This blog post has been revised and turned into a chapter in The Rethinking Series.
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Frank Viola | Beyond Evangelical
Official Blog of Author & Speaker Frank Viola. Digging below the surface and moving beyond the shallows in today's Christianity.
Rethinking the Gifts of the Spirit: Part VI
This has been a great series, Frank! I appreciate your balance and wisdom. Also, your focus on the gifts among a *group* of believers is important. It seems to me that the gifts operating among a community of believers (preferably where all are free to function) allows for a safe place to develop and test spiritual giftings. At the same time, this kind of group also needs discernment, as you pointed out in the last post. All of this requires a humble, teachable character, which I believe is where the Spirit is leading those who are being built up in Christ.
“God’s highest purpose for His people is that they be **built together** into Christ’s image.”
Amen!
Frank, well put/summarised/simplified. I grew in pentecoastal/charismatic circles where gifts were preemminent, not Christ!
Your simplifying what some have created/found to be an over complication of these expressions of Christ through each member is refreshing and I find personally unburdens the misconceptions that only weigh down the beautiful bride.
Derek – Australia
Frank–
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series!!
I have a question: What does this look like? None of the churches in the New Testament were perfect in their implementation of gifts. So, what does this look like today?
Answered in Part 3. Beyond that explanation, one has to “see” it. Some things cannot be communicated in print.
Today’s post = Awesome!
Frank, Great post. Can a person operate in spiritual gifts apart from the spirit? I don’t know if I’m articulating myself well enough but, I’ve always looked at people abusing gifts as a false expression of Christ. Meaning they aren’t really gifts but the counterfeit. It’s what my Italian brothers would call fugazi. However, reading Matt 7:22-23 it seems that my position is wrong. Maybe I’m misunderstanding that passage. I trust that if you’ve dealt with this in the past you will leave the link. Thanks.
Great question, Kalil. I expect to give my take on it in a future installment.
I wish spiritual gifts were in evidence enough to become a problem. What is seen instead are immature Christians trying to manifest gifts that they don’t have. Sadly, the “noise” Frank describes is simply drama from emotive types. I have witnessed genuine manifestation of the Spirit and He is well behaved.
I like this. Thank you.
Frank: Your gift and ministry is obviously to reveal more of Christ to many of us in a very clear and understandable way. I praise God for this, and may He continue to bless you in this ministry.
So loving this series!
“Our ministry is that which is unique to us. It constitutes that which we have received specially from the Lord.”
YES, YES, YES! We are each unique and precious creations of the Master Creator. I always tell my art students this at the beginning of each semester. Never compare yourself to your neighbor; each hand, each touch, each artistic eye is placed in you.
How I long to see the body of Christ come to this understanding and stop bruising and brow beating one another.
There is only ONE Truth, but oh the beauty of His many marvelous creations. It all comes back to the greatest command doesn’t it?
“We use them to impart to others the Christ who we know. Without Christ, gifts are empty. Still worse, without Christ, gifts are deceptive and misleading”
Amen this is a needed emphasis today, where so many are seeking gifts for themselves and not to serve others in the body. Sadly some with more outwards gifts are seeking esteem of men and not humbly using these gifts to glorify Christ and serve others.