SPIRITUAL GIFTS VS

SPIRITUAL GIFTS VS. SPIRITUAL FRUITS:

HOW THEY COMPARE IN THE LIVES OF BELIEVERS

In Partial fulfillment for NT 5423

1 and 2 Corinthians

DONALD P. LYLES

979 ALMOND DRIVE

OAKLEY, CA 94561

d@ecis.com

October 15, 2003

Mid Term: Spiritual Gifts vs. Spiritual fruits: How they compare in the lives of believers.

Prolegomena:

I began writing this paper in the first days of September, 2002. I got busy with school and really did not get back to it until the summer of 2003. The ladies in our church got permission in April to put on an eight-hour seminar before the leaders of the church. The primary book they used was Network: The Right People… In the Right Places… For the Right Reasons. I did not appreciate the women of the church teaching the Pastor and Elders and I wasn’t sure about Bugbee’s book.

. There are few references in this paper to Fee, as I wrote the paper first and then read Gordon Fee’s superb commentary on 1 Corinthians. I have something like 30 feet of commentaries and have little use for these commentaries, but found Fee a wonderful exception. Dr. Walton asked me to send this as is for evaluation and I have followed his direction.

So I not only wanted to complete this course for credit, but I wanted to find out exactly what the New Testament had to say about Spiritual Gifts. I found there were too many words in too many versions to use the English and found it much easier to use the Greek words, which is why there is so much Greek in this paper. Many of the italicized words were transliterated from Greek to English letters, because of my limited knowledge of typing in Greek. May the Lord Be Praised and we be blessed as we look at God’s Word.

I. Related Passages: There are several passages that relate to the topic of Spiritual Gifts. [Brackets are mine.]

A. Romans 12:6-8[1]

6 And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

B. 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11[2]

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 And there are varieties of effects [energematon-operations] but the same God who works [operating] all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word [logos] of wisdom [sothias] through the Spirit; 9 to another faith [pistis] by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing [iamaton-of cures] by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles [dunameon- of powers,] and to another prophecy [propheteia,] and to another the distinguishing [diakriseis-discerning] of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues [glosson], and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works [operates] all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

C. 1 Corinthians 12:28- 31[3]

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.

D. Ephesians 4: 11-12[4]

11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

E. 1 Peter 4:8-11[5]

8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

F. Compilation and Defining Spiritual Gifts

1. Kuberneseis, Administration, 1 Corinthians 12:28 (literally governments or governing)

Arndt and Gingrich state, “administration; the pl. indicates proofs of ability to hold and a leading position in the church 1Corinthians 12:28.”[6]

Bugbee writes, “The divine enablement to understand what makes an organization function, and the special ability to plan and execute procedures that accomplish the goals of the ministry.”[7]

Synthesis: This appears to be the person organizing the organization or church.

2. Apostolous, Apostles, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28

Arndt and Gingrich list the following words are translated into English. “In the NT . . . 1. delegate, envoy, messenger Phil 2:25.—2 Cor 8:23 perh. Missionary. 2. esp. of God’s messengers Luke 11:49 . . . But our lit. uses [Greek deleted] predom. For the apostles a group of highly honored believers, who had a special function. Even Judaism had an office known as apostles.”

Bugbee writes, “The divine ability to start and oversee the development of new churches or ministry structures. People with this ability demonstrate authority and vision for the mission of the church.”[8]

Kittle states, “According to Paul the apostoloi (1 C. 12:28 f.) are not officials of the congregation, let alone the chief of such officials; they are officers of Christ by whom the Church is built. . . In Hb. 3:1 Jesus Himself is called [Greek Text omitted] . . . Here the only possible meaning of apostolos is that in Jesus there has taken the place the definite revelation of God by God Himself (1:2).” [9]

Synthesis: Apostle is a transliteration of the word from Greek. When I hear a leader in today’s Christian Church called “Apostle,” I wonder if they are 2000 years old. Of all the gifts this one appears to have died an early death. It was the second generational persons upon whom the church was built. In 1 Corinthians 12: 28 it is “first apostle”, but today, at the end of the age, I only know of one or two churches that call pastors apostles, and they can’t do anything more superlative than a pastor. Apostles were needed in the first century, but few of us have had a supernatural revelation that encouraged and built the church. Few of us can walk up and cast out demons orally or heal with our shadow passing on the sick in the street[10]. Few of us, in a chance meeting, can meet a person of any language group and begin discussing their need of salvation in their language.

3. Energemata dunameon, Discernment or Discerning of spirits, 1 Corinthians. 12:10

Bugbee states, “The divine enablement to distinguish between truth and error, to discern the sprits, differentiating between good and evil, right and wrong.”[11]

I have read nothing that indicates Bruce is not right on the mark on this definition.

4. Parakalon, Romans 12:8, Encourager (NIV); Exhorts (KJV) or Encouragement.

“The divine enablement to present truth so as to strengthen, comfort, or urge to action those who are discouraged or wavering in their faith.”

This definition seems to be right on the mark. Throughout the rest of this section, if I could find no difference of opinion, I have simply left Bugbee stand as the adequate definition.

5. euangelistas, Evangelist, Ephesians 4:11. In the middle of the word is clearly angel. I missed this in English, but angel is clearly seen in the Greek.

“The divine enablement to effectively communicate the gospel to unbelievers so they respond in faith and move toward discipleship.”[12]

Angel in the New Testament means messenger and an evangelist is one who is the messenger of the gospel to the unsaved.

6. Pistis, Faith, 1 Corinthians 12:9.

Bugbee, and I quote, “The divine enablement to act on God’s promises with confidence and unwavering belief in God’s ability to fulfill his purposes. People with this gift: believe the promises of God and inspire others to do the same; act in complete confidence of God’s ability to overcome obstacles;”[13]

7. Charismata iamaton , Healing. Literally “gifts of cures” in 1 Corinthians 12:9, 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Many books have been written on this topic. While during apostolic times, Jesus could heal from a distant city and the apostles could heal according to Acts 5:15, by their shadow falling on the sick. I believe James, at the end of the first Century wrote, the definitive answer for Christians today:

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.”[14]

I believe I was healed of liver cancer. The last step was to do a biopsy on Monday and the weekend before 20+ CMA pastors fervently prayed over me and anointed me with oil at Simpson College in Redding. During the next week at a follow up appointment the doctor came back and said, “I know what I saw last week, but it is not there.” That was more than ten years ago. No more pain, no more problems; praise the Lord!

Gary Spencer had testicular cancer and after fervent prayer and being anointed with oil by the church elders in his home he needed to go through surgery, but has lived cancer free for more than three years. There are people all over the church including Pricilla Wilson being cancer free after prayer and anointing with oil for more than six years.

Jesus and the apostles virtually removed sickness from Palestine during the apostolic period. But after the time of the apostles, healing seems to come through the church using prayer and anointing with oil.

8. Metadidous, Giver, Literally, “the one sharing.” In Romans 12:8.

“The divine enablement to contribute money and resources to the work of the Lord with cheerfulness and liberality. People with this gift do not ask, ‘How much money do I need to give to God?’ but ‘How much money do I need to live on?’”[15]

9. Antilempseis, Helper, 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Bugbee, “The divine enablement to accomplish practical and necessary tasks which free-up, support and meet the needs of others. People with this gift; serve behind the scenes wherever needed to support the gifts and ministries of others;”[16]

10. Proistamenos, Leader or Ruler, Rom 12:8. Literally the one, “taking the lead.”

An aside, I find the leader and the administrator are listed as two different spiritual gifts. I can be a good administrator, seeing and dealing with the details, but can’t lead cattle, much less men. This was one of the practical encouragements that came out of this study.

11. Eleon en ilaroteti, Mercy, Romans 12:8. The closest translation, “the one showing mercy cheerfully.”

“The divine enablement to cheerfully and practically help those who are suffering or are in need, compassion moved to action.”[17]

12. Dunameis, powers or Miracles, 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 Corinthians 12:28.

“The divine enablement to authenticate the ministry and message of God through supernatural interventions which glorify him.”[18]

13. Poimenas, Pastors, Ephesians 4:11. The better translation would be shepherd. See also bishop and overseer for a more complete understanding of the office of Pastor in the Bible.

Vine states, “’A shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks’ (not merely one who feds them) is used metaphorically of Christian ‘pastors’ Eph.4:11. ‘Pastors’ guide as well as feed the flock’”[19]

14. Propeteia, Prophets, in Ephesians 4:11. Prophecy, propeteia in Romans 12:6 and 1 Corinthians 12:10 both use this word. 1 Corinthians 12:28 uses the word propetas. The word perceiving has three concepts. They are the ability to interpret scripture and to pass real information to others and to speak the mind of God.

“Seven names were given to a prophet they include: a man of God, a servant of the Lord, a messenger of the Lord, a seer or beholder, a man of the Spirit, a watchman and a prophet”[20]

15. Diakoniaiv, this word is translated several ways in Romans 12:7: Ministry (KJV), Serving (NIV), Service (NASB). 1 Peter 4:10, uses the same word with a different ending. Ministering (KJV), Serve (NIV), Serving (NASB).

16. Didaskalos, Teacher, --- Romans 12: 7; didaskalos, 1 Corinthians 12:28; Romans 12: 8.

“The divine enablement to understand, clearly explain, and apply the word of God causing greater Chrsit likness in the lives of listeners.”[21]

17. Glossalia, Tongues, 1 Corinthians 10:10, gloson or glossalia, when used with phule (tribe) seven times in the New Testament “indicating a foreign language not learnt.”[22] Glosson in 1Corinthians 12:28, translated in KJV as, “diversities of tongues.”

When I found the Hindu’s use glossalia, the separation of the tongue from mind, in their worship and compare this with the words in Acts 2:11, “Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God. " At least in Acts 2, this is talking about known languages. Languages like Chinese, English, Greek, German, Hebrew, Tagalog and Thai, which include some of the 1600 known languages on earth.

Personal note: I grew up in a Fundamental Baptist home where people would have cut their tongues out (almost literally) before they would have spoken in tongues. I on the other hand, wanted the fullness of the Spirit and tried fervently on several occasions to speak in tongues. On these occasions I felt nothing. While people were praying over me in known and unknown tongues, crying and laying hands on me, I felt nothing. I have had the opportunity to be in groups in the Thailand, where the unknown tongue was my language. I had no need to speak in glossalia, nothing happened, no emotions, no tongues, I felt like a dead fish. Apparently, I do not have the gift of tongues, and for family unity I am pleased.

On the other side of the coin, it is clearly unbiblical to demand all Christians speak in tongues as a sign of salvation. Uncle Bill demands tongues and tells me I am not saved at family gatherings. It is from “faith to faith” or faith alone that saves. Faith plus anything is not salvation, which is the theme of Galatians.

Fee summarizes this gift well when he says, “Apart from the traditional Pentecostal movement, the church at large showed very little interest in this paragraph until the outbreak of some of these phenomena both n Roman Catholic and in traditional protestant circles in the late 1950s. The result has been a considerable body of literature, both scholarly and popular, on the gifts enumerated in vv. 8-10. Most of these literature assumes that such gifts are available to Christians in all ages of the church. Although some have taken a dim view of the phenomena, most have been moderately cautious, suggesting openness to what the Spirit might do, but usually offering correctives or guidelines as well. However, there has also been a spate of literature whose singular urgency has been to justify the limiting of these gifts to the first-century church. It is fair to say of this literature that its authors have found what they were looking for and have thereby continued to reject such manifestations in the church. It can also be fairly said that such rejection is not exegetically based, but results in every case from a prior hermeneutical and theological commitment.”[23]

18. Epmeneia glosson, Interpretation of tongues, 1 Corinthians 12:10.

19. Sophia, Word of wisdom, 1 Corinthians 12:8.

“The divine enablement to apply spiritual truth effectively to meet a need in a specific situation.”[24]

20. Gnosis, Word of knowledge, 1 Corinthians 12:8. Gnosis means “to know” (compare with oida to understand.)

“The divine enablement to bring truth to the body through a revelation or biblical insight.”[25]

Paul stated it correctly when he said, “There are diversities of gifts.”[26] Which some churches include celibacy, 1 Corinthians 7:7; counseling, craftsmanship, creative communication, exorcism, Matthew 17;19-21; hospitality[27], intersession 1 Tim 2:1; martyrdom and voluntary poverty.[28]

I find a problem with Bugbee that craftsmanship, taken from Exodus 31:3 and Creative Communication, taken from Psalm 150:3-5 are Spiritual Gifts. Both of these passages and “gifts” are pre-Acts 1 and pre-Pentecost where the Holy Spirit was poured out on the apostles. Bugbee uses the New Testament teaching of Spiritual gifts and pre-dates his work to the Old Testament.

Celibacy, while not mentioned by name, seems to be on Paul’s mind when he says, “Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.”[29] And while there is discussion on Saul later called Paul needing to be married to be a Pharisee, there is no indication of a feminine attachment to the Paul of the New Testament. Paul moves around in the, “We/They” portions of the book of Acts with a group of men; there is only the silence of scripture when discussing a woman was traveling with Paul and the men. It would have been highly awkward to have one woman with the many men that traveled in Roman times. After Paul was arrested there is no indication of what his wife did or would be doing. The silence of Scripture would indicate Paul was a single man when he wrote this text. Paul seems to be discussing celibacy as a gift.

I had an on-going discussion with my Theology Professor, Bruce Stabbert about the amount of Scripture. Did God tell us everything we needed to know, or does He still give revelation, or are we in the dark about some items? Bruce would listen and then patiently state, “God told us everything we needed to know about Salvation.” I believe my list is complete at the top of the discussion since it includes all passages on the topic, and thus all the spiritual gifts mentioned in scripture.

II. Passages referring to the Fruit of the Spirit.

A. Galatians 5:22-24

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

B. Definition of the Fruit of the Spirit Terms.

1. Love, agape; God’s kind of love. Compare with phileo, tender affection,[30] or brotherly love an eros, sensual or sexual love.

“Agape and agapao are used in the NT (a) to describe the attitude of God toward His Son, John 17:26; the human race, generally, John 3:16; Rom 5:8; and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ particularly, John 14:21; (b) to convey His will to His children concerning their attitude one toward another, John 13:34, and towad all men, 1 Thess. 3:12”[31]

2. Joy, chara; I am very partial to this bit of fruit. I named my only daughter Joy. It is inner satisfaction or peace no matter how difficult the storm is on the outside. When we put “J” Jesus, “O” Others, and then “Y” You--we have joy.

“Chara [Greek deleted] ‘Joy, delight’ (akin to chairo, ‘to rejoice’”[32]

“. . . Ro 14:17 . . . filled with intense joy . . . W[ith] gen. To denote the origin of the joy X [Greek deleted] joy that come s from faith Phil 1:25 . . . 1 Pt 1:8 joy, feel pleased . . . have joy accompanying it.”[33]

3. Peace, eirene = Screne

“eirene occurs in each of the books of the NT, save 1 John and in Acts 7:26 [‘(at) one again’] is translated “peace” in the RV.”[34]

Abbott and Smith simply state, “eireneuo (< eirene), …to bring to peace, reconcile 2. to keep the peace.” [35]

4. Patience or longsuffering, makpothumia

Makrothumeo according to Vine, “is forbearance, patience, longsuffering, macros, ‘long’ thumos, ‘temper’”[36]

5. Kindness or friendliness, chrestotus

“Goodness, excellence, uprightness, goodness of heart, kindness” [37]

6. Goodness or moral conscience, agathosune

“To do good, to show kindness”[38]

“Christians are to ‘take thought for things honorable’[39]

7. Faithfulness, pistis

“in active sense faith, belief, trust, confidence, in NT always of religious faith in God or Christ or spiritual things.”[40]

8. Gentleness or meekness, prautes

Meekness, gentleness Abbott Smith pg 376

9. Self-control eykrateia

Eureka, worth the wait, “1. Strong, powerful. Master of, hence 3. self-controlled, exercising self-control. Abbott-smith pg 128

III. Synthesis of Gifts and Fruit

The personal spiritual gifts of the Spirit (Romans 12) are not skills or abilities. The Greek word, charis suggests something more personal or subjective. It is the motivation, or the reason or the inspiration for doing an act. One way to put it is to say “spiritual gifts are our frame of reference.” A person with the gift of prophecy, for example is motivated by the need to declare what is right. A person who had the gift of mercy is motivated by other people’s feelings or emotional needs. They may both do the same action, as teaching a lesson, but the frame of reference for acting is within the context of their spiritual gift.

This indicates the spiritual gift represents the motive for doing something, or the context in which we do something. It does not guarantee the absolute truth in what is taught, rather, the content of the lesson is prepared and presented from a frame of reference committed to detail and to truth and motivated by the need to inform and educate others.

Divisions of Gifts

There appears to be at least three divisions or categories of gifts.

I. The Gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 12:4-10

II. The Gifts of Service or Ministry, 1 Corinthians 12:5?, Ephesians 4:11-12

III. The Gifts of Manifestations of God in Believer’s lives, 1 Corinthians 12:6?

In Romans 12:3 we are told of the necessity to think. “For by the grace given to me I bid everyone among you not to think, but to think with superb judgment, each according to the measure of faith which ‘God assigned him.” From this verse we see that Spiritual gifts are not emotions. These gifts are something you can figure out. Through a process of ministry you can determine your Spiritual gift.

Paul even went so far to say in Ephesians 5:17 “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Foolish, aphro, without reason can accurately be translated crazy or insane. “So then do not be insane, but understand what the will of the Master is.” In a real sense not only should every mature Christian know their spiritual gift, according to Paul, we are crazy if we don’t know our gifting. This is Bugbee’s strong suit and well worth blinking at his lack of Old Testament inclusion of New Testament doctrine.

One Spiritual Gift

1 Corinthians 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many. Just a couple of verses before verse 14, Paul states, “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”[41] Scripture indicates the Church is the Body of Christ. Paul then picks up this analogy and describes an eye trying to hear or talk without the correct parts being attached.[42] The body needs all the parts. So if we are part of the body of Christ, we have a ministry, whether hand, eye, ear or lips continuing the analogy. One cannot be two parts of the body at one time. A eye cannot be a leg.

Each Christian has at one spiritual gift. The original Greek language for Romans 12:3-8 describes the distribution of gifts among all the various individuals. This distribution is best understood as one of the gifts to each person, while at the same time all the gifts of the Spirit are given out.

The word Charisma is used nine times in the New Testament all but one in the Pauline Epistles: Romans 1:11, Romans 5:15-16, Romans 6:23, 1 Corinthians 1:7, 1 Corinthians 7:7, 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6, and 1 Peter 4:10.

Romans that great book of Justification discusses Salvation in Romans 5:15-16 and is contrasting Adam with Christ. Romans 6:23 seems to be discussing salvation in the same way as Ephesians 2:8-9. God offers a free gift of salvation to those that accept God’s free gift through faith. And in 1 Corinthians 7:7 Paul, arguably, is discussing celibacy as a gift. But at least five of the nine the verses using charisma seem to be discussing a spiritual gift. In each of these verses it is in the charisma is singular.

Romans 1:11 For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established;

1 Corinthians 1:7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.

2 Timothy1:6 And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

1Peter 4:10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Peter 4:10 mentions “received a special gift”[43] (charisma, singular) that is in you. The gifts are listed in Romans 12: 3-8 as singular (If you have the gift of prophecy, etc.) Paul tells Timothy (2 Timothy 1:6) to stir up the gift within you. (singular).

It should also be pointed out that doma is also translated gift, but is better translated present: in our culture a box wrapped with a bow. I sent you a gift or present seems to be the better translation in Phil 4:16.

While the KJV uses “gift” in Phil 4:16, the NASB seems to reserve the word “present” to indicate tense or time value. And in doing this mixes up the words for gift and present both, which may have a box and ribbon.

So a person with the gift of encouragement can teach a Sunday School lesson or sermon. My gift may coordinate with mercy by giving to a special cause. But my motivation for doing these things is from the frame of reference of encouraging.

My understanding of seeing not an act, but a frame of reference as being the motivation for action has freed me from the need for a plurality of gifts, (as we observe real people in actual ministries) when the Scriptures seem to indicate a singular gift.

My Testimony:

I cannot remember a time when I did not save things to show my children in the future. I was probably less than eight when my father bought me a set of rocks that glowed under ultraviolet light and I saved pennies and nickels from 1900 to 1966 so I could show these to my children before I was ten. At this stage in my life, I disliked girls, but still understood one day I would have children as “an adult.”

I did not think all that much about my spiritual gift except when it was preached on in church and I would ask, “Wonder what my Spiritual gift is?” On my 29^th Birthday as Pastor of a local assembly I was told by the Church Treasure there was no money for my next paycheck.

Almost as soon as he hung up, Lillian Brown called me from the closest Christian School 15 miles away and asked me if I would like to be a permanent sub for the rest of the year. Within 48 hours I filled out an application, was interviewed by the school board and started work as a Christian Day School teacher. Lord be praised, I have never had to seriously look for a job teaching. People call me on the phone. One church even flew my wife and me to just a couple of miles from where I grew up to interview us and offer us a contract. There is no doubt in my mind God wants me to teach in a Christian Day School using my gift as teacher.

Looking back, I can see my collection of rocks, and pennies as pre-cursors to my occupation. One last comment, as I announced my resignation from the one church I pastored, I heard people whisper, and tell me outright, “He isn’t a pastor but he will do well as a teacher.” Inner peace and godly counsel leads us to understand our spiritual gift.

The only time God directly spoke to me was not unlike Paul’s experience with the Macedonian. The school where my wife and I had been teaching quit paying us in March. We finished the school year but I went to work at Radio Shack after teaching all day to pay the bills. I worked all summer and several days before school began in August, I got a phone call at Radio Shack asking for me. The principal of the Christian school several blocks away was asking me to teach High School English.

As I signed my contract, the Holy Spirit told me I would be teaching English in China the next summer. Almost everyone in the world except my wife and children were against this 45+-year-old man going to China. God brought so much money in for my trip; it shut the mouths of the naysayers.

It has been my experience that the best way to find one’s spiritual gift is to try everything and begin doing what you seem to enjoy doing. Everything in marriage isn’t enjoyable, few people enjoy taking out the garbage or pulling the weeds in the back yard. If the 4^th and 5^th grade needs a teacher, and no one is available, I am a teacher, I can teach this group until someone more qualified comes on the scene, and then I need to graciously remove myself from the ministry after working them into the job.

Conclusion

I found several minor things in Bruce Bugbee’s book that bothered my theology. His most serious flaw from my point of view is trying to force a pseudo definition on Apostle to fit today’s scene. I continue to scratch my head on his pre-Pentecost, Old testament expressions as spiritual gifts. They may be God given natural gifts, but spiritual gifts, I think not.

Overall, I have seen the work it has done in our church in unity and advancement of the cause of Christ. Further, I felt the spiritual gifts on the whole were quite well done with there quick definitions.

Bibliography

BIBLE VERSIONS

Amplified Bible, Lockman Foundation, Zondervan Publishing House Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1987

BIBLE|MASTER, Lockman Foundation, NASB Bible software, La Habra, CA, 1996.

This is the best kept secret around. For less than $20.00 you can purchase this disk from Lockman, for less than $50.00 you may be able to include the NIV, NASB, KJV and Amplified versions. It will do anything I need a Bible to do including a concordance and lexicon.

Marshall, Alfred, The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament, Nestle Greek Text, Samuel Bagster and Sons, London, 1958

BOOKS

Bugbee, Bruce, Cousins, Don, Hybels, Bill, Network: The Right People … In the Right Places… For the Right Reasons, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, 1994.

This book is being used in Neighborhood Church of Brentwood, CA, as a guide to helping members become active in ministry. It is clearly written from a charismatic perspective, but draws one from the scriptural text to determining how they can use their God given gifts and talents to best use in the church. I started this paper months before I knew this book was available.

I had some theological differences with the book, as they took us to the Old Testament to pull out the spiritual gift of craftsmanship in Exodus 31:3 and Music in Psalm 150:3-5. Spiritual gifts is a New Testament teaching. I spent some time on the list of spiritual gifts trying to determine the validity of the list in the book. They also consider apostle and tongues among other gifts to be viable in today’s world.

COMMENTARIES DICTIONARIES AND LEXICONS

Abbott-Smith, G., A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1921.

Arndt, W. F. and Gingrich, F. W., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1957

Fee, Gordon, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1987

I don’t think much of most commentaries. The Holy Spirit can illuminate my mind as well as the next guy. I found Fee’s commentary to be the best book I have read on God’s Word in a very long time. It was worth reading. It was tedious reading. I can usually read about a minute a page, this was slow laborious work and well worth every minute on each page.

The foot notes take, on the average, about half of the page and are well worth the effort to read. I also appreciated his several pages of introduction to each chapter and several pages of conclusion to each chapter, which added immensely to the volume.

Hogg, C.F. and Vine W.E, The Epistle to the Galatians, Scripture Truth Book Company, Fincastle, VA 1921

Kittel, Gerhard (Editor), Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Wm. B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1964. 10 volumes.

Vine, W.E., Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson, Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 1996

INTERNET SOURCES:

Dorena Della Vecchio, http://www.gifttest.org/results.cfm Motivation Gifts Survey, which is part of Regents University, School of Leadership Studies.

This was a one page, 33 question style test that pegged me instantly, online. It is touted as, “the first statistically validated instrument of its kind.”

Jerry Falwell, Harold Willmington, Elmer Towns, and Larrie Schlapman, http://www.liberty.edu/wwwadmin/includes/search/QandA_results_elmertowns.com

It is much easier to find from www.elmertowns.com and ask for spiritual gifts in the question box.

I have followed Elmer L. Towns for the last 40 years. I traveled to many of the churches in his 10 largest Sunday Schools book in our early years of ministry. Interestingly, Karen’s brother was saved in one of these large churches and attended it for many years. Elmer is now head of the Religion Department at Liberty University and he has developed a very useful web page. One can ask for almost any question in the appropriate box and get a good answer. He also has 23 books that can be downloaded without cost.

Kazenske, Donna, Christian Online Magazine, Introduction to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, http://www.christianity.com/CC/CDA/CC_Home/CC_Search_Results/1,,PTID1000|CHID74|CIID|0_0,00.html

This was an interesting site from a more charismatic point of view than my own.

N.A. http://www.centralpreschurch.org/ministry/Spiritual%20Gifts%20Quiz.htm Part of Central Presbyterian Church of 31 North Seventh Street, Lafayette, Indiana, 47901

At this extensive site, including a nice picture trip around the church campus, sermons and a listing of many of the 100 “clusters” i.e. church boards, which run and make up the church, was this fairly simple page. I would have found the test easier to try to take with numbers and not the arbitrary letters. I also could not figure how to take the test online, even thought the words were online. I would have had to print the test off and take it at my desk.

N.A., Team Ministry: Spiritual Gifts Based Ministry, Spiritual Gifts Analysis. http://www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi Ephesians Four Ministries, Church Growth Institute

This looks like a dynamic page with 102 questions that looked like it would do an excellent job determining spiritual gifts. This is the online version of their book by the same name.

[20] Susann BEAULIEU 32332 BI C04, Email 112903

[22] Vine, W.E., New Testament Expository Dictionary pg 637

[23] Fee, First Epistle to the Corinthians, pg 597-8.