Gifts of the Holy Spirit Today many people claim the gifts of the Holy Spirit including speaking in tongues We have some questions for which we want Bible answers Read 1 Corinthians 12411 We are told that the gifts were distributed as the Holy Spirit willed but nowhere in 1 Corinthians are w ID: 929590
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Slide1
The Holy Spirit
Part 4 – The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Slide2Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Today many people claim the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues
We have some questions for which we want Bible answersRead 1 Corinthians 12:4-11We are told that the gifts were distributed as the Holy Spirit willed, but nowhere in 1 Corinthians are we told how the gifts were given by the Holy Spirit
wisdom
knowledge
faith
healing
miracles
prophecy
distinguishing of spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues
Slide3Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Our initial question is: How are the gifts of the Holy Spirit given?
The Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)The Holy Spirit never operates in a manner contradictory to His written word – see John 10:35
Therefore, the Spirit gives the gifts in the same way now as He did in the New Testament
Slide4Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Read Acts 8:14-19A man named Philip (not the apostle) was one of the seven men set apart in Acts 6
Philip went to Samaria to preach the gospelAs Philip preached, he confirmed the word with signs and wonders, and many Samaritans believed and were being immersed in the name of Jesus
Slide5Gifts of the Spirit
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John
Peter and John came down and prayed for them that they might receive the SpiritThe Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus
Peter and John began laying their hands on them and they were receiving the Holy Spirit
Slide6Gifts of the Spirit
Consider these points:
The Scripture doesn’t contradict itself
The baptism with the Spirit isn’t indicated here, for it was given by Jesus (not the apostles), and consisted of a sound like a mighty wind, tongues like fire, and speaking in other languagesThe indwelling of the Spirit isn’t indicated here, for the indwelling is given at immersion in Jesus’ name, which all of these had received
Whatever it was concerning the Spirit that was given in Samaria, it was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands
Slide7Gifts of the Spirit
Let’s guess that it was the gifts of the Spirit which were given in this fashion
Let’s test our guess by digging further into the ScriptureRead 1 Corinthians 14:26-33In this passage, we find that two gifts in particular are mentioned
Gift of tonguesGift of prophecy
Slide8Gifts of the Spirit
Paul gives specific instructions concerning these two gifts
If there was no interpreter, the user of the gift of tongues was to keep silent in the churchA prophet was to stop speaking and let another talk, if that other received a revelation while the first was prophesying
The gift of prophecy was under the control of the user – see verse 30The principle is that the user of the gift is in control of his own gift and can use it, not use it, or misuse it at his discretion
Slide9Gifts of the Spirit
Read 2 Timothy 1:6
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, tells Timothy to “rekindle the gift of God that is in you by the laying on of my hands”A gift that one can “rekindle” or “fire up” is obviously under the control of the user
Notice the parallel between the gifts of 1 Corinthians and this gift that was in Timothy – in both cases, the gift was under the control of the userAlso notice that Timothy’s gift was in him by the laying on of hands of an apostle
Slide10Gifts of the Spirit
In Acts 6:6, the apostles laid hands on seven men
In Acts 6:8, we find that Stephen (one of those seven) is suddenly performing great signs and miraclesStephen had possession of these gifts of the Holy Spirit after the apostles laid hands on him
In Acts 8:4-7, we find Philip (another of the seven) also performing signs and miraclesThis too was after the apostles laid hands on him
Slide11Gifts of the Spirit
In Acts 19, Paul immersed about 12 men in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and that they might receive the gift of the Holy Spirit
Read Acts 19:6Paul laid hands on them; then they began to speak in tongues and prophesy
Slide12Gifts of the Spirit
We now have an answer to our question as to how the gifts of the Spirit were given
The gifts of the Spirit, without exception, are given in the New Testament by the laying on of the apostles’ handsThe Holy Spirit continues to operate in our day as He did in the pages of the New Testament
Since there are no living apostles of Christ now, no one in our time can receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit
Slide13Gifts of the Spirit
We can cross-check our conclusion by asking another question:
Does the Bible give us information concerning the duration of the gifts of the Spirit?Read 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
After exhorting the Corinthians to use their gifts in love, Paul then compares something that is “in part” with something that is “perfect”He points out that the gifts of the Spirit (particularly prophecy, knowledge, and tongues) are temporary – they are in part
Slide14Gifts of the Spirit
He then compares those partial gifts to something that is perfect
The words translated “the perfect” are the Greek words to telion – a something, not a someone
The Scripture here refers to something that is complete, in contrast to something that is partial
Slide15Gifts of the Spirit
The only thing which is “complete” which can be contrasted with the “partial” is the New Testament
The New Testament writings are now complete, but were only in the making at the time of Paul’s writing to the CorinthiansThe gifts were “partial” and were only in use until the “complete” came
With the completion of the New Testament, the gifts were phased out
Slide16Gifts of the Spirit
Notice the usage of the word “mirror” in 1 Corinthians 13:12
In James 1:21-25, the “mirror” is clearly the New TestamentAlso notice that James calls the New Testament “the perfect
law”This is consistent with usage of “the perfect” in 1 Corinthians 132 Corinthians chapter 3 contrasts the Old Testament with the New Testament2 Corinthians 3:18 also calls the New Testament “the mirror”
Slide17Gifts of the Spirit
Even Paul only “knew in part and prophesied in part”
When the New Testament was completed, these “childish things” were done awayNow the mature church in the “man” stage could begin to operatePrior to the completed New Testament, men could only see themselves incompletely
Now we can know ourselves “fully” just as we have been “fully known” – see Hebrews 4:12
Slide18Gifts of the Spirit
This checks with the conclusion we reached from a different direction
The gifts of the Spirit died out when the apostles died, and could no longer pass them on through the laying on of handsThe New Testament was completed when John wrote the book of Revelation sometime around AD 95
Most of the other apostles had been dead 30 or 40 years by this time
Slide19Gifts of the Spirit
One final question needs to be answered in reference to the gifts of the Spirit
What was the purpose of the gifts?In the New Testament church, prior to the completion of the New Testament, it would be very important for someone to have the various gifts of the Spirit
Slide20Gifts of the Spirit
How does a person know that Jesus is coming soon?
We have the book of Revelation; 1st century church had the gift of prophecy
How does a person know the qualifications of elders?We have the text of 1 Timothy; 1st century church had the gift of knowledgeWhereas we have the completed Scriptures, the first century church needed the gifts of the Spirit to confirm the word – see Hebrews 2:3,4
Slide21Gifts of the Spirit
Today we can say, “Thus says the Lord,” and then quote the Scripture
How could they test the spirits during the time when the New Testament was still being written?It would be important for someone to have the gift of “distinguishing of spirits”
Slide22Gifts of the Spirit
This is why it was necessary for Peter and John, apostles of Jesus Christ, to come up to Samaria from Jerusalem and lay hands on the new Samaritan Christians
Philip was leaving SamariaWho would teach them further?The apostles came up and laid hands on them, and the Spirit gave gifts as He willed
Thus the church in Samaria was established – see Romans 1:11 – not lacking any gift – see 1 Corinthians 1:7
Slide23Gifts of the Spirit
SummaryThe gifts of the Spirit were given by the laying on of the apostles’ hands
They consisted of nine different manifestationsThey were necessary in the early church
The gifts lasted until the writings of the New Testament were completedThe user of the spiritual gift was in control at all times, and was exhorted to use his gift in a spirit of love
Slide24The Holy Spirit
Part 5 – The Filling With the Holy Spirit and 2 special studies