SPIRITUAL GIFTS (continued)

11. Serving. This is a special ability for helping and assisting others. It is not limited to helping those in ministry ... but it is certainly needed in that context. This kind of ministry can be a way to get involved... and from it grow into other areas as their gifts become apparent. Philip did this when he helped serve food to the widows ... and in doing so took a burden off the leaders which gave them time for prayer and the Word, Acts 6:1-6. A short time after that Phillip was an evangelist giving the Gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch ... and then to the people along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea from Azotus to Caesarea. Some have a special gift of serving ... but we should all serve one another, Galatians 5:13.

12. Teaching. This gift is the ability to help others learn and apply God's Word. Biblical teaching is more than the public declaration of facts ... it is making disciples. Mentoring, tutoring, and apprenticing can be part of this process. Teaching can be to large groups, to small groups, or to one person at a time. Numbers and popularity are not the measure of good teaching, 2 Timothy 4:3. The true measure of good teaching is in changed lives. Some have the gift of teaching ... but every believer should teach someone, Matthew 28:18-20.

13. Tongues. The spiritual gift of tongues is the ability to speak in a real language, which is unknown to the speaker. Tongues are not messages from God to man ... but are prayers addressed to God, 1 Corinthians 14:2,14. Tongues is a sign for non-believers, 1 Corinthians 14:22. It does not edify the Body ... but does benefit the speaker, 1 Corinthians 14:4. Tongues are limited to two or at most three in one meeting ... spoken one at a time ... and spoken only with interpretation, 1 Corinthians 14:27-28. Use of the spiritual gift of tongues should not be frenzied or chaotic ... but should be used properly and in order, 1 Corinthians 14:40. Paul wrote that this gift would cease at some time, 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. All believers do not have the spiritual gift of tongues, 1 Corinthians 12:30 ... but all should control the tongue they do have, James 1:26, 3:5-6.

14. Interpretation. This is the Spirit given ability to translate someone else's gift of tongues into the language of the hearers. It is not clear Biblically if the interpreter knows either or both languages. Tongues should never be used without interpretation, 1 Corinthians 14:27-28. At the time that tongues cease, interpretation will also cease.

15. Wisdom. This is a special ability to apply knowledge of God's Word to the complexities of life. Some have this gift ... but we all should conduct ourselves with wisdom, Colossians 4:5 ... and if we lack wisdom we should pray for it, James 1:5.

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Disciplemaking 1, copyright 2003, is available free from www.MyDisciplemaker.org where you can study online or print free copies. You may copy this course, any any part of it, for free or at-cost distribution ... without change to the content ... and with this copyright policy attached. Published by www.ActsOneEight.org. Bible Quotations are from the NASB unless noted.