Spiritual Gifts

[cjrose]

I have been reading the book of 1 Corinthians and today read chapter 12 and 13 where it talks about the body of Christ and spiritual gifts. Chapter 12 pretty much illustrates the importance of each member of the body of Christ. In Chapter 13 verses 1-3 Paul explains basically, that spiritual gifts are nothing without love. In verse 4-8 of chapter 13 he goes on to explain that love is patient, kind, does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, is not rude, is not self seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil, rejoices in truth, protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres, and never fails.

What I took away from this reading was that not only are spiritual gifts not possible without love, since love is incorruptible, it are those individual spiritual gifts that make the body of Christ functional as a whole, no matter how seemingly unimportant that spiritual gift might be.

(on a lighter note: I might be more like a "toe nail" but my job in the body of Christ is still important....... somehow)

Anyway...........am I on the right page here?

Daymon, I have truly enjoyed reading your post but I have say that I don't need scripture to tell me I have been given spiritual gifts. When I dedicated my life to the Lord, love is an automatic for me because again ( and for those of you who read my posts, I don't mean to sound like a broken record but) He has given me abunant love and with that comes the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit that lives within me. He lives within me. He has also given me wisdom and everyday, His gifts are prevalent in my life. Love is a given when you surrender to God. It is impossible not to feel His love if you are truly a believer and because your soul, your spirit belongs to Him, His promises are so evident. We walk in the light and that brings conviction that we do not delight in evil. The HS convicts us when we do wrong and I for one have so many imperfections but as I repent and beg forgiveness, He is true to His word and cleanses me. He protects me, gives me hope for my eternal salvation, and yes, He never fails because He is true to His word.

Some have more gifts than others but that doesn't mean that they are any better of a believer than you are. I just accept what I am given and the only thing I pray for is for a stronger faith, more faith when I feel blue or let down. Faith is a fact as well as a gift and just because you don't feel faith as strongly one day and not so strong the next doesn't mean it isn't there. But the more faith I have, my imperfections and sin will not cause me so much anxiety. And the truth will set me free. We are human beings in a worldly world and must be on gaurd always and we are sinners but He gives us an out by repentence and forgiveness. Jesus was the only one who was sinless. And because of his suffering, death and resurection, we are saved if we accept Him and give Him the control of our life. We are all connected as believers in Christ, Christians. We are bonded as family by a single thread that is strong as we encourage, support and love one another and all people. I believe I have other gifts that I have not tapped in to yet because I'm an older Christian who is growing still like a baby and learning as life goes on. You are on the right page. And it's this bond I have come to know as truth by the love I have felt not only from God but the fellowship in this ever so special forum. God led me here as He led you here. There are no accidents or coincidences in life. Everything has a reason and a purpose as He has a purpose especially designed for you in the grand plan. And I believe that when He created our world and our life, He had the begining, He has a middle and most definately assured us of the ending. Our eternal salvation with Him in the after life. I am so sorry this is so long, I was just apologizing to someone for their long posts but when I get started talking about God's gifts and His love and protection, it's very difficult to stop but I will give you a break and I hope I have given you some inspiration that will empower you and receive His deeper level of Love. You seem like such a gentle spirit and you are loved and are special.

[tah]

1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Hmmmm, this is interesting. Where your Bible says Charity, mine says love. I have a NIV mens devotional. I wonder if anyone can elaborate on this translation, or why my NIV would use the word love instead of charity?

Love and Charity are the same...agape....God's type of love for us ...

not the philo love between people

Both are love just that agape love is a much greater love...

The reason Jesus told Peter to agape and not to philo in John 21...

The Scripture is telling us here that we may have all of these abilities like tongues and prophecy and understanding and faith but if we do not do all of these things by the power of God's love we are doing them in vain ...

our works are nothing if we are not doing it through His love...

1Co 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

All of the things we do are going to pass away so don't set your heart on abilities from God but that you set your heart on Him and His love as His Love is forever...

[Daymon]

I am so sorry this is so long, I was just apologizing to someone for their long posts but when I get started talking about God's gifts and His love and protection, it's very difficult to stop but I will give you a break and I hope I have given you some inspiration that will empower you and receive His deeper level of Love. You seem like such a gentle spirit and you are loved and are special.

I can't speak for everyone CJ, but taking the time that you have for such well thought out, sincere advice and encouragement is something I would not take for granted, and appreciate more than words I think if you have something worth saying, and you certainly do, then you have to say it the way it was meant to be said. Thank you spending some of your time on me today

[cjrose]

I am so sorry this is so long, I was just apologizing to someone for their long posts but when I get started talking about God's gifts and His love and protection, it's very difficult to stop but I will give you a break and I hope I have given you some inspiration that will empower you and receive His deeper level of Love. You seem like such a gentle spirit and you are loved and are special.

I can't speak for everyone CJ, but taking the time that you have for such well thought out, sincere advice and encouragement is something I would not take for granted, and appreciate more than words I think if you have something worth saying, and you certainly do, then you have to say it the way it was meant to be said. Thank you spending some of your time on me today

Thank you Damon, I give all the credit to the Holy Spirit that fills me. And I want to encourage and support in anyway I can because it's my nature to want to help and I am often over come with compassion.

You are a special blessing.

Cj

[Daymon]

Great mind, there, Daymon!

I believe that if one has the gift of tongues they are admonished here that they had better have love if they want to be used of God and have that gift bear fruit! I am speaking of the Ministry Gift of tongues whereby an interpretation is necessary. Without walking in the love of God, and that gift is put to use, that person is essentially speaking without the power or anointing. They step out of it, and it would be, to God, just a noise. When one is walking in the love of God, and being careful to tend to the gifts that the Lord has blessed him with, then he will be able to operate in the gift with full assurance of the anointing upon him.

When one is gifted with their prayer language, the Grace Gift, then they need to abide in God and walk in love also, or their words will come, God hears alright, but one's blessing kind of falls flat. I would much rather be that "abider" and use my gift so that it will bear much fruit and blessing/edification upon the Church and myself.

Blessings!

TY Floatingaxe I had to take one last peek at this thread before I went to bed last night....LOL, and thought about what you said. I also came to the conclusion, that I was in fact, over thinking things just a tad. The message, is actually fairly simple. In regular terms, if you don't have love, spiritual gifts "won't work", and if they won't work, they cannot bear fruit, which is also how one can tell the difference between someone who claims to have a spiritual gift and one who actually does. (by the fruit).

I guess this is a good spot to dig in a little deeper into what I was trying to figure out through this post, now that I understand that part. 1 Corinthians CH 12 talked about the body of Christ and all our rolls, and the significance of each person as a member of the whole body of Christ. Paul illustrates the body with a physical depiction like, eyes, ears, the head and feet, and speaks about how if one member is affected, the whole body is effected. (keep this in mind)

Someone in chat last night made a comment, that unbelievers watch us and judge God through our actions. We know that there are people who claim to either have spiritual gifts, and either do not, or don't have love so their gifts do not bear fruit. So these actually effect the whole body of Christ (make us look bad).

Now, Paul says that there will be those who have spiritual gifts, whatever those may, be and nowhere in the Bible have I read that these gifts at any time or any reason will no longer exist, other than failing for lack of love.

In CH 1 of 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks about the division of the Church. 1 Corinthians 1:10-12

10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.

11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ".

13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Where you baptized into the name of Paul?

What would Paul say about the division of the church today? Today he might say something mor like: I follow Pentecostal"; another, "I follow Baptist"; another "I follow Catholics"; still another, "I follow Christ.

I personally am non-denominational for this very reason. Being raised Baptist, I know they don't believe in spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, or at least that it doesn't happen as often as Pentecostals like to say they do, and you know the bickering that goes back and forth among Baptists and Pentecostals. I am not really trying to get into the differences between denominations, I'm just pointing out how certain denominations seem to hinge on specific spiritual gifts.

Now, I'm not picking on Pentecostal or saying they all do this, but I have been to churches where they speak in tongues every service, whats more it bares no fruit, not the speaking in tongues itself. I'm just using this as an example and already know there are other denominations that do things simularly. The point is this. You have churches claiming to have spiritual gifts and baring no fruit as a result of those gifts, other than "bad fruit". As Paul said, if one member of the body suffers the entire body suffers.

ok......i have to stop here before my brain explodes...LOL Feedback please

[Floatingaxe]

Hey Daymon!

I, too, am non-denominational.

Regarding your post above: Excellent! It is our responsibility to live before each other, bearing out the image of Jesus Christ, upholding each other, encouraging each other and counselling each other in righteousness.

It's not about the individual gift---it's about all of us working within our giftings together, forming a unified "body". One gift is not more important than any other except walking in the love of God. He's an amazing God!

[CoramDeo]

Hey Daymon!

I, too, am non-denominational.

Regarding your post above: Excellent! It is our responsibility to live before each other, bearing out the image of Jesus Christ, upholding each other, encouraging each other and counselling each other in righteousness.

It's not about the individual gift---it's about all of us working within our giftings together, forming a unified "body". One gift is not more important than any other except walking in the love of God. He's an amazing God!

Amen! The fruit is more important than the gift any day (Galatians 5:22-23).

[darski]

A question that I find helpful in these discussions is. "What is love?" What does love look like?

I have debated with others who claim that loving someone means taking them "just as they are". My concern with this is that if they are dead in their trespasses, a loving individual would lead them to God.

I have often said that I am not concerned about your current comfort level; I am interested in your eternal destiny.

Does not love seek the highest good for another?

Is it more loving to leave someone feeling good about the sin in their lives or to lead them out of sin. (many tell us today that you need to build up the self-esteem of people; that's how you love people)

Regarding the Gifts, I believe that a gift/gifts are bestowed at salvation. However - the gifts belong to the Body of Christ and that is the only place they can truly bear fruit.

[Floatingaxe]

A question that I find helpful in these discussions is. "What is love?" What does love look like?

I have debated with others who claim that loving someone means taking them "just as they are". My concern with this is that if they are dead in their trespasses, a loving individual would lead them to God.

I have often said that I am not concerned about your current comfort level; I am interested in your eternal destiny.

Does not love seek the highest good for another?

Is it more loving to leave someone feeling good about the sin in their lives or to lead them out of sin. (many tell us today that you need to build up the self-esteem of people; that's how you love people)

Regarding the Gifts, I believe that a gift/gifts are bestowed at salvation. However - the gifts belong to the Body of Christ and that is the only place they can truly bear fruit.

Amen! Sometimes loving another, especially one outside the Body of Christ means being what they consider "unloving"! We can love our best friends right into Hell, if we're not careful.

Blessings!