Spiritual Gifts – Ambassador Baptist Church Singapore

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…

Romans 12:6

The Salvation of God is great in the life of a sinner. We who have trusted Him as our Saviour can look forward to an eternity in Heaven, and also an abundant life on earth. God meant for each of His children, to be a useful member of His local church. This is the will of GOD. To that end, He has given everyone a spiritual gift, that at our spiritual birth, we are endowed with the spiritual enablement to be a useful contributing member of the local church. Each believer has a gift: no one is left out in GOD’s bestowment. As we are all given a personality at birth, so at our spiritual birth: GOD gives us a spiritual gift. His plan is then to join us to a local body, to utilise that gift in order to assist in His plan for that body. Notice the teaching of the Bible on spiritual gifts:

There are three different sets of spiritual gifts in the bible

The first set is found in Romans 12:6 – 9. There are seven gifts in this list: prophecy, ministry (service), teaching, exhortation (encouragement), giving, ruling (administration), and mercy (compassion). ALL of GOD’s children are born again with one of these primary gifts. These are gifts that affect the whole persons’ outlook and direction in life. It drives his desire and controls his perspective on life. When a person is said to have the gift of prophecy, it refers to his being of needing to proclaim the message of GOD and exposing sin and calling people back to GOD. The second set of spiritual gifts is found in 1 Corinthians 12:8 – 10. There are 9 gifts in this list: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, gift of faith, gift of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, speaking in diverse tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. These gifts are the outward manifestation of the gifts in Ro 12:6-9. The third set of gifts can be found in Ephesians 4:8, 11.

These are specific gifts of PEOPLE that the Lord gives to the local church to assist in her growth: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the purpose of perfecting the saints, the work of the ministry and the building up of the body of Christ.

These gifts are never for personal encouragement: ALWAYS FOR CORPORATE EDIFICATION:

1 Corinthians 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. The word withal has the meaning of together with. So, the giving of gifts was to be a benefit to the common good of the local body. Contrary to teaching today, whereby spiritual giftings are for personal encouragement, biblical teaching tells us otherwise.

These implies the necessity of being in the local church.

This is the will of God. If God has so decreed that each one of His children be given a spiritual gift, so as to be a blessing to the local church, it follows that each believer ought to be in the local church in order to fulfill that part of which God has called him or her to.

To be unwilling to be baptised and be added to the church, is to reveal our disobedience, our immaturity and our ignorance of GOD’s blessing for us.

This also implies that God gives us the gifts according to His grace:

No one is more special, or more acceptable to God than another. We are all equal in His sight and important in His plan. There is no place for pride or to esteem ourselves greater than another.

GOD has given us a spiritual gift at our salvation. His will is our obedience at baptism so that we can be added to the local church. His desire is for us to be a useful part of the local church, where He has appointed us. Are we willing to follow His leading? Are we willing to do His will in the local church? Do we know your spiritual gift? May the Lord show us our spiritual gifts and may we use them for the Lord’s work in the Lord’s church.