Spiritual Gifts
Questions
I have about Spiritual Gifts
1. Are the various lists of Spiritual Gifts in the Bible intended to be complete and exclusive by the Bible writers and by God—that is there are no gifts beyond those listed and all our gifts must be squeezed into the mold of one of those on the list?
2. Who is the recipient of the gift—the individual or the church?
3. Do some gifts pass away and are no longer needed by God’s church?
4. Are there new Spiritual gifts that arise to fill a new need in the church?
5. How long did the
6. Can my spiritual gifts change through life? That is, can I get new ones, lose old ones?
7. How many Spiritual Gifts can one person get or have? Just one, a cluster? Many? All?
8. When does a Christian get their Spiritual gifts?
9. What is the difference between spiritual gifts and natural abilities? For instance the Spiritual Gift of leadership and the natural ability of leadership?
10. What’s the difference between spiritual gifts and duties of every Christian? For instance what is the difference between the spiritual gift of giving and the duty of giving? Or evangelism?
11. Are there some gifts all Christians have—like evangelism or giving??
12. To what extent do
the demonstration of Spiritual Gifts vary from culture to culture: are
they the same in
13. What do the many popular “Spiritual Gifts test” tests actually measure? Can one discover their spiritual gift taking a test?
14. In a new church of “two or three” gathered together are all the spiritual gifts present and as new people join the church plant these gifts somehow transfer to the new folk? Do all churches have all the gifts?
15. Are people so fascinated about “their spiritual gift” because they are mostly so fascinated about themselves and spiritual gifts provide the opportunity to talk about themselves?
16. (so what question would you add?
(Actually my mind is already made up
on most of them, but instead of giving my answers, I’m asking the questions I
asked to make up my mind.)
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So what do you think?
To contribute to the thinking on this issue e-mail
your response to Tuesday@indwes.edu
Other "Thinking Drafts" and writing by
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