Quoted: 1.Gifts- I believe these are listed in Romans 12, where Paul specifically lists spiritual gifts. Prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and mercy. I understand these to be permanent gifts that are commensurate with the believer’s personality and particular abilities. I also understand from 1 Peter 4:10 that each person receives only one gift. Each believer is given the responsibility of developing their gift and using it to edify other believers and the church. These seven and only these seven, are the biblical spiritual gifts.
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I must take exception to the part in red. The gifts given vary by the grace given to us. When we see people like Paul, he operated in the prophetic, yet was also a teacher, evangelist, minister, giver, leader, etc. He had several gifts that equipped him for the mission God put in front of him. Similarly, there are people in the church today who are gifted with a combination of the different gifts as it suits their call from God.
With the example of Phillip in Acts, we can see that a person can actually grow in Christ and receive additional gifts. He began with a gift of helps, but eventually was promoted and used for other assignments as God willed.
2. Ministries- I am convinced these are listed in Ephesians 4:11, and that they are the respective roles that individuals play in the body of Christ in utilizing their above spiritual gifts.
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I tend to agree with you on that, but would point out that the offices also include other duties, as being a Pastor includes also teaching and exhortation. It does not, however, work the opposite way. One called as an Evangelist is not always gifted to become a pastor.
3. Effects- This is the result of the work of the spirit in the individual, and are found listed in Galatians 5:22-26, the Fruit (effects) of the Spirit. I think many folks are familiar with this list.
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Indeed. And these everyone should have.
4. Manifestations- If you notice the grammar joining verse 7 and 8 in 1 Cor 12, you will see that it is these manifestations that Paul describes in the subsequent verses. He lists the four different categories of “spiritual things”, and then goes on to describe the details of the last category, the manifestations. They are obviously and necessarily different from the other categories. They are ”gifts” in general, as perhaps all of the spiritual things God gives us can be considered gifts, but they are not “gifts” in the technical sense of how Paul uses the term in verse 4. I am convinced that these manifestations are special abilities that the Spirit gives to a particular individual, at a specific time, for a specific purpose, and that when the immediate usefulness is past, the manifestation is removed.
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If you look at the original language, the word "charismata" is used to describe these special empowerments by The Spirit, just as it is used to describe other gifts. But you are correct when you see these as Divine empowerment for a specific purpose. It seems that certain people, however, seem to have these charismata operate in their life more often than others, which is why Paul says later that not all are workers of miracles. (He also says we can desire the "best" gifts...) The Spirit seems to manifest these charismata through certain individuals (like Peter, Phillip, and Paul) more than others, but any believer who is yielded has the ability to be used of The Spirit for whatever The Spirit purposes.
But they are NOT spirutual gifts. They are merely tools that the Holy spirit has at His disposal to use through you to do the work that He wants done. Maybe you will never have need for one. NOT having one of these manifestations, including tongues, is NOT and indicator that you are not a believer.
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I would certainly call them gifts, though not in the same sense of the more permanent gifts like being called to be a pastor.
It is absolutely true, however, that tongues or healings are NOT necessary signs to be a believer in Christ. As a classical Pentecostal, I of course believe that tongues (tongues for personal devotion, not tongues for public consumption) are for everyone, but they are not necessary to be saved, as some denominations teach. Tongues are meant as a means of communion between The Holy Spirit and ourselves, whereby we "speak mysteries" and communicate with God on His level. Tounges serve as an evidence ONLY of being filled with the Baptism of The Holy Spirit. They are not evidence of salvation, though someone manifesting genuine Spirtual Gifts is indeed saved.
Some gifts of The Spirit (tongues for personal devotion, fruit of The Spirit...) are meant as an edifying force for the individual believer. Most, however, are meant as a means of edifying the church body as a whole. The giftings only come with the willingness to minister to the needs of others. Only those who are willing to serve are equipped to do so, explaining why more people do not receive giftings.
Also, there is an element of learning how to yield yourself to God that is necessary before use of the various gifts God gives to us. I may, for instance, be willing to teach, and God may have gifted me to teach, but that doesn't mean that I can simply stand up in front of people and expect God to rattle my jaw and make words for me. (The same goes, btw, for tongues...) I have to study and do my part, to which God adds His part, and the combination of my yielded study and God's leading and direction produce exactly what God intended all along.