“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”
– 1 Corinthians 12:7 NKJV
To understand the essence of a thing, one must first understand its purpose. In its purpose lies the reason it was created. Like Myles Munroe rightly said, “When purpose is not known, abuse is inevitable.” We have studied what spiritual gifts are, and the different types of spiritual gifts. Now, what really is the purpose of these gifts?
From our anchor scripture, we see that spiritual gifts are given for the common good of the Body of Christ. It is for the benefit of the church. We give prophecies for the edification of the church, we heal the sick and perform miracles to the glory of God; not to draw attention to ourselves or boast in our abilities, but in service to the Lord and His church.
Spiritual gifts build the church. As 1 Corinthians 14:12 says, our zeal for spiritual gifts must be from a desire to see the church grow. So, when we walk in these gifts, we ought to do it from a place of humility, love for the brethren, and complete faith in the power of God.
They are called ‘gifts of the Spirit’ because the Holy Spirit is the one who bestows them on every believer, and that same Holy Spirit furnishes us with the love that we need to excel in these gifts. Every time there is a mention in Scripture of any of the gifts being used, we can trace it to love, service, and ultimately the glory of God.
A perfect example in this is Jesus. Throughout His earthly ministry, we see how Jesus loved people and showed them compassion as He performed miracles. He never did anything with the intention of boasting or making profit. We are to be like Jesus in this also. Just as He loved and served, we also are to love and serve.
In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, Apostle Paul reiterates that it amounts to nothing for one to manifest all the gifts of the Spirit, yet be lacking in love. He says, “If I have not love, I am nothing.” This shows us that love is not only the foundation, but also the vehicle for the expression of our gifts. It is love that will move you to pray and get a timely word for that brother or sister.
Brethren, spiritual gifts weren’t given to us to keep to ourselves or misuse, but for the common good. Put them to good use for the glory of God. Do them out of love and in service to the Church.
Bible Reading Plan: Numbers 16-18