Miraculous Spiritual Gifts

When we consider the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, the most important Biblical passage to consider is 1 Corinthians 12-14. These three chapters contain the most complete discussion of this topic in the Bible.
Because of the current conflict over this doctrine, every Christian should prayerfully study this section of Scripture. As Christians we should do all things according to the Bible. God's Word must be the basis for what we believe: not man's opinion, not our feelings, not our understanding.
For our lesson, let us concentrate on one section from these chapters. 1 Corinthians 13 is the great love chapter of the Bible. Beginning with verse 8, the Apostle Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit begins to compare love with the miraculous spiritual gifts.
Verses 8 and 9 read, “Charity (i.e. love) 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. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.''
This passage makes it clear that the miraculous gifts being practiced by the early Christian Churches would come to an end. They were not permanent. Love lasts forever, but these other gifts are temporary.
Paul tells us why they are temporary. They are incomplete. They do not provide us with a complete picture of what God wants us to know. In the next verse Paul tells us when they will end and then in verse 11 he illustrates what he is saying.
Paul wrote, ``But when that which is perfect is come, than that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.''
This is the area in which controversy comes. What was Paul speaking about when he said ``when that which is perfect is come?'' Paul has just been talking about knowledge. What is our source of perfect knowledge? What can we trust to be absolute truth? What is perfect and complete?
It would be good to consider what the book of James tells us. In James 1:22-25, we are told, ``But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh in the PERFECT law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.''
James tells us that God's Word is perfect. It is our source of perfect and complete knowledge: all that God wants us to know about spiritual matters. James also compares God's Word to a mirror.
Back in 1 Corinthians 13, the next verse, verse 12 says, ``For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face (i.e. clearly): now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.''
When Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church, the New Testament was not complete. There was much that they did not yet understand. Once the Bible was completed, after John wrote Revelation, the perfect Word of God was complete. No further revelation is needed.
The miraculous spiritual gifts were used in the first century of Christianity to prove who was of God and who was not. Two men might visit the Church at Rome. Both say that they are teaching the truth. Yet what they say may disagree. The Church did not have the New Testament to study to know who was telling the truth. How could they know?
The one to whom God had given the power to do miracles was the one telling the truth. Maybe, he was an unlearned man from Galilee, but he would start talking in Latin. Maybe, there would be someone sick present and he would heal them. These signs would prove that he was preaching the truth.
Once the New Testament was complete these miracles were no longer needed and they ceased. We do not need them today. We have God's perfect Word.

Spiritual Gifts

The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead. He is very active in the world today. He holds this world together by His power. His work of convicting the lost, brings people to a knowledge of their sinful condition.

Those who trust in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit indwells. He brings their spirit into fellowship with God. He gives them eternal life. He empowers them that they might live pure and holy lives before God. He reveals sin in their lives that they might turn from it and forsake it. Within every saved person the Holy Spirit of God is at work.

In the next few posts in this blog will consider three aspects of the Holy Spirit's work. We will consider the miraculous spiritual gifts, the spiritual gifts of ministry and the fruit of the Spirit.

Preaching

In almost every worship service, there is a time when God's Word is read and God's man seeks to apply it to our lives. This should be the highlight of most services. Yet for many it is the time to take their Sunday nap!

The Bible is God's message for us. We should honour and respect His Word. When it is read, it is God speaking! We should listen prayerfully and attentively, asking ourselves, ``What does God want me to do?''

When the speaker begins to explain God's Word, we should also pay close attention. If God's man has sought God's wisdom and understanding, then he will have something to say which we need to hear.

Most preachers put much prayer, study, thought and concern into their messages. They seek to speak in the power of the Holy Spirit. They want to be God's spokesmen and reach the needs of the people.

We should respect their position and responsibility. We should pray that God will be able to speak through them. We should listen carefully that we might hear what God would say to us.

The Lord's Supper

The taking of the Lord's Supper is also an act of worship. It is a very solemn event and should cause us to seriously think about our relationship with God. The Lord's Supper should only be taken by believers, those who have placed their faith in Christ.

The Lord's Supper is symbolic. The bread represents the body of Jesus that was broken for us. He was beaten, nails were driven through his hands and feet, a sword was thrust in his side. The grape juice or wine represents the blood of Jesus, the blood that constantly dripped from his broken body on that day when he was crucified.

When we take the Lord's Supper, it should have an effect upon us. It reminds us of the death of Christ: His blood that was shed and His body that was broken. It reminds us that we are not saved by the good things we have done, but by the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. It reminds us of how much Jesus has done for us and how little we have done for Him. It causes us to praise God, to humble ourselves, and to renew our commitment to God.