Miraculous Gifts

Any discussion of spiritual gifts eventually gets around to what some would call the more “miraculous” gifts. In our very scientific age, we tend to marginalize these gifts. But I would encourage us not to dismiss them too quickly.

 

Here’s a list with definitions given by Bruce Bugbee in his book What You Do Best in the Body of Christ:

• Prophecy: the divine enablement to reveal truth and proclaim it in a timely and relevant manner for understanding, correction, repentance, or edification.
• Healing: the divine enablement to be God’s means for restoring people to wholeness.
• Tongues: the divine enablement to speak, worship, or pray in a language unknown to the speaker.
• Interpretation: the divine enablement to make known to the body of Christ the message of one who is speaking in tongues.
• Miracles: the divine enablement to cheerfully and practically help those who are suffering or are in need.

These definition soften these gifts a bit to make them a bit more acceptable. That may be good because the next breath you draw is a miracle. God’s keeping the universe from spinning into oblivion is also a miracle.

 

But I don’t see evidence in Scripture that these gifts have ceased to function. And there are places in the world where people are less prejudiced against supernatural explanations. Missionaries who have served in places like India have often seen what they understand to be miracles. Miracles may be more frequent where a need is great or where people are open to their possibility.

 

If you have questions about these gifts, I encourage you to do more study. Start with 1 Corinthians 12-14. Tongues was a prominent gift at Corinth. Interestingly, Paul does not tell them to stop speaking in tongues. Rather, he gives them guidelines for its orderly practice. Speaking in tongues is primarily for private benefit unless an interpretation accompanies it. Even then it may often need to be avoided in the gathered assembly because the foreign nature of it would cause confusion or distraction. Paul tells them to prioritize prophecy because the hearers will be able to understand the message and be edified.

 

Here are some additional books that I have found helpful to deeper study of this subject:

• Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14 by D. A. Carson
• The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today by Wayne Grudem
• Surprised by the Power of the Spirit: Discovering How God Speaks and Heals Today by Jack Deere

Comments

[Susan Klingenberg]

HI Erik,

Great series we are in...so needed!!! Well I took the test and was somewhat suprised by the answers. Can spiritual gifts change over time? Does God keep adding new ones or take unused ones back?? My results were 1. Craftsmanship, 2. Missions, 3 was a tie with Helps and Service, and 4 was a tie with Exhortation and Discernment.

Are there any other surveys that I can cross reference these outcomes with? It would be interesting to see if the same results came through a different test.

Also, I am not currently in a small group, and cannot make it to Thursday nights meeting due to having class that night...any chance you can set up some kind of online discussion forum??

Peace, Sue

[Joani Heavey]

Hi Eric,
I have been in places a few times where I have experienced people using the gift of speaking in tongues. It was interesting to me how God spoke to me during those times. The first time I was in college and was with a group of people from The Way Biblical Research Institute. I now know that is a cult. The speaking in tongues did not seem honest and sincere to me. It seemed that is was done "on purpose" and not from the Holy Spirit. As a result, I was turned off and uncomfortable with the idea of speaking in tongues.
Several years ago, I attended a dance seminar because I was teaching dance aerobics at SPC. I felt God may be leading me to start a dance ministry for the services at church. The seminar was one of the most amazing spiritual experiences I have had. I truly felt God's Spirit alive in that gym all day long. At the end, the leader, who clearly loved the Lord (her face seemed always tilted toward Heaven,) prayed for a few of us who felt lead to do dance ministries at our churches. She prayed in tongues with no interpretation until she got to me. I was sweating and praying, asking God that she would NOT pray in tongues over me. She stopped in front of me and asked if she could pray for me. She had not done that with others. I said okay. (What else do you say when someone asks to pray for you?) She prayed in tongues as I was pleading with the Lord that at least I would understand. After she finished, someone whom I did not know - interpreted the prayer. It was so specific about what was on my heart. I never knew who that person was standing behind me. I was just overwhelmed with joy and gratitude that God was clearly present!
I have not experienced anything like that since, but I wouldn't mind! I could hardly keep my hands and arms down for the next many weeks as I wanted to go around singing, dancing and praising God for anyone to see. I used to drive in my car with one hand in the air. I KNOW God was in that. I don't know about tongues other than that was a very real time that God used tongues to bless and encourage me!