Spiritual Giftedness:
The Needs Of The Body

1 Corinthians 12:19-25 "And if they were all one member, where were the body? [20]  But now are they many members, yet but one body. [21]  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. [22]  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: [23]  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. [24]  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: [25] That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."

Over the last few studies we have looked at the spiritual Gifts of God and, as it were, have tried to take God "out of the box" that so much of professing Christianity has placed Him in. We have examined the Gifts from several different aspects, and found out that there are differences between the Gifts and Offices of God. If you missed these studies, please feel free to get the tapes or see the sermons titled "Spiritual Giftedness" on the Internet.

We know that the Gifts are "supernatural abilities given by God the Holy Spirit",  given to the Church to help us fulfill our twofold mission: evangelize the lost, and disciple those who are saved by faith in Christ. The Gifts were not given with the ultimate objective of being signs, though the fact that you are exercising a Gift does show that you are Filled with the Spirit. The Gifts were given to fill a need in the local Church. Let's look at the Gifts from this perspective.

1 Corinthians 12:19-20 "And if they were all one member, where were the body? [20]  But now are they many members, yet but one body."

It is a fact that God designed the local Church to be a "body" of believers, but it is equally true that few Churches ever attain this ideal. In most of our Churches 20% of the people do 80% of the work, and if the human body were only 1/5th operative, we would say that body was paraplegic. A paraplegic body is useful, and functional, but not nearly as useful or functional as the body that is fully operational.

Paul, in explaining the spiritual Gifts, likens the local Church to the human body. When we fully examine this illustration we see how important each member's operation is in the local Church.

The average human heart beats 70 times per minute, and with each beat 2.5 ounces of blood are thrown from it. All the blood in the body passes through the heart every three minutes, and by the time you are 70 years old your heart will have beat 2,565,440,000 times. The lungs inhale about a gallon of air with each inflation, and around 600 gallons of air pass through our lungs every day to sustain our lives. The average brain of an adult male is 3 pounds 8 ounces, the female 2 pounds and four ounces, and nerves are all attached to the brain directly or by the spinal marrow. The nerves and their branches exceed 10,000,000 in number, all stretching out through the body to provide sensation of touch, taste, and smell. The human brain has 10 million nerve cells or neurons, each with a battery like potential of .07 volts. If it were possible to make a electronic representation of the human brain it would require all the power generated by Niagara Falls to sustain it. Each square inch of skin contains 35,000 pores, each like little drain pipes about 1/4 inch long. God provided these pores so the body temperature could be regulated, and if all of these tubes were placed end to end they would measure about 40 miles long. Body temperature is automatically regulated from the brain, which sends nervous signals out along the body to keep our temperature constant. If the temperature drops, the blood vessels of our skin are contracted so that less heat is lost by radiation, and the hair on our bodies stands up, providing insulation from the cold. If the blood temperature increases the brain tells the body to dilate blood vessels, increase perspiration, and allow the skin surface to cool. A man has actually withstood temperatures of 262 degrees for 15 minutes without harm. Though a steak fried next to him, almost normal body temperature was maintained.

As the Scriptures state,

Psalms 139:14  "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and just as God made the human body, so did He design the local Church. Each and every member of the body has a task to perform, a need to fulfill, just as each part of our human body has a purpose. The difference between the two, the human body and the Church body, is that God designed the human body outside of our free will, but the Church is formed within the realm of our free will.

When God designed the human body He didn't ask you which parts you wanted, or didn't want. He just designed it, within His own Sovereign Will, and we have to live with what He designed. Though many of you may have wished for wings so you could fly, God determined that we didn't need wings. Instead He gave us the infinite capacity, within our minds, to design other means to fly such as the plane. But when it comes to the Church, God tempers us together based upon our willingness to serve. While we push and prod and promote ourselves above our fellow believers, we cut off any chance the Lord has of operating through us. We, by "quenching the Spirit", rob ourselves of the joy that is our heritage in Christ.

Too many Churches have succumbed to the devilish doctrine of Gifts for Gifts sake, something entirely foreign to the Scripture. We spoke last Wednesday of the "Laughter Movement", where believers are engaging in uncontrollable laughter without purpose. This movement is no different than the Corinthian movement of Paul's day that advocated untempered speaking in tongues. Paul rebuked the Corinthians and said:

1 Corinthians 14:23  "If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?"

If an unbeliever comes into the congregation of the local Church and hears everyone speaking in tongues or laughing, then that unbeliever thinks, in his heart, that the entire Church is mad or insane. This is not God's will! If an unbeliever comes into our congregation they need to see the proper operation of the Gifts, a sane and orderly operation. If he comes, he came because God prompted him to come. We need to use our Gifts for evangelization and discipleship, not to drive away the unbeliever.
 

The Karens are an ancient tribe living in Burma. They migrated to that land from the Gobi Desert, Mongolia. In their tribal legends they still call the desert "The River of Sand". Now, listen to this: The Karens' ancestors, prior to their migration, possessed a book they called "Holy Scriptures", but they lost the book during the migration. Their legends taught them that Y'WE - the Creative Power - would one day return the book to them by a "white brother". The Karens believed in a seven day creation period, of a serpent that persuaded man and woman to eat a forbidden fruit which led to a fall, and the Karens belief if Y'WE was very similar to the YAHWEH of the Scripture. When Missionaries went to the Karens they found that they eagerly embraced the Gospel, and the Karens are, today, the largest Christian group in Burma.  The Spirit calls, but we must Go!

Rather than hunt for Gifts, would it not be better to look for needs in the Body, then ask God to Gift you so that you can fill that need? This is the only Biblical position to take. This is the position that Paul expounded to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:11-19 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; [12]  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: [13]  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: [14]  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; [15]  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: [16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. [17] This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity {MATAIOTEA = moral depravity, emptiness} of their mind, [18] Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: [19] Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."

Paul draws a line in the sand concerning the spiritual Gifts. They are given:

Ephesians 4.12 "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"

Which is what we have been saying all along. "Perfecting of the saints", that is, discipleship in the Body. "Work of the ministry", that is, leading others to Christ. These two things lead to the upbuilding or "edifying of the body of Christ". We are to walk, to function in these Gifts, not as the other Gentiles do. The Gentiles operate by selfishness: what's in it for me? How can I benefit from this? The believer in Christ operates from a different perspective, that is, "How can I work together within this great Body, the local Church, to serve my Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

No matter how hard I preach on this subject, someone always asks "But what are the spiritual Gifts? What Gifts are available to the Church today?". To which I always answer, "they are whatever God empowers in order to fulfill a need in our local Church". But if it helps you, let's look at some of the Gifts that God granted the early Church. Remember, these are merely some of the Gifts. God can Gift and empower as He desires to fill the mission and need of the local Church, for it is He who "tempered the body together" as He desires, and He can, just as readily, refuse to give a Gift  if it is unnecessary to the operation of that local Church.

The office of Prophet (PROPHETES) and the Gift of prophecy were given to the early Church and to Israel to provide the Word of God to man prior to the written Word of God. The office of Apostle and the Gift of apostleship was similar in scope to prophecy. Both Prophets and Apostles spoke as God commanded, and informed the people of God's Word prior to the completion of the written Word of God.

Just as the Prophets anointed and appointed Kings in Old Testament times, the Apostles (APOSTOLOS) established local Churches, appointed Pastors, and wrote Scripture as God directed. APOSTOLOS ruled vast groups of Churches, and the Apostle Paul ruled the Churches at Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, and Crete. Prophets were directly chosen to their office by God, and Apostles were directly chosen to their offices by Jesus Christ. Those who were in the office of Apostle and Prophet had powers that far exceeded prophecy. They could, within God's will, stop the rains, cause drought (as in the case of Elijah, 1 Kings 17.1), cast out demons, heal the sick (Acts 5.15 - the shadow of Peter healed those it fell on), commit someone to death (Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5), and do a multitude of other things. The offices of Prophet and Apostle are no more, being superseded by the Word of God:

Ephesians 2:19-20 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; [20]  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone"

These were "foundational Offices" that established the Church, and once the floor was laid, the rest of the structure follows. It is possible that God give these Gifts (not the offices) to the local Church if needed, but there must be a need. I have attended fellowships where believers with the supposed Gift of Prophecy have stood up and said, "Thus saith the Lord, I am coming soon", or "I love you, my Children". The question that comes to mind is, since the Bible clearly teaches these truths, why would God need to prophecy that again? Declaring you are saying something from God when you aren't is a terrible offense, and blasphemy.

Of the two, I suspect that the Gift of APOSTOLOS is still commonly used in Churches today, as the word literally means "to be a messenger or missionary". God still sends missionaries from local Churches to establish new Churches in other areas. But as to the Gift of Prophecy God gives you this warning:

Jeremiah 23:30-31 "Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbor. [31]  Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith."

Again, there is both the Gift and the Office. The DIAKONIA occupies the office of the Deacon, and must fulfill the qualifications of  1 Timothy 3.8-13. If you hold the Scripture to be inerrant then this point is non-negotiable: you must fulfill these qualifications to fulfill the Office.

On the other hand, any believer can exercise the Gift of DIAKONEO, and minister in the Body. Phebe was a servant, DIAKONOS, a minister at her Church of Cenchrea (Romans 16.1), and Priscilla and Aquilla were Paul's helpers in the Gentile Churches (Romans 16.3). In fact, if you look through Romans 16 you will see several women who functioned in the Gift of Ministry, but were not in the Office of Deacon. When you help or aid others as empowered by God, you are using the Gift of Ministry.

Evangelism, PARAKLESIS, means "to call alongside of". The one who has the Gift of Evangelism has the ability to rally the Church, to speak in a forceful manner to convince others of the need of Christ, to challenge, or bring comfort to others. This would be a Gift of Exhortation, leading people to repent of their sins and return to a right relationship with God.

This is also an Office in the local Church, an Office not necessarily held by a Pastor. Philip the Evangelist (Acts 21.8) was a man who held the Office of Deacon, but also held the Office of Evangelist. He had a highly effective preaching ministry, and moved around spreading the Gospel as effectively as did the Apostles. (Acts 8.5-40).

Ephesians 4.11-12 shows that God gifts Teachers in the local Church (DIDASKALOS). This is a pivotal, important Gift in the local Church, often downplayed in favor of the more spectacular Gifts. The very nature of our mission demands that the local Church have sufficient Gifted teacher to fulfill it's mission:

Matthew 28:19-20 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20]  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

If there is one word that emphasizes our mission, it is that of Teaching. For this reason, no man can fill the Office of Pastor unless he possesses this Gift:

1 Timothy 3:2  "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach"

A qualification that, I'm afraid, many Churches have overlooked when they sought out a candidate for the Pastorate. If the local Church Pastor is unable to teach, the flock suffers terribly because of this deficiency.

Though individual persons in the early Church (Peter, Paul, Philip, and others) exercised the Gift of Healing by themselves, that is, though they used the Gift without others outside of God helping them, the Gift of Healing was normally given to the local Church through the elders.

James 5:14-15 "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: [15]  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."

James tells us that healing can be supernaturally sought after and received through the laying on of hands of the "the elders of the church", those mature in Christ. I have heard modern liberal theologians explain away this verse by saying that the "Oil" was symbolic of medicine, and that by the elders bringing medicine and anointing the sick they could be healed. Hogwash! God is the healer, and the Gift of Healing is dispersed through the elders of the Body. Is there a need for this "prayer of faith" in our Church today? Absolutely, and we still anoint with oil at Okapilco Baptist. Let God be God!

My time runs short, so let me abbreviate the rest of the Gifts in the following table:
 

Gift	Office	It's Purpose	Where Found
Miracles (DUNAMIS)		To suspend the normal laws of nature in order to fulfill the Will of God.	1 Corinthians 12.28
Wisdom and Knowledge		Knowledge, GNOSIS, to learn by experience. A gift of learning.  Wisdom, SOPHIA, the ability to apply what is learned.	1 Corinthians 12.8
Faith		PISTIS, Faith, the ability to believe.	1 Corinthians 12.9
Ruling	Overseer	Ruling, EPISKOPEO, a Gift given to the Pastor of a local Church, EPISKOPE, one who holds the Office of Overseer. Must meet the qualifications of  1 Timothy 3.1-7	1 Timothy 3.1-7 Ephesians 4.11-12
Celibacy		The ability to devote your life to God, without needing a mate of the opposite sex.	1 Corinthians 7.7-9
Discerning of Spirits		The ability to determine good or evil in people, to determine their motivation.	1 Corinthians 12.10
Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues		The ability to evangelize someone, or speak to someone, in their native language when you do not know that language.	1 Corinthians 12.10

This list is not conclusive for, as I said earlier, God gifts believers based on the needs of the local Church. There is a tendency among Christians to read what is written above and, upon reading it, to ignore all that was said up to this point. To seek out the Gift, rather than the need in the Body. Do not put God in a box! Seek the needs of your local Church, and once you find a need ask God to Gift you so you can edify the Body. God can Gift you in Giving, in Mercy, in Love. He can Gift you in a million ways, as long as you, with a heart to His Will, seek out the needs of the Body. In closing, I want to use the following true story:
 

A sobbing little girl stood near a small Church that she had been turned away from because "it was too crowded". She told the Pastor, "I can't go to Sunday School"  as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, he guessed the reason she was turned away, and took her inside to a Sunday School class. The child was so touched that she lay in bed that night thinking of all the children who had no place to go to Church. Two years later that child lay dead in the pitiful tenement apartments. Her parents called for the kindhearted Pastor and asked that he handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was moved, they found a small purse clenched in her fist. When they opened it they found 57 cents, and a note scrawled by the child: "This is to help build the little Church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School".  For two years the child had saved every penny she could to give this offering of love. The Pastor took the purse and her contribution to the pulpit, and told the Church of her precious Gift. He challenged the Church to grow! But the story did not end here. A newspaper heard of the story and published it. It was read by a realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth thousands, but when they said they had no money, he offered to sell it to them for 57 cents. Church members donated, and in five years 250,000.00 was in the Church building fund. The Church built. When you are in Philadelphia, look for Temple Baptist Church, which has a seating capacity of 3,300. Look for Temple University where hundreds of students are trained. Look at the Good Samaritan Hospital, and at the Sunday School complex that houses hundreds of Sunday scholars. In one of the Sunday School rooms you will see a picture of the little girl, and her pastor, Dr Russell H. Conwell, author of the book "Acres of Diamonds".

This is what God can do, when you submit yourselves to Him! God Bless!

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