One of the missions of the Holy Spirit is to give gifts,
sometimes thought of as talents, to the church; although the two are not
identical.
When we speak of talents, we think of one’s natural
propensity to do something; or a functionality that can be learned by putting
forth one’s own efforts; such as learning to play an instrument.
When we speak of gifts, we think of something that is given
to you; something that you could not acquire on your own, or even learn. Herein is the difference between the two.
Let’s take a look at what Paul says of the Holy Spirit and
how it is He, who gives gifts to the church:
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to
profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the
word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to
another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To
another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning
of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another
the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these
worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he
will.” 1 Cor. 12:7-11
First of all, the Spirit gives the various gifts to those
persons, whom He chooses to give them. They may not necessarily have asked for
them, but to the Spirit, who knows everything, He decides who will best use a
particular gift.
So now, why does the Spirit give these gifts?
“ 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 fullness of Christ…”
Ephesians
4:12-16.
We will explore this further next week.
