Spiritual Gifts, Everyone Gets at Least One
What are spiritual gifts in the Bible?
According to the Bible, spiritual gifts are special abilities or talents given by the Holy Spirit to Christians to serve God and strengthen the church. Here are some key things the Bible teaches about spiritual gifts:
There are many kinds of spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible, including teaching, service, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy, evangelism, prophecy, discernment, healing, miracles, tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostleship, helps, and administration (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:11).
Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to every Christian at their conversion for the common good of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7,11). They are gifts of grace, not based on a person's merits.
Christians are to humbly and eagerly desire spiritual gifts while also understanding not everyone receives the same gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1). God sovereignly decides which gifts each believer gets.
Spiritual gifts are to be used out of love to build up others, display God's grace, and bring glory to Christ (1 Corinthians 14:1,26; 1 Peter 4:10-11). They should not be used in a selfish or prideful way.
The gifts were given to equip Christians to become mature disciples and minister to the needs of the church (Ephesians 4:12-13).
In summary, spiritual gifts flow from God's grace and empower believers to serve others, meet needs, and strengthen the church's faith. Identifying and employing one's gifts is an important part of following Christ. The key is using the gifts to love and serve, not for selfish gain.
So according to Ephesians 4:12-13 and 1 Corinthians 12:31,11, each person receiving salvation receives some spiritual gift or gifts are are to use them for the building of the church or God's kingdom.
Yes, I believe your understanding is correct. The key points in those verses are:
Ephesians 4:12-13:
Spiritual gifts are given to equip God's people for works of service, to build up the church
To become mature and unified in the faith
1 Corinthians 12:31, 11
We should eagerly desire spiritual gifts that build up the church
The Holy Spirit sovereignly gives different gifts to each person as He determines
So in summary:
Every Christian receives some spiritual gift(s) from the Holy Spirit
These gifts differ from person to person as the Spirit decides
The gifts are intended for works of service to edify others and strengthen the whole church
We should desire gifts that will build up others, not simply our own prominence
Properly using our gifts contributes to unity and maturity in Christ
So yes, God distributes gifts among believers to empower each one to play their unique role in serving the broader Body of Christ and advancing His kingdom. Our role is to faithfully steward whatever gift(s) He has given us for His glory and the good of His people.
So really, no one is allowed to just be a church attender and genuinely good person without seeking to find their gift and using it as his contribution to the church, or body of Christ as the scripture calls on all bodily parts or members to contribute to the whole.
Yes, I think you make a fair assessment based on what the Bible teaches about spiritual gifts. Simply attending church without contributing is discouraged. Consider a few more concepts:
Every part of the body has a role. As 1 Corinthians 12 teaches, all members are needed just like all parts of a body are needed - the eye, hand, foot, etc. have different roles. No member should see themselves as unnecessary or disconnected from the purpose of the whole.
We are stewards of God's gifts. As Peter writes in 1 Peter 4:10, whatever gift we have received should be used faithfully to serve others. Burying or ignoring gifts is portrayed negatively.
Using gifts is linked to obedience and discipleship. Jesus tells parables about faithful servants who properly invest what the master entrusted to them (Mt 25:14-30). Producing fruit with God's resources is about obeying His call, not just intent.
Love, not passivity, should motivate service. Spiritual maturity leads Christians to build others up and edify the church (Eph 4). Sitting idly by while having gifts that could strengthen others violates the call to love one another.
In summary, while simple church attendance has value for worship and learning, true discipleship as modeled by Jesus means finding how one is uniquely gifted to actively serve the kingdom of God and the needs of His Body, the Church. The expectation is a contribution from all.
So the parable in Matthew about one burying his single talent and thus losing it is a likeness to a pew sitter.
Yes, that's an astute connection to make. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus tells the story of three servants who were entrusted with different amounts of money ("talents") by their master. Two invested them and gained returns, while one simply buried the single talent he had been given to preserve it. When the master returns, he praises the first two servants for investing well, but rebukes the servant who buried his gift, saying:
“You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming, I should have received what was my own with interest.” (Matthew 25:26-27)
Jesus then takes away even what little the man was given.
In the same way, God has entrusted every Christ-follower with spiritual gifts and abilities. Jesus expects his disciples to employ these gifts, and take risks by serving and building others up with them. The image of a "pew-sitter" who just passively listens instead of getting actively involved can certainly be compared to the servant who buried his talent. After receiving God's free gift of grace, he calls us to gratefully invest what we've been given for the increase of His Kingdom. This parable serves as a warning not to be like that servant who did nothing and incurred judgment.
How can one go about finding his spiritual gift?
Here are some practical suggestions for how to discover your spiritual gift(s):
Take a spiritual gifts assessment. There are many spiritual gift tests or inventories available online or from Christian books/curricula. These include lists of statements you check off to help identify areas of strength.
Experiment serving. Try out different ministry roles and service opportunities to see where you excel and enjoy yourself. Pay attention to what energizes you and receive positive feedback.
Assess your natural talents and passions. What activities do you feel you're good at? What gets you excited? Seeing where your innate wiring aligns with spiritual gifts can provide clues.
Listen to affirmation from others. Christian friends, mentors, and leaders around you can sometimes spot gifts that you may take for granted or not notice. Be open to their suggestions.
Look for spiritual fruits. As you step out, do you see God using you to teach, encourage, show mercy, and lead others closer to Christ? Fruit can indicate gifts.
Stay in prayer. Ask God to make your gifts clear and guide you to opportunities to use them. God promises wisdom to those who seek it.
Discovering your gifts takes patience, prayer, and a willingness to try things out. Focus on serving God and the gifts will become evident over time. It's an exciting journey!
Once found, that is your job in kingdom building, at least as important as your secular job.
Yes, I would agree that using your spiritual gift(s) in service and "kingdom building" is hugely important for a Christian, on par with our secular work and livelihoods. A few reasons why:
Kingdom work carries eternal weight. Investing our gifts into people, ministry, and advancing the gospel impacts eternity by turning hearts toward Christ and expanding His Kingdom. It prepares the ground for salvation and discipleship. Secular work has value but less eternal significance.
Our gifts honor God. When we steward the gifts God sovereignly gave us, employing them for His purposes and glory, it magnifies His generosity and wisdom for entrusting them to us. Our gifts point back to the Giver.
The church depends on it. If believers downplay or disregard their spiritual gifts, so much would be lost in edifying and equipping fellow Christians and reaching the unsaved. The body of Christ needs all members to actively employ their unique roles.
It aligns our lives with purpose. Using our spiritual gifts strikes a chord - producing a sense of meaning, fulfillment, and passion that comes from operating exactly how God designed us. It clicks.
In the parable of the talents, even the two-talent guy who invested in them is told "Well done good and faithful servant." May the same be said of us using our gifts!