SPIRITUAL GIFTS by H. F. Phelps

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jun 24, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 24.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

By H. F. Phelps

IN 1 Cor. 12:1 we read, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant." And the whole chapter is given to the discussion of these gifts, and their operations in the church. Now let it be remembered that this epistle was not written to that church alone, but to those who should be "waiting for the coming ["revelation," margin] of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 1:7. And in verse 6 we learn that this very church that should be waiting for the coming of Christ, was especially blessed in that the "testimony of Christ was confirmed [fixed, established] in you." The church in the last days will so come into the unity of the faith that they may indeed be likened, as they are in chapter 12, to a perfect human body, with all its members fitly joined together and working in perfect harmony. So God's perfect church will work in the one faith, under the one Lord, and by the power of the same one Holy Spirit, dividing severally of these gifts to the several members, as meets the mind of the same Lord, who is over all.

Gifts "Set" in the Church.

"Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church." Mark this: something has been "set" in the church. Now this word, according to the Standard Dictionary, signifies: "To give a specific or desired position to; put into a certain place or particular relations in order to secure a special end. To put into a fixed, permanent, or immovable condition, position, or form."

Then it is this: "God hath set" in the church, "fixed" in the body of Christ, given a "specific or desired position, put into a certain place," "in order to secure a special end," or object, the gifts of the Spirit, even as he has set the eye, the ear, the nose, the hand, and the foot, these all in the body, fixed them there for a specific object. And here are the names of some of these gifts: "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." Thus does it become a positive fact that the gift of prophecy in God's plan is set, immovable, fixed, in the church of Christ, to the end of time. Then, as if to make the argument doubly strong, these questions are asked by the Spirit of God: "Are all apostles?" No. "Are all prophets?" No. "Are all teachers?" No. "Are all workers of miracles?" No. "Have all the gifts of healing?" No. "Do all speak with tongues?" No. "Do all interpret?" No. From these questions, which, in the very nature of the case, can only admit of a negative answer, it becomes evident that if any one of these gifts were wanting in the last church, in the remnant church, then the church has not yet come to "the measure of the stature of Christ," as was by him intended.

The church is still in an imperfect condition. To use the illustration of the body, the church is deformed while any one of these gifts are wanting, even as the body would be dwarfed and deformed without the members which the Creator has set in the body. It follows, as a logical conclusion, that the remnant of the church, the church represented in vision to the beloved apostle John (Rev. 14:12), which "keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus," will not despise "prophesying," and will "come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." In fact, this same church is seen by the apostle and prophet to come into a deadly conflict with the dragon because she has this gift of prophecy in her midst. "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17. Thus Paul sees that the church has the testimony of Christ confirmed within them; and John sees the dragon, which is the devil, filled with wrath against them because they have the testimony of Christ. Says the angel to John, "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Thus in heeding the divine injunction, "Despise not prophesying," they do not quench the Spirit of God, and so the Holy Spirit comes to them in abundance of measurement, bestowing upon them the gifts of the Spirit.

The gift of the spirit of prophecy is like the pilot who guides the ship into port. Soon after the fall there were prophets, for "Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints." Jude 14. And now, as the Gospel ship is about to sail into port, the gift of prophecy is restored, with all the gifts of the Spirit, for the benefit of all who will heed the words: "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying."

Will reader and writer ever be found seeking the aid of the Spirit of God? Will we believe its messages of instruction and receive of its blessed benefits through the perils of the last days? That this may ever be so is the prayer of the writer. H. F. PHELPS.