Spiritual Gifts

CONTENT

• Different Types of Spiritual Gifts 1 Corin. 12:1-13
• Making Use of Individual’s Talents Romans 12:3-8
• Significance of Spiritual Gifts to the Church.

• Different Types of Spiritual Gifts  1 Corinth. 12:1-13

Spiritual gifts are the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit to the various members of the church for the common good of the church community.  Essentially, the church of Christ is a single spiritual community with members having special individual abilities or gifts to serve God.  All spiritual gifts are from one Spirit (God).  The purpose is for enhancing the churches’ growth and well-being.  Such spiritual gifts are as follows:

1. The utterance of wisdom
2. The utterance of knowledge
3. Faith
4. The gift of healing
5. The gift of miracles
6. The gift of distinguishing between spirits
7. The gift of prophecy
8. The gift of speaking in tongues
9. The gift to interpret tongues.

However, Paul admonishes each recipient to be humble;  According to him, the church is like a human body made up of  different parts, with  each  performing a definite function and get integrally  united with other parts.  Hence, when one part does not function, the rest feel the impact.  The church is also like that made up of many members, each having a particular spiritual gift to be used to the glory of God.  No one is more superior in terms of his own gifts.  Each gift  is as important as the other .  All these gifts are for the edification of the church.

EVALUATION

1. List the nine spiritual gifts
   1. Indicate how any three of them are seen in action

B. Making Use of Individual Talents

Talents are natural abilities or acquired skills to use  for the good of all; Real grace does not lie in having a spiritual gift or the superiority of one gift over the other, but in how much one is able to make  use of such a gift.  The way one makes use of his or her gifts /talents shows how much grace such person has received. Secondly, one should go further by developing it.

C.  Significance of Spiritual Gifts to the Church.

1. Since the human body is one, the church should act and see itself as one body united in the spirit.
2. No one is supposed to claim superiority over others in terms of talents in the church.  Each person’s contributions is as important as another’s.
3. There should be no discrimination in the church, neither should there be class distinction for in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek.
4. Even racial discrimination in the church is unbiblical.
5. Each recipient should use his  own talent for the well-being of the church and to the glory of God.

EVALUATION

1. Explain what Paul called spiritual gift in 1Corinthians and how he likened them to the human body.
2. What is the significance of his teaching to the church?

GENERAL EVALUATION

1. What advice did Paul give on the use of individual talents in his epistle?
2. Identify any two ways of applying your talents.
3. Explain the importance of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
4. Enumerate the fruits of the Spirit.

READING ASSIGNMENT

Read RSV Bible 1 Cor12:1-13, Rom.13:35.

Comprehensive Christian Religious Knowledge for SS1-3 by Amaechi pg 237 -240.

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT

1. Which of these is not a spiritual gift as listed by Paul? A. Faith B.  Singing C. Wisdom D. Prophecy.
   1. Paul likens the church spiritual gifts to A. a tree and its branches B. a family and its members C. a body and its parts D. salt and its taste
      1. Paul’s emphasis on talents in his epistle to the Roman centers on A. one’s ability to receive as many talents as possible B. the superiority of one talent over the other  C. one’s proper use of the talent(s)

D. the importance of individual talents  E. the significance of talents.

• Which of these statements is true in respect of spiritual gifts? A. Each gift is as useful as the other

B.  Some gifts are more prestigious   C. Some gifts are more tasking to execute  D.  Some gifts are meant for certain people.

• How many spiritual gifts does Paul list out in his epistle to the Corinthians? A. Five B. Six C. Seven

D. Nine

THEORY

1. What advice did Paul give on the use of individual talents in his epistle?
   1. Identify any two ways of applying your talents?