Rom 12: 7-8 Pointing back to God

gifts  χάρισμα, charisma,  gracious free gift;

spiritual gift

endowed and empowered by the third person of the Trinity.

it’s goal, it’s purpose is to accomplish two things:

1. express love to God’s children
2. bring glory to the Father (meaning every gift points back to God)

balance is a key to approaching these gifts

balance in personal experience and expression

balance in corporate experience and expression (the body)

(remember the context of the use of these gifts in within (for the benefit) of the body

(use metaphor of strings out of tune on guitar)

3 major passages dealing with gifts of the Spirit in the NT

Rom 12

• exhortation
• giving
• leadership
• mercy
• prophecy
• service
• teaching

1 Cor 12

• administration
• apostle
• discernment
• faith
• healings
• helps
• knowledge
• miracles
• prophecy
• teaching
• tongues
• tongues interpretation
• wisdom

Eph 4

• apostle
• evangelism
• pastor
• prophecy
• teaching

Other gifts from Misc passages:

CELIBACY: 1 Cor. 7:7,8

HOSPITALITY: 1 Pet. 4:9,10

MARTYRDOM: 1 Cor. 13:3

MISSIONARY: Eph. 3:6-8

TONGUES and INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES  1 Cor 12, 1 Cor 14

VOLUNTARY POVERTY: 1 Cor. 13:3

last week we talked about prophecy and service (verses 6 and 7a)

 7 if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching;

teaches

1438   [1321]   διδάσκω, didaskō, v instruct, to provide information in a manner intended to produce understanding, either in a formal or informal setting

providing an explanation of a scripture, passage, or doctrine.

does not stop there !

The spiritual gift of teaching, must, by necessity , point the student or listener back to scripture.

(establishing God’s power and wisdom is the purpose for the expression of this gift, not the power or wisdom of a man or woman)

it’s interesting to note that Paul refers to teaching in two other letters 

1 Cor 12:28-29

Eph 4:11

each time, teaching follows immediately after prophecy. (as if trying to immediately create a distinction between two closely related gifts)

we see that while 

prophecy usually focuses on relaying a message from God to people that God “puts in his mouth)

teaching focuses on the illumination of the written word.

 8 or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

exhorts (1x)  G3870 

4151   [3870]   παρακαλέω, parakaleō, v.  [4123 + 2813]. to ask, beg, plead; to comfort, encourage, exhort, urge; to call, invite

we see that while 

teaching is instruction from and in the  written word

exhortation is more motivationally centered

teaching provides the “what to do” and the “why to do”

exhortation provides the “come and do”

teaching (and prophecy) relay God’s wisdom

exhortation relays God’s passion to act on it

both work excellently together, for example, in the role of a pastor or shepherd (even a street preacher)

gives 3556    μεταδίδωμι, metadidōmi, v.  [3552 + 1443]. to impart, share, contribute to needs 

qualified by:

generosity   ἁπλότης, haplotēs, n.  [604]. Formally “the quality of singleness,” translated “generosity,” the state of giving things in a manner that shows liberality; “sincerity,” the moral quality of honesty expressing singleness of purpose or motivation

(no difference offered between one’s own resources or those belonging to an assembly but worth noting that the sincerity is more obvious when it is one’s own resources)

leadership G4291b   προΐστημι, proistēmi,  (act/mid) to manage, direct, lead; (mid.) to devote oneself, busy oneself to

There are many desiring to lead in the body of Christ. Many are false leaders because they lead people away from Christ, rather than towards Him. This gift, like every other, can be discerned by it’s fruit.

leadership is qualified:

diligence (8x)  G4710 (12x)

[NIV Greek]

5082   [4710]   σπουδή, spoudē, n.  [5067]. hurry, haste; earnestness, zeal, eagerness (prioritized, not treated flippantly)

4. Responsibilities of leaders in the church. Leaders in the church should be God’s persons, able to “prepare God’s people for works of service” (Eph 4:12). The responsibility of leaders is to build up believers, enabling them to be mature and to minister as members of the body of Christ (1 Co 3:1-9: 2 Co 10:8).

These responsibilities are carried out by modeling and teaching. Modeling calls for the leader to be an example. (See EXAMPLE) This is reflected in the biblical lists of qualifications for church leaders (1 Ti 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-9; 1 Pe 5:1-4). The theme is expressed elsewhere as well (e.g., 1 Ti 4:11-16; 2 Ti 3:10,14).

Besides being a model, the church leader must also be able to teach, though the NT concept of teaching differs from current ideas. (See TEACHING/LEARNING) The ability to communicate truth so that it can be lived is basic to being a leader.

In neither of these major responsibilities is behavioral control (which is the focus of the efforts of secular leaders) in view. Rather, the spiritual leader in Christ’s church is to be concerned with the inner growth and development of the believer, so that acts of service will be an expression of a vital work of God within the believer’s personality. The coercive power of the secular ruler is abandoned in the church, and the supreme power of God to change from within is relied on in its stead. For a discussion of how this leadership is exercised, see Lawrence O. Richards and Clyde Hoeldtke, A Theology of Church Leadership (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1980).

mercy  G1653   ἐλεέω, eleeō, v.  [1799]. to have pity; to show pity to another who is in serious need, usually with a focus on an act of kindness that will help meet the need

MERCY

No one has a right to mercy. When we understand this fact and its implications, we gain a deeper appreciation of God’s goodness to us. And we find a new freedom to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb 4:16).

NT — 2. The Greek words. The verb “to show mercy” is eleeo, and the noun is eleos. Originally these expressed only the emotion that was aroused by contact with a person who was suffering. By NT times, however, the concept incorporated compassionate response. A person who felt for and with a sufferer would be moved to help. This concept of mercy—as a concern for the afflicted that prompts giving help—is prominent in both the Gospels and the Epistles.

5. Summary. In both Testaments, mercy is compassion expressed to meet human need. The focus in both is on God’s mercy to human beings. In the final analysis, God is the only one truly able to meet our needs. He is the one on whom we must depend.

Those who know Jesus have received mercy and continue to experience God’s mercy. We follow the example of those men and women of the Gospels who came to Jesus, acknowledged him as Lord, and cried out to him for mercy in their time of need.

And, because in mercy God has brought us to life in Jesus, we too can show mercy to those around us, providing in our own compassion a witness to the loving mercy of God.

qualified by:

cheerfulness   ἱλαρότης, hilarotēs, n.  [2661]. cheerfully, not grudgingly, with an implication of a gracious attitude
(also means not hypocritical which will lead us to the next verse in Romans about love)

we will be in 1 Cor 12 next week to talk more about gifts of the Spirit.

 

if you would like to take a spiritual gifts survey to see what gifts God might want to use in you, click here.
(remember, He gives gifts to every one of us so that we can bless the body of Christ with His power)