THE CHARISMATIC GIFTS: THEIR USE, FUNCTION,AND CONTINUITY

Joseph Oliveri
Bible 364 - Acts
August 16, 2013

Introduction Their is much debate surrounding the use of the charismatic gifts in Acts. Many questions arise about how to use such gifts, and whether or not they can be used today in the first place. The debate regarding the continuation and the cessation of the spiritual gifts, the meaning of which we will clarify in a moment, is a relatively modern one. Although we read about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost in Acts, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the early church of the New Testament, history is more or less silent on this issue. It was not until the early …show more content…
4:12). Much like the principle that the gifts are to be used in love, each gift is also to be used for the building up and ministry of others in the church. The needs of the many, both spiritually and physically, are thus elevated above those of the individual who possesses that particular gift. Again, it is beneficial to pause and make a few clarifications before continuing. First, it is crucial that these spiritual gifts are distinguished from any natural gift. Any may possess a natural gift, but this must be distinguished from the gift that is given directly to us by the Holy Spirit. It is also noteworthy to suggest, as Lloyd-Jones does, that “it does not even mean the heightening of a natural gift,” and that “these gifts are bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit in a sovereign manner.”7 (1 Cor. 12:11). Therefore, these gifts are different and new. Second, it is neither my aim, nor my belief, in dealing with the spiritual gifts, to show that all of them have ceased. As it has been aforementioned, the scope of this paper will deal with the extraordinary or charismatic gifts related to those whose task was the ministry of the word of divine revelation, namely, the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. The proper understanding of these gifts must be made in order to have a proper understanding of their ability or necessity to continue. My aim, then, is to show