I. INTRODUCTION
Every student of the Bible has read in the New Testament about spiritual gifts. The question we need to answer is: were the gifts something permanent that we should expect to have today, or were they temporary. The religious world is very divided on this issue. The word of God gives us the answer and we can understand it. This lesson will serve to make clear what the Bible says on this subject.
II. DEFINITION
What do we mean by the word “gifts?” This word has been misunderstood by many. And this has caused erroneous teachings. Words sometimes have one definition in the Bible , and another in common use. We often hear people say, that someone has a gift of something, music for example. By that, people mean that it comes natural to the person to learn or produce music. Or maybe another finds public speaking easy, and he quickly progresses in it. But this is not what the Bible is talking about when it speaks of the gifts of the Spirit. When the Bible mentions gifts, it is referring to a capacity, given by God through the Holy Spirit, that enables the person who receives it to do something without study, learning, or practice. Instantly, the person would perform exactly what God had given him power to do. In 1 Corinthians 12:6-10 nine gifts are mentioned:
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 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.
Ephesians 4:8, 11-12 mentions how the gifts were used to train God’s servants to do the work that God wanted them to do.
8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
So we can see that the gifts were capabilities given by God though the Spirit to make possible the building up of the body of Christ, the church.
III. HOW DO WE KNOW IF THE GIFTS WERE TEMPORARY, OR IF WE SHOULD EXPECT TO FIND THEM IN THE CHURCH TODAY?
In Ephesians 4, after having mentioned the purpose of the gifts, verse 13 goes on to explain the fact that they had a limited duration and explain why they were needed until the completion of the writing of the New Testament:
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
This clearly explains that the gifts were limited duration . And how long would they last? Until there is a basis for the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God. Until there is a standard, there can be no unity. We have unity concerning what a yard is, or a pound or a quart due to established rules which on which we depend constantly. Similarly, in the things of God, the law of Christ is the standard, forming the basis for unity. When the church began , this standard did not yet exist. But, a process of revelation began which laid the foundation for faith. Romans 10:17 says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The only way we can have a foundation of faith (conviction) is through the revealed word of God.
When thousands were baptized on the day of Pentecost following the preaching of the word by inspiration (Acts 2:4 , 41), they did not have the New Testament. The Old Testament was different, and not sufficient to tell them how to live and work as Christians in the church that Christ established. Jeremiah spoke of the establishment of a new law different that would be different from the old one:
Jeremiah 31:31-32
31 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord , when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah . 32 not like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took her hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt….
Because it was different, the Old Testament could not serve to guide their lives as Christians.
Through the gift of prophecy, the New Testament gradually came into existance, and while it was still being written, the gifts made it possible for the church in the first century to carry out the work that God wanted his people to do.
The apostles and prophets were inspired to write the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 2:11-13
11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
2 Peter 1:20-21
20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Ephesians 3:1-5
3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
2 Peter 1:12-19
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;
Note that when Peter says he would ensure that even after his departure (or death) they would have a reminder of these things, he was referring to the written word that was leaving so that the inspired word might continue available after his death.
Jude 3
Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
The Holy Spirit, when He used the phrase “once delivered” was indicating that through the written word, the faith would be preserved for future generations and would never again be given by inspiration.
The temporary nature of the gifts explained
1 Corinthians 13:8-10
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
This scripture does not say “when he comes perfect, ” as if speaking of Christ, but says “that which is perfect.” So we understand that having said that the prophecy inspired men was “in part” (that is delivered piece by piece) he now refers to the entire Bible when it says “that which is perfect.” So we understand that the revelation of God, complete and perfect, can make us” thoroughly equipped for every good work” as we learned in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Since we have the Scriptures, we have everything we need! There is nothing more that will be revealed! So we understand that God does not speak directly to us today, not in dreams, nor by visions, nor by voices of revelation.
In 1 Corinthians 13 : 11-12, we find that God refers to the time of the gifts as a period of childhood and dim vision. This was not the state in which the church was to remain forever.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
Having shown that the gifts were temporary, in 1 Corinthians 13:13 the Holy Spirit contrasts the things that were to continue. These were three: faith, hope and love. Now, with the word of God to guide us, these are characteristic of the church until this day, and they will remain central to the life of the church until the end of the world. Love is the greatest of them, because after faith becomes sight, and hope has been swallowed up in reality, love will continue, even in heaven, because God is love
(1 John 4:8 , 16 ).
APPLICATION
It is very clear, in view of all that we have studied, that the gifts were not permanent, but served the church during the period while the New Testament was being written. Then later, having the new and perfect law, the church would continue, guided by the “faith once delivered,” no longer dependent on the gifts. After the death of all those who had the power to lay on hands and impart the gifts, these naturally disappeared, since there was no longer any need for them. So we can understand that they were a temporary help for a temporary need.
Teaching that the church should keep on looking for gifts of the Holy Spirit in our day is to attempt to return the church to its infancy. It also exposes the church to influences of the Devil, because teaching false and erroneous practices contaminates the congregations and separates them from God. 2 John 1:9 says:
9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
Also, we need to note that although the gifts of the Spirit have ceased, the lying signs do continue. God explains this in 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12:
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
We have to avoid ignorance of the Scriptures by educating ourselves with the word of God and resist the human tendency to seek powers that people tell us that we need to serve God or to cure our diseases. In the New Testament healings always served to show that those who spoke the word were from God. To illustrate this we see what Nicodemus said in John 3:1-2:
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Also in Mark 16:20, speaking of the Holy apostles, it says:
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
The purpose of the signs , including healings and tongues was to confirm the word. The word of God has already been confirmed. The signs that confirmed it are still with us, recorded in the pages of the Holy Scriptures. We no longer have the signs, miracles by the hands of men, nor any of the gifts, because we have the Scripture everything we need, as we have seen in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
CALL TO OBEDIENCE
Since the gifts were temporary, serving until we came to have the New Testament, let us not go back to the things of the infancy of the church. Let us accept God’s word as the only thing we need to live, work, and overcome. To do otherwise is let ourselves be guided away from Christ and his word, and expose ourselves to the deceptions of the devil that are so common in this world.