Gifts of the
Spirit
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Gifts from the
Godhead
Concerning what
subject ought we to be informed?
“Now about
spiritual gifts, brothers, I do
not want you to be ignorant.”
1 Corinthians 12:1.
When Christ
ascended, what did He give to men?
“This is why it
says: “When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train and
gave gifts to men.”
Ephesians 4:8.
What were these
gifts that Christ gave to men?
“It was he who
gave some to be apostles, some
to be prophets, some to be evangelists,
and some to be pastors and teachers.”
Verse 11.
How are these gifts
elsewhere spoken of?
“And in the
church God has appointed first of all
apostles, second prophets,
third teachers, then workers
of miracles, also those having
gifts of healing, those able
to help others, those with
gifts of administration, and
those speaking in different kinds
of tongues.” 1 Corinthians
12:28.
Purpose
of the Gifts
For
what purpose were these gifts
bestowed upon the church?
“To prepare
God’s people for the works of
service, so that the body of Christ
may be built up until
we all reach unity in the faith and
in the knowledge of the Son of God
and become mature, attaining to the
whole measure of the fullness of
Christ. Then we will no longer be
infants, tossed back and forth by the
waves, and blown here and there by
every wind of teaching and by the
cunning and craftiness of men in
their deceitful scheming. Instead
speaking the truth in love, we will
in all things grow up into him who is
the Head, that is, Christ.”
Ephesians 4:12-15.
What
result is to be obtained by the
exercise of the gifts of the church?
“Until we
reach unity in the faith and in
the knowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to the
whole measure of the fullness of
Christ.” Verse 13.
How
is unity preserved in the diversities
of gifts?
“There are
different kinds of gifts, but the same
Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:4.
For
what purpose is the manifestation of
this one Spirit given?
“Now to each one
of the manifestation of the Spirit is
given for the common good. To
one there is given through the Spirit
the message of wisdom, to
another faith by the same
Spirit, to another miraculous
powers, to another prophecy,
to another distinguishing between
spirits, to another speaking
in different kinds of tongues,
and still another the interpretation
of tongues.” Verses 7-10.
Who
controls the distribution of the
gifts of the Spirit?
“All these are
the work of one and the same Spirit,
and he gives them to each one, just
as he determines.” Verse 11.
Was
it God’s design that all should
possess the same gifts?
“Are all
apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers? Do all work miracles? Do
all have gifts of healing? Do all
speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
But eagerly desire the greater
gifts.” Verses 29-31.
Period
of the Gifts
Were
the gifts of the Spirit to continue
forever?
“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.”
1 Corinthians 13:8.
When
will the gifts of the Spirit not be
needed?
“But when
perfection comes, the imperfect will
disappear.” Verse 10.
Avenues
of Communication
How did God
communicate with man in Eden?
“But the Lord God
called to the man, “Where
are you?” Genesis 3:9.
Since the Fall, by
what means has God generally made
known His will to man?
“I spoke to
the prophets, gave them many
visions and told parables through
them.”
Hosea 12:10.
What
things belong to God, and what to us?
“The secret
things belong to the Lord our God,
but the things revealed belong to
us and to our children forever,
that they may follow all the words of
this law.” Deut. 29:29.
How
fully and to whom does God reveal His
purposes?
“Surely the
Sovereign Lord does nothing
without revealing his plan to his
servants the prophets.” Amos
3:7.
The
Gift of Prophecy
How does the Lord
reveal Himself to His prophets?
“He said,
“Listen to my words: “When
a prophet of the Lord is among you, I
reveal myself to him in visions,
I speak to him in dreams.”
Numbers 12:6.
Under
what influence did the prophets of
old speak?
“For prophecy
never had its origin in the will of
man, but men spoke from God as they
were carried along by the Holy
Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21. (See also
2 Samuel 23:2.)
How are both the
origin of prophecy and the means of
communicating it still further shown
in God’s plan?
“The revelation
of Jesus Christ, which God gave
him to show his servants what
must soon take place. He made it
known by sending his angel to his
servant John.”
Revelation 1:1.
What
angel revealed to Daniel his visions
and dreams?
“While still in
prayer, Gabriel, the man I had
seen in the earlier vision, came to
me in swift flight about the time of
the evening sacrifice. He
instructed me and said to me,
“Daniel, I have come to give you
insight and understanding.”
Daniel 9: 21,22. (See also chapter
10, and Revelation 22: 9, 10.)
What Spirit was in
the prophets dictating their
utterances?
“Concerning this
salvation, the prophets, who spoke of
the grace that was to come to you,
searched intently and with the
greatest care, trying to find out the
time and circumstances to which the
Spirit of Christ in them was
pointing when he predicted the
sufferings of Christ and the glories
that would follow.” 1
Peter 1:10, 11.
How
were the Lord’s words to the
prophets preserved?
“In the first
year of Belshazzar king of Babylon,
Daniel had a dream, and visions
passed through his mind as he was
lying on his bed. He wrote down
the substance of his dream.”
Daniel 7:1. (See also
Jeremiah 51:60; Revelation 1:10, 11.)
By
whom has God spoken to us in these
last days?
“In the past God
spoke to our forefathers through the
prophets at many times and in various
ways, but in these last days he has
spoken to us by his Son, whom
he appointed heir of all things, and
through whom he made the
universe.” Hebrews 1:1,2.
What
was one of the offices to be filled
by the Messiah?
“The Lord your
God will raise up for you a
prophet like me from among your
own brothers. You must listen to
him.” Deuteronomy 18:15.
Foretelling
the Future
Can the wise men of
the world foretell the future?
“Daniel replied,
“No wise man, enchanter,
magician or diviner can explain to
the king the mystery he as asked
about.” Daniel 2:27.
Who
did Daniel say that could reveal
secrets?
“But there is a
God in heaven who reveals mysteries.
He has shown King Nebuchadazzar what
will happen in days to come. Your
dream and the visions that passed
through your mind as you lay on your
bed are these.” Verse 28.
How
did prophet Daniel acknowledge the
insufficiency of human wisdom?
“As for me,
this mystery has been revealed to me,
not because I have greater wisdom
than other living men, but so
that you, O king, may know the
interpretation and that you may
understand what went through your
mind.” Verse 30.
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