The primary purpose of a disciple is to be with Jesus. In Mark 3:13-14 it is written, “Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach” As disciples we must appreciate that we were given gifts for the purpose of the ministry, which is when Jesus Christ has chosen one so they can be send out.
The same conclusions can be reached from Luke 6:12-13, which says, “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles”
Being with Jesus Christ is our primary purpose as disciples. Operating in the Gifts is temporary and will be done away with. It is written in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.”
Love is more important than gifts. Love is defined in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7 which says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”.
1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” In I John 4: 16 it is written, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
Therefore, the centre of it all and the key to our relationship with Christ is Love, after all God is Love. Agape love is the power of Creation and the power of the Creator. The bible gives us a list of three primary Spiritual Gifts.
Firstly, we have gifts listed in Romans 12:6-8, which are:
- Prophecy,
- Serving,
- Teaching,
- Exhortation,
- Giving,
- Leadership,
- Mercy.
This set of gifts come from the Father and are given to the Soul. Everyone is given these gifts at birth so we own them, and they can be described as motivation gifts. It is important for disciples to appreciate and know what gifts they were given at birth. This will help align them to their role in the body of Christ.
The second set of Gifts are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, which are:
- Wisdom,
- Knowledge,
- Faith,
- Healing,
- Miracles,
- Prophecy,
- Discerning of Spirits
- Tongues and,
- Interpretation of tongues.
Another list is also given in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, and these are;
- Apostles,
- Prophecy,
- Teaching,
- Miracles,
- Healing,
- Helping,
- Administration and,
- Tongues.
These two lists make up the second set of gifts. These gifts are given by the Holy Spirit as he wills. A his is the power of Creation and the power of the Creator. disciple does not have to do anything in particular to get these gifts, rather they manifest in one’s life as one is functioning in the area they are called. As disciples these are gifts, we operate in, thus differing from the gifts we own at birth.
The third set of gifts are listed in Ephesians 4:11-12, and these are:
- Apostles,
- Prophecy,
- Evangelists,
- Pastors and,
- Teaching.
These gifts are given by the Son of God, Jesus Christ to the church so that the saints/ disciples are equipped for building of the body of Christ. These gifts are for those that are called to function in the office of the five-fold. Not all disciples are called to leadership positions in the ministry, for those that are called these gifts enable their body (The physical person as opposed to the Spirit and the Soul) to function in their calling. Once again it is important for disciples to be able to identify if they are called to the five -fold or meant to be a support structure in the body of Christ. In the end we all have a particular purpose in the body of Christ which is in accordance with God’s plan. Be encouraged to know who you are.
Role of Gifts in Discipleship
Mentoring, discipling, teaching and leading require the teacher to know themselves. It is imperative for the teacher to know who they are in Christ. They should be willing to go through an assessment of their gifts. Once they know themselves their responsibility to others can now be fulfilled, which is to help others discover and use their gifts.
There are fundamental points regarding spiritual gifts that have been mentioned earlier in the chapter and all disciples should be aware of this. These can be summarised as:
- We are gifted for God’s work.
The gifts are given for the common good, for service, and the building up of God’s kingdom. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good”. This is also captured in 1 peter 4:10 which says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms”. Gifts are certainly not for personal gain.
- Gifts are to be used for service.
In Ephesians 2:10 it is written, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” According to each ones’ purpose gifts were given to be used to accomplish purpose. We should nature and safeguard those gifts and use them for the service they were meant to accomplish.
- Gifts are Given, not earned.
All gifts are of equal value and are necessary for the church to function properly. Gifts do not necessarily represent a measure of how much God loves us and they are also not a mark of spiritual maturity. To whom much is given much is expected. A person with many gifts is not more important than one with a few gifts, what is vital in the eyes of God is stewardship of the gift for the intended purpose. We are all equal and we all have an important role to play in the body of Christ and all roles are just as important.
- If not gifted in an area, we still must obey the command.
If one has been commanded in the word of God to help, to be hospitable, merciful, giving, faithful, evangelise, encourage others, etc. WE MUST STILL OBEY THE COMMAND as obedience is better than sacrifice. We must do the best we can despite lacking the gift. The only difference is that those who are gifted will find it easier to execute and will have a passion for it, however this does not excuse the rest from obeying the commands. Those with the gifts will certainly be able to do it at a large scale.
- Spiritual Gifts are developed over time.
Having a gift does not make a person an expert, the skills related to the gifting develop over time and require learning and persistence. For example, one with a gift of worship will need to work on being able to play the piano, guitar etc. Those with leadership gifting can learn about communication, conflict resolution, organizational and planning skills, delegation, team building, etc. Those with a mercy gift might seek training in counselling to expand the use of their gift. Also, in different seasons of our lives, God develops different gifts.
- Gift combinations Function Differently.
It’s helpful to realize that gift combinations function differently. Someone with teaching and knowledge gifts may have an academic style. Another with teaching and mercy or pastor/shepherd gifts may have a more approachable, relational style. And certainly, teaching adults is different than teaching children! You can learn from others who have similar gifting, but also from those who are different.
- Spiritual gifts are a piece of a bigger puzzle.
Your combination of gifts, life skills, temperament, personal history, and ministry passion is unique. Knowing one’s spiritual gift(s) is an important piece of the puzzle, but there are many other pieces! One needs to determine their ministry burden or passion. This is the purpose that the creator (LORD) has placed in our hearts.
Gift Testing
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