Spiritual Gifts, 7

 ~ Differentiation of the Spiritual Gift Categories ~

Opening Comment  ~  “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures” (James 1:16-18). 

How Do The Spiritual Grace Gift Categories Differ? 

SOURCE Grace Gifts  ~  The Source Grace Gifts are all about Relationships.  They have to do with spirituality and are commanded of all believers.

SERVING & SPEAKING Grace Gifts  ~  The middle two categories, Serving and Speaking Grace Gifts both have to with Relevance.  In contrast to the Source Gifts they are not necessarily a direct measure of spirituality. 

SIGN Grace Gifts  ~  The fourth category, Sign Grace Gifts, is related to Revelation.  They are closely aligned with those without the believing community and tend to be based on specific task assignments. 

Note  ~  In future posts in this series we will look at specific grace gifts. 

Closing Comments  ~  “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.  Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.  Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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