The Supernatural Gifts by William P. Pearce

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jan 20, 1914

The Supernatural Gifts

By William P. Pearce

Do the Gifts of the Spirit Still Belong in the Church?—Is It Proper for Us to Covet Them?—Not Giftless if Born of the Spirit

By WILLIAM P. PEARCE

EVERY child of God has a gift. There are giftless children born into the world. Unfortunates we call them. But there are no giftless children born of the Holy Spirit. Each has a spiritual gift. There is a big difference between native gifts and Spirit gifts. Native gifts are infused by a divine dynamic when consecrated to God. But there are special Spirit gifts with whose production nature has nothing to do. They belong to the Spirit realm, and must be classed with the supernatural.

VARIOUS GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

In exploring the Spirit realm, it would be well to note the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul enumerates nine in 1 Cor. 12: 8-10,—the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, the working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.

Have these been discontinued, or have they lost their efficiency, or have the people of God lost their faith in them?

The apostle takes a big stride forward, and advocates a lawful covetousness for one or more of these gifts: "Covet earnestly the best gifts" (verse 31), or as the Revised Version has it, "Desire earnestly the greater gifts"—not the native ones of eloquence, or art, or leadership, but the greater, the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

THE BASIS OF THIS LAWFUL COVETOUSNESS

For some time the writer has been greatly impressed to pray for "the gifts of healing." 1 Cor. 12: 9. For years he has made a study of prayer therapeutics. He is convinced that "the gifts of healing" have not been withdrawn from the church. If they have, then have the others.

But why pray for this special gift or another? For fame?—No. For financial consideration?—No. But as Paul said, "Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church." 1 Cor. 14: 12.

Paul wants us on the high level plane in Christian activity. We excel in letters and art and commercial enterprises. Why not in endeavors to the benefit of the saints? Do they not need us? Are there not those to whom every one receiving one or more of the Spirit gifts would be a benediction? O, the ignorant that need the gifted of knowledge and wisdom! The many who need the one strong in faith! The multitudes of shut-ins who need the one with the gifts of healing! The scores who need startling by the one gifted with prophecy! The followers of cults and so-called religions in which evil spirits work, that need to be aroused by the discerner of spirits! The conglomeration of the masses in our cosmopolitan cities as well as abroad who need the workers with "many tongues" and interpreters of tongues!

Dare criticism in taking the word of God literally. One of the great wrongs done the Word nowadays is the spiritualizing of things which God meant to be literalized. If the Word can not stand the literal test as it did in its early days, then much of its reliability has gone. If the "gifts" are withdrawn, then Christianity does not measure up to its infancy. The church is impotent in a large degree, because the saints have feared to reenforce their faith by the supernatural, which the Holy Spirit divides "to every man severally as He will." 1 Cor. 12: 11.

EXERCISE THIS GIFT

There are those who have a special gift or gifts, but they have permitted these gifts to remain dormant. Paul exhorted Timothy not to neglect the gift that was in him, which was bestowed at his ordination. 1 Tim. 4: 14. He urged him to stir it up. 2 Tim. 1: 6. What he did, needs to be done now.

Many have wonderful Spirit gifts, which would be mightily effective if used. And some of us need to pray for gifts, that we might be transformed from ciphers to figures of a larger denomination for the perfecting of the saints. We have a right to desire them, and to pray for them, and to claim them. "Delight thyself also in the Lord," said David, "and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Ps. 37: 4. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.