why we and others act the way that we do. It can help us to be more patient with those, even in the church, who react to life’s situations much differently than we do. Understanding our own “Motivational Gift” can help us to focus on serving God and others in the areas where we we are best suited, and in the ways that will be the most fulfilling. This will also bring God the most glory.  God made each of us for a purpose, and He made each of us differently. What a blessing it is to discover the place in the body of Christ for which we were specially designed!

I want to acknowledge that my understanding of the Motivational Gifts was largely gained from the teachings of Rev. Don Pickerill, one of my instructors at L.I.F.E. Bible College in 1975. I also received insight into these gifts from Bill Gothard of the Institute in Basic Youth Conficts around that same time.

 

Manifestations of the Holy Spirit-  1 Corinthians 12

 

1Corinthians 12:7-11  “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” NKJV

Verse 7 tells us that these “gifts” are “manifestation(s) of the the Holy Spirit.” Unlike the gifts in Romans 12, these gifts are not natural abilities or even natural abilities enhanced by the Holy Spirit. These are supernatural empowerments given by the Holy Spirit. Today, these gifts are seen extensively among Christians in China, India, and countries all over Africa: places where Christians are often poor and suffering, and they have no choice but to humbly depend on God. Sadly, in most western nations we are “too advanced” to think that things like these can happen today. Many books have been written explaining how God stopped doing miracles after the canon of scripture was complete and the apostles had all passed away. Fortunately, Christians in third-world countries have not yet learned these new teachings, and they continue to see God work miracles in their midst.

God did work in a special way through Jesus and the apostles, but Jesus said in John 14:12

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (NIV).  Look at the preceding verse: Jesus had just spoken of “miracles.”

You and I can see God do miracles today if we simply have faith in Jesus. You and I and our churches today can experience the manifestations of the Holy Spirit if we will walk in faith.  Someday the gifts of the Holy Spirit will pass away, but that will not be until we see the Lord “face to face” (1Corinthians 13:8-12).

We in the western church today understand how the Romans 12 gifts would look in our churches today. On the other hand, few of us understand what it would be like to see the manifestations of the Holy Spirit spoken of in 1Corinthians 12. I will give you some simple explanations of what I think it might look like to see these gifts. (I have seen most of these gifts in operation first hand).

Verse 8, “the word of wisdom,” is when God gives someone a word or message of wisdom for a particular group of people at a particular time. God sheds light and shows them what they should do.

“To another (God gives) the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.” This gift is when the Holy Spirit gives supernatural knowledge or information about someone or something. This knowledge might be given as a sign to the one who will hear this word, showing that God knows and cares about him or her. It could also come with counsel or correction telling the person or group what they should do in light of this knowledge.

Verse 9, “To another faith by the same Spirit.” Romans 12:3 tells us that “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (NKJV). Everyone has some faith, but this gift of faith is a supernatural faith given by the working of the Holy Spirit. God enables us to trust Him for things that seem impossible.

“To another gifts of healings by the same Spirit.” The Greek is plural here: it is “gifts of healings.” Many have taught that this means that the Holy Spirit gives a gift of healing to people temporarily so they can heal someone in need. There may be some truth to this, but there are also people in the body of Christ to whom and through whom God seems to repeatedly give gifts of healing. Again, there are teachers today who say that this gift passed away with the early church. They try to explain away James 5:14-15 “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” Notice that the human instrument did not need to be Jesus or the apostles. Believers who were sick were to call the elders of their local church. The elders were to anoint them with oil (a symbol of the Holy Spirit), pray in faith, and the Lord would raise up the sick person. It sounds like wisely and tactfully helping the sick person to deal with any persistent sins in his life might also be a part of the healing. The point is, though, that gifts of healing are available to believers today. The Holy Spirit is the One who heals. We are simply to trust God and call for the elders. The elders are to pray and believe. We can also lay hands on the sick and speak healing to them (or to ourselves). 

Verse 10, “To another the working of miracles.” The word “working” comes from the Greek word ENERGEIMA from which we get our word energy. The word for miracles comes from the Greek word DUNAMIS from which we get our English word dynamite. One could say that the gift of working of miracles is like energizing the power of dynamite. This gift is the power of the Holy Spirit doing something that is humanly impossible. God does miracles through everyday Christians who believe in His power.

“To another prophecy.” One with the gift of prophecy speaks forth a message from God intended for a specific group of people at a specific time. 1Corinthians 14:3 says, “Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort” (NIV). Prophecy is not necessarily foretelling the future, though it can be.

“To another discerning of spirits.” Notice that this gift is not “discernment.” One with this gift cannot discern and understand everything. This gift enables one to discern what is of God and what is of Satan. They can discern when someone is speaking by a demonic spirit, and when someone is speaking by the Spirit of God.

“To another different kinds of tongues.” A person with this gift is sometimes enabled by the Spirit of God to speak a message to a congregation of believers in a language unknown to him or her. They are to speak it out loud only if they know that there is someone present with the gift of interpretation of tongues. The message is to be interpreted in the known language of the congregation.  A message in tongues with the interpretation is basically equivalent to a prophecy (see 1Corinthians 14:5).

“To another the interpretation of tongues.” When someone speaks out a message in tongues in a church meeting, someone with the gift of interpretation of tongues is to interpret the message into the common language of the congregation. Notice that this gift is called “interpretation of tongues,” not translation.  They do not receive a word for word translation, but an interpretation of the basic meaning of what was spoken in tongues. I have been in meetings where two different people received the interpretation. The words that they were going to use to interpret the message were vastly different, but the overall meaning was the same.

Why does God sometimes speak by tongues and interpretation instead of by prophecy? I do not know. The question could be asked, “Why does God give any of these gifts to members of His church?” Tongues and interpretation is unusual, but it can be said that all of these gifts are unusual. Remember that it is God who said that He does not want us to be ignorant of spiritual gifts (1Corinthians 12:1). Verse 7 tells us that each of us is to have at least one of these gifts. The Holy Spirit is the One who distributes these gifts as He sees fit. 1Corinthians 12:31 tells us that we should “earnestly desire the best gifts” (NKJV).  These supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit are gifts from God, they are real, and they are for today. My personal belief is that one cannot receive these supernatural gifts without having first experienced the “baptism with the Holy Spirit.” For more information, please read the section on this website entitled “Baptism with the Holy Spirit.” It shows scripturally why this experience is distinct from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which takes place at the new birth, and it answers many other questions.

Since we are in 1Corinthians 12, what about verses 27 to 31? These verses mix together gifts from all three lists (Romans 12, 1Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4).      I believe that Paul’s purpose in this section is to show two things. First, we are all one body. Secondly, though we all have different giftings, we are still parts of the body.

 

Office Gifts- Ephesians 4

 

Ephesians 4:11-12 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (NKJV)

In the Romans 12 list of gifts, each person has one main gift which is their primary motivation and how they approach life. In the 1Corinthians 12 list of gifts, God wants to give each believer at least one of the supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 4, the person is the gift. God gives each church a pastor. Their pastor is a gift to them. Evangelists are a gift to the body of Christ to proclaim the gospel and call new believers into the church. Let us look more closely at each of these gifts.

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles.” Apostle comes from the Greek word APOSTOLOS, which means “sent one” or “one sent forth.”  According to the Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible (P.142) apostle means “a delegate, one sent with the full power of attorney to act in the place of another. In the case of Christians, it means God sends them to do what He, Himself would do if He went.” Originally, Jesus called twelve of His disciples to be “apostles.” Luke 6:13-16 tells us, “And when it was day, He called His disciples to himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: Simon, whom He also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.” (NKJV) After Judas had been lost and the eleven apostles were looking for his replacement, they specified in Acts 1:21-22 that the replacement must be “one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us.” They ended up choosing a man named Matthias. These men had a special, foundational place in getting the church established and spreading the good news of salvation through Jesus our Savior. Several wrote books of the New Testament.

On the other hand, 24 different people in the Bible are called apostles. In addition to the original twelve and Matthias, there are Barnabas (ICor. 9:5-6; Acts 13:1-3; 14:4, and 14), Andronicus (Rom. 16:7), Junia (Rom.16:7), Apollos (1Cor4:6-9), James, the Lord’s brother (Gal. 1:19), Silas (1Thess. 1:1; 2:6), Timothy (1Thess. 1:1; 2:6), Titus (2Cor.8:23 “messengers” here is APOSTOLOS), Epaphroditus (Phil.2:25 “messenger” here is APOSTOLOS),   Paul (Gal. 1:1), and the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 3:1).

Many ask, “Are there still apostles today?” Obviously, none of the original 12 apostles are still with us on earth today. On the other hand, there are many today who are “sent forth” on behalf of local churches and missionary organizations to spread the gospel all over the earth. These modern “apostles” often do the work of an evangelist or a pastor, but they usually also seek to train new leaders who will be able to take over their work. (2Tim.2:2) In this way, they become church planters  who often oversee several pastors and churches.

Do apostles still have authority to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach the gospel?” (Luke 9:1)  I believe that all Christians have this authority, if we will just believe it. Again, John14:12 Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.” When Jesus gives the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20, it is based on verse 18 where He says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (NIV) His words are “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” The “therefore” relates back to Jesus having all authority in heaven and on earth. The Great Commission was spoken to the eleven apostles, but it is commonly applied to all believers: that we all should make disciples. If this is true, then I suggest to you, my reader, that Jesus also gives us His authority. So then, are there apostles today who have been sent by Jesus with authority to represent Him? On the basis of scripture, I certainly think so.

“ And He Himself gave… some prophets.” A prophet is someone in the God-given office of “prophet.” They are someone given to the church to to bring spiritual sight. Old Testament prophets were sometimes called “seers.” The prophet can see what is happening around him, and warn or encourage the church.

This is a good time to tie together the three different sets of gifts. Someone can have the Romans 12 Motivational Gift of prophecy. They are someone who has a natural gift for understanding what is happening. They are often blunt and to the point. That same person may have the 1Corinthians 12 supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit to receive messages from God and to prophesy. They may also be given to the church by God as someone who holds the office of prophet in the body of Christ.

Are there prophets or apostles today who could add to the scriptures and speak infallibly for God? No. The canon of scripture is complete. Personally, I believe that  New Testament prophets have to learn how to speak to people for God. Someone with the Romans 12 gift of prophecy is told to prophesy according to his faith. I believe that prophets grow in their ability to hear God, and in their wisdom and confidence to speak what they hear.

“And He Himself gave… some evangelists.”  According to Vines Expository Dictionary, the Greek word EUANGELISTES literally means a messenger of good. You can see the word angel, which means messenger, in the middle of the word. The prefix “eu” means good. An evangelist brings the message of the good news that Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead. The message of an evangelist is usually simple: repent (change your thinking and turn away from your sins), and trust in Jesus to save you. Again, this is this person’s “office.” They are given by God as a gift to the church to call people to Christ.

“And He Himself gave… some pastors and teachers.” The Greek word for “pastor” is the same word as for “shepherd.” A. pastor is one who guides as well as feeds his “flock.” Personally, I believe that pastor and teacher are both speaking of the same person: the same gift to the church. The way that a pastor “feeds his sheep” is by teaching them the word of God (the Bible). In addition to just teaching them, though, the pastor is to watch over and protect the people of his congregation. He is a gift to them, and he is to care for them, even as a shepherd cares for a flock of sheep.

 

Summary of the Spiritual Gifts, and the Laying on of Hands

 

There are three main sections of scripture which list “spiritual gifts.” Each section lists gifts which are significantly different than the other two. On the other hand, all of the gifts are given by God to build up, strengthen, and help the church.

Concerning the receiving of these gifts, I will say once again that I believe each of us  are born with a tendency toward one of the Romans 12 Motivational Gifts, but that it really becomes evident after we are born again.

The 1Corinthians 12 gifts are given to each one in the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit “just as he determines (NIV).” At the same time, we are told to eagerly desire the greater gifts. The fact that the manifestations of the Spirit are given as the Holy Spirit wills does not mean that God does not use human channels or that we should not pray for gifts that we think would help us to serve those around us (2Timothy 1:6). There is also the fact that these gifts are almost non-existent in 95% of the churches in the United States today. I believe that these gifts are only available to believers who have experienced the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Eagerly desiring the greater gifts can begin with each of us seeking to be baptized with the Holy Spirit (read that section on this website).

The Ephesians chapter 4 gifts are people who are given as gifts to the church. Though they are given by God, they are often recognized and commissioned by others in the church. This is often accompanied by the laying on of hands (Acts 6:6; 13:2-3).  In 1Timothy 4:14 Paul says to Timothy, “Do not neglect your gift which was given through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” This may have been an Ephesians 4 gift or a 1Corinthians 12 gift.

Hebrews 6:3 speaks of “the laying on of hands” as one of “the elementary teachings.” Sadly, today we know little about the significance of this practice, and many deny that it has any importance at all. The early church often laid hands on people, as seen in the scripture references above and many others. We need to study and pray for God’s insight so that we today can see power and authority given through the laying on of hands. This does have at least some connection to us functioning in the gifts of the Spirit.