~ The Spiritual Gift of Teaching – Word of Knowledge ~
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).
Category ~ Sub-categories of the gift of Teaching are the gift of Words of Wisdom and the gift of Words of Knowledge.
Definition ~ “Knowledge” implies having investigated, or to dig into, truth. J. Vernon McGee once remarked, “Many people simply do not have the time to dig into the Word of God, to dig out the nuggets.” Loren Fischer describes the gift of the Word of Knowledge as, “The God-given ability to arrange the facts of Scripture, to categorize these into principles and to communicate them to repeated or familiar situations.”
Scripture ~ “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:4-8).
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
Comment ~ Although the Holy Spirit is sovereign in bestowing gifts, we have the right to ask God for the gift we want. He says we are to “covet earnestly the best gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:31).
Quote ~ J. Vernon McGee was well-known as a simple straightforward teacher who had down-home folksy manner. Here is a small part of his testimony: “Not having been brought up in a Christian home, I had no Christian training at all. When I went away to seminary, I didn’t even know the books of the Bible. I had graduated from a college where the emphasis was placed on the intellectual and the philosophical, and I was trying to be that kind of preacher. Then I heard Dr. Harry Ironside speak. He explained Scripture in a simple manner. And I heard him make the statement, ‘Put the cookies on the bottom shelf so the kiddies can get them.’ And I remembered that my Lord had said, ‘Feed my sheep’ (see John 21:16). He hadn’t said, "’Feed my giraffes.’ So I went to God and prayed, ‘Lord, I want to be that kind of preacher.’
“Later, I substituted for Dr. Ironside at Dallas Theological Seminary, and when he passed on, the seminary's president, Dr. Lewis Sperry Chaefer, called me on the phone. He asked, ‘Would you take Dr. Ironside’s lectures here at the seminary?"’ I could hardly answer him clearly, and I almost rudely hung up the phone. I dropped to my knees, and I confess that I wept as I thanked God. I said, ‘Lord I prayed that You would let me teach like Dr. Ironside, and You have answered my prayer!" [I coveted earnestly the best gift, and He answered my prayer.] Although I am no Dr. Ironside, how I thrill today at the experience and the privilege of teaching the Word of God!”
Traits ~ Here are some examples often typified by one with the gift of the Word of Knowledge. 1) Often studies questions thoroughly so as to provide information on the topic others have not considered. 2) Has the required persistence to stay with a project once it is started until it is completed in all its details. 3) Searches for new information which sheds additional light before concluding a study. 4) Analyzes data with precision (sometimes fails to see the practical benefits). 5) Employs a logical, scientific method when approaching a problem.
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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