The Work of The Holy Spirit

#3 “A Discussion of Miraculous Spiritual Gifts - ‘What, Why, How, & When?’”

Introduction

1. In this study, we shall focus our attention on the "gifts" of the Spirit...

a. What were the gifts?

b. How did people receive the gifts?

c. What was the purpose of the gifts?

d. How long were the gifts to last?

I. What Were The Spiritual Gifts of 1 Cor. 12:8-11?

A. Described By Paul...

1. Intellectual Power -

a. word of wisdom – insight into true nature of things – W.E. Vine

b. word of knowledge – Ability to know, store & recall spiritual truths -

c. Faith – (not subjective faith that every Christian must have!) - but of miracles: confidence in God, by the impulse of His Spirit, that He would enable them to perform any required miracle (1Co 13:2 Mr 11:23 Jas 5:15).

2. Exhibition of “Miraculous Faith” –

a. Healing –plural, "healings"; referring to different kinds of disease (#Mt 10:1).

b. Miracles – of special and extraordinary POWER Mr 6:5 Ac 19:11.

c. Prophecy - The prophet was one who spoke words given by the Holy Spirit. Here probably the inspired disclosure of the future (#Ac 11:27,28 21:11 1Ti 1:18),

d. Discerning of spirits - The power of reading hearts and determining whether men spoke by the divine spirit, or some other impulse.

3. Miraculous Use of Language

a. Divers kinds of tongues. - spoke languages that he had never learned. See #Ac 2:6-8.

b. Interpretation of tongues, - the ability to explain the meaning of those who spoke with tongues.

4. Limitations on these gifts . . .

a. Not all Christians had these "spiritual" gifts; some may have had no such gift at all - 1 Co 12:28-30; - 1 Co 14:16,23-24 ("uninformed", NKJV)

b. Possession of these "spiritual" gifts did not ensure spiritual maturity - 1 Co 1:4-7; 1 Co 3:1-4

c. These "spiritual" gifts could be abused, but also controlled - 1 Co 14:1-5,23,26-32

II. How Did People Receive The Gifts?

A. Directly From The Holy Spirit Himself...

1. Only on two occasions,

a. The apostles, at Pentecost – Acts 2:1-4

b. The household of Cornelius, - Acts 10:44-46

B. Through The Laying On Of The Apostles Hands...

1. Every Other Occasion

a. The Samaritans – Ac 8:14-19

b. The Ephesians – Ac 19:6

c. The Romans – Ro 1:11

d. Timothy - 2 Tim. 1:6

III. What Was The Purpose Of The Gifts?

A. To Reveal & Confirm God’s Word

1. To reveal God's will and confirm that it was His will - cf. Mk 16:17-20; He 2:3-4

a. Some gifts revealed God's will (e.g., wisdom; prophecy)

b. Other gifts confirmed God's will (e.g., tongues, miracles)

B. Confirmed Both Messenger & Message!

1. Old Testament - Exodus 4:1-8, 28-31; Exodus 6:28 - 7:5; Numbers 16:28-30; Deuteronomy 4:32-40; Joshua 2:9-11; 1 Kings 18:21-24, 30-39;

2. New Testament – (Jesus) - Matthew 9:1-6; Matthew 11:2; John 2:1-11, 23; John 3:1-2; John 5:31-36; John 10:22-25, 37-38; Acts 2:22; Acts 10:38; John 20:30-31

3. Testament (Others) - Mark 16:15-20; Romans 15:19; Acts 14:3; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5; Ephesians 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:1-4

*           Some gifts revealed God's will (e.g., wisdom; prophecy)

*           Other gifts confirmed God's will (e.g., tongues, miracles)

*           Gifts were of little value unless truth was being revealed - 1 Cor 14:6

*           Prophesy more highly regarded than tongues - 1 Co 14:5

IV. How Long Were The Gifts To Last?

A. Purpose and Use Completed When Revelation & Confirmation Was Completed

1. Till indicates time limitation - Ephes. 4:11-13

* Unity of the Faith - Jude 3; Gal. 1:23

* Knowledge of the Son - 2 Peter 1:3

* A Perfect Man - Col. 1:28; 2 Tim. 3:16,17

* Measure of Christ - Col. 2:6-10; Gal. 1:7-8

B. Spiritual Gifts Were To Cease...

1. Prophecies were to done away (NASB) - 1 Co 13:8a

2. Tongues would cease - 1 Co 13:8b

3. Knowledge (cf. 1 Co 12:8) will be done away (NASB) - 1 Co 13:8c

C. When That Which Is Perfect Is Come... 1 Cor. 13:8-10

1. The contrast between partial knowledge, and that which is perfect - 1 Co 13:9-10

*           We know what “that which was in part” was – Ek merous = The spiritual gifts God used in revealing His will . . . . (Prophecy, Tongues, Knowledge) – As well as the signs used to confirm that revelation

*           Therefore we can know what “that which is perfect” is – Teleios = The completed and perfected revelation of God’s will to man, (The Bible)

Conclusion:

1. Spiritual gifts were important in the establishment and organization of the New Testament church.

*           Provided a full and final revelation of God’s word

*           Confirmed Both Messenger & Message!

*           Spiritual gifts, the miraculous manifestations of the Spirit, were simply a means to an end... They Would and DID end when revelation was completed.