Spiritual Gifts

by Micky Galloway

Are the spiritual gifts that are described in the New Testament still with us today? We live in a time when there is an explosion of what is called the charismatic movement. We see this made popular by some TV evangelists who teach that the Holy Spirit is today baptizing people and that they may receive various spiritual gifts. Just about every denominational body has been permeated with this teaching and unfortunately the Lord’s church has been affected by it as well. To answer our question, we cannot rely on emotions or personal experiences.

The apostle Paul deals with this subject extensively in I Corinthians 12 and continuing through chapter 14. These spiritual gifts are enumerated in I Corinthians 12:4-10, “For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit: to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another (divers) kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues.” No one who understands the Scriptures could deny that there were spiritual gifts, but our question is whether or not these gifts are still with us today.

These spiritual gifts and their results are not reproducible today. No one today who claims spiritual gifts can do what men of the first century did who had spiritual gifts. Those of the first century raised the dead (Acts 9), instantly healed the sick and the lame (Acts 3), so that others were compelled to say, “indeed a notable miracle hath been wrought though them … and we cannot deny it” (Acts 4:16). One who believes that men possess these powers today usually finds one of two things to be true. The one who claims these powers is a fraud or he fails in his attempt to do the same things that were practiced in New Testament times.

The purpose of these spiritual gifts has been served. The purpose of these gifts was to confirm the word spoken by inspired men to be true. Hebrews 2:2-4 says, “For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will.” Mark 16:19-20 also says, “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.” Many have no conception as to why the Holy Spirit endowed people with spiritual gifts. These argue that the purpose was to get rid of all suffering among God’s people. Some affirm that a part of Christ’s atonement was physical, and that the gifts were given so that no Christian would ever have to suffer disease or sickness. The purpose was not to eradicate sickness and disease. In fact many Christians of the first century suffered physical ills. Paul had a thorn in the flesh and besought the Lord three times that it might be removed, yet the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for thee” (II Corinthians 12:7-8). Epaphroditus was sick and almost died, yet Paul did not miraculously heal him (Philippians 2:25). Timothy had a chronic stomach problem and was told, “Be no longer a drinker of water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (I Timothy 5:23). Spiritual gifts were not used to relieve their suffering. Much rather, these gifts confirmed that the words spoken were from God.

The spiritual gifts were imparted by the laying on of the apostles’ hands. Philip was preaching in Samaria with much success (Acts 8). He was “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). He could perform miracles. Even Simon who had practiced sorcery was impressed with his miraculous ability (Acts 8:13). Yet, it was necessary for Peter and John to come from Jerusalem to Samaria to impart these gifts (Acts 8:14). Why couldn’t Philip do this? Though he was an evangelist, he was not an apostle. Simon who had practiced the magical arts was well qualified to determine whether or not things done by Philip were genuinely miracles. But Philip could not give these gifts to others. “Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given …” (Acts 8:18). In Acts 19 after the apostle Paul had baptized certain disciples of John into Christ the text says, “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6). The means of conferring these gifts has now passed away. It is interesting to note that though the apostles were the mediums of conferring these gifts, it was the Holy Spirit who determined what gift was to be received. I Corinthians 12:11 says, “but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.”

Specific teaching is revealed that the spiritual gifts were intended to be temporary. I Corinthians 13:8-10 says, “… but whether (there be) prophecies, they shall be done away; whether (there be) tongues, they shall cease; whether (there be) knowledge, it shall be done away.” There is no question this passage teaches that these gifts would cease. But when would they cease? The writer says, “but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” What is “that which is perfect?” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines the word, “perfect” (teleios), “brought to its end, finished; lacking nothing necessary to completeness.” W.E. Vine in his dictionary of New Testament words says, “having reached its end, finished, complete, perfect.” Liddell and Scott define the word as “complete, perfect, entire.” Though Jesus Christ is perfect (Hebrews 4:14-15) that is not the context of I Corinthians 13. The contrast of this context involves things of the same nature. “Knowledge” and “prophecy” provided by the spiritual gifts was “in part” (I Corinthians 13:9). Understanding that these gifts provided partial revelation indicates that they ceased when the completed revelation (“that which is perfect”) became a reality. James describes the completed law of Christ as “the perfect law, the law of liberty” (James 1:25). As these spiritual gifts were to cease, faith, hope, and love would abide.

Spiritual gifts did exist during New Testament times. However, much like scaffolding is used during the construction stages of a building and then removed once the building is completed, the Scriptures teach that spiritual gifts have served their purpose and are not practiced today.