Spiritual gifts are abilities or talents that God gives to individuals when they become followers of Christ. The Bible teaches that every believer has at least one spiritual gift and that these gifts are meant to be used for the building up of the church and the advancement of the gospel.
Here are some key points about spiritual gifts from the Bible:
- There are different types of spiritual gifts. The Apostle Paul lists several gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
- The purpose of spiritual gifts is to edify the church. Paul emphasizes this point in 1 Corinthians 12:7: "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."
- Spiritual gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit according to His will. 1 Corinthians 12:11 says, "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines."
- We should not envy or compare our spiritual gifts to others. Paul warns against this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-25, where he compares the church to a body, with each part having a unique function.
- We are responsible for using our spiritual gifts. Paul instructs us to "eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit" (1 Corinthians 14:1) and to use them to serve others and glorify God.
- Love should be the motivation behind the use of spiritual gifts. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 that even if we have great spiritual gifts, if we do not have love, we are nothing.
In summary, spiritual gifts are a valuable and essential part of the life of a believer. They are given by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up the church and advancing the gospel, and they should be used with love and humility for the glory of God.