Spiritual Gifts—Not of Human Choice
By Abdiel
THE gift of the Spirit of God to every believer, cleansing, sanctifying, filling for service! The gifts of the Spirit of God, or spiritual gifts, bestowed variously among God’s children, to every soul at least one; bestowed for the profit of the individual; bestowed for “the perfecting of the saints,” “the work of the ministry,” “the building up of the body of Christ.” Eph. 4:12. Precious and valued gifts are these, symbolized by the highest denominations of Hebrew and Roman money—the talent and the mina. Varied and effective they are, fitting the church completely for her militant career, “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13. Among these gifts are divine and common-sense wisdom and knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, tongues, apostleship, prophecy, evangelists, pastors, teachers, governments, helps, and others. According to ability to use are they given to God’s own servants. Matt. 25:14, 15. They are given till the Master comes again; given to rule and regulate the “abundant life” for the building up of the church, and the heralding abroad of God’s message of life to others. How much the church needs these gifts—all of them! If otherwise, God would not have “set” them “in the church.” 1 Cor. 12:28. But these gifts do not come at the will of the human. A pope may appoint, a council choose, a conference set apart, a church elect, a theological school educate; but none of these can bestow the gifts of God. There are many self-appointed or self-assumed governors, leaders, teachers, pastors, prophets. But they do not perfect the saints nor build up the body of Christ. Sickly, weak, dying churches are the manifest consequences. But is it not right for conference, religious body, or church to select or choose men for certain work?—Yes, if they are sure these men are called and fitted of God for the purpose. Then the church is but recognizing the calling and the gift of God. In normal procedure the church shows that she recognizes God’s leading and gifts, even as of old the gifts of the Spirit upon Paul and Barnabas and others were recognized and given room by the early church. Acts 13:1-3; 15:22, 23. But is it not the right thing to do to “covet earnestly the best gifts”?—Yes, the best gifts for us, the very greatest gift we can use. But it is not the duty nor is it the proper thing to do, to seek to become a prophet or a pastor, or any other one thing of our choice. The very thing we seek might if bestowed prove our destruction, because we have not the consecrated ability to use it. Yet if in the face of that we continue to seek for it, we place ourselves on the devil’s ground, and become deceived and possessed by Satan. Therefore it is written of these gifts, “But all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as He will.” 1 Cor. 12:11. The reason is clearly evident. God, infinite in wisdom, knows what is needed for “the perfecting of the saints,” “the work of the ministry,” “the building up of the body of Christ.” He also knows our limitations, our lack of knowledge, our predilections for our own way, our selfish and often unconscious prejudice, our little knowledge of the needs of His church. He knows whether our choice of gifts would lead to destructive exaltation or discouraging defeat. In fact, He knows all things; we know little of anything. We look to honor and present results; He looks to the service and the eternal good of ourselves and His church. Why, then, should we not be willing to leave all choice of gifts to Him? The Sacred Story of His people demonstrates His wisdom. Does He want a leader?—He takes a Hebrew, by adoption heir to Egypt’s throne, gives him a post-graduate training of forty years in keeping sheep, and makes him the mightiest of earth’s leaders, “Moses, the man of God.” Does He want prophets?—He chooses Jeremiah, the youthful priest; Daniel, the royal student; Amos, the herdsman of Tekoa; Elijah, of Gilead; Samuel, the devoted boy; John, the fisherman. But He uses them all mightily. Does He want a king?—He chooses the true, brave shepherd lad, David. Are apostles needed?—Peter and Andrew, fishermen, Matthew, the publican, and others from other walks of life, all successful, because endowed of God and submissive to Him. So, Christian brother or sister, leave it with Him. Do you wish to be a prophet? an apostle? a teacher? an evangelist? a speaker of tongues? Do you covet one or all of these? Make no demand on God. Seek Him for the best gifts for you. Follow “the more excellent way,” that of love, set forth so beautifully in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians. Only so will you be built up and God glorified. Let God divide the gifts of His Spirit; and whatsoever He bestows upon you, honor Him by its use, and also glorify God by recognizing His gifts to others. “As He will.” Let it be even and ever so.