Equipper of Gifts

How many different colors are there? Well, let’s start with the primary colors—red, blue, and yellow. Then there are the secondary colors— orange, green, and violet. If you purchased a box with 16 Crayola crayons, you’d add carnation pink, blue green, blue violet, red orange, red violet, white, yellow green, yellow orange, brown, and black. Of course, you could purchase the exclusive edition of 152 crayons, which include neon carrot, laser lemon, and bluetiful.

How many different gifts are there in the body of Christ? If you study Romans 12, you’ll find seven. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul lists thirteen gifts. In Ephesians 4, there are five. None of the lists exactly match, which leads Bible scholars to believe that Paul never intended to give us a definitive list, but rather samples of gifts.

What is clear to all who study spiritual gifts is that these special abilities come to believers through the agency of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains, “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:7, 8).

The special gifts of the Spirit were not just given in New Testament times. The Old Testament regularly speaks of individuals who were given divine abilities to serve God. “The Spirit of the Lord came upon him [Othniel], and he judged Israel” (Judges 3:10). The Spirit even came upon King Saul, though he later turned from God. (See 1 Samuel 10:1–13.)

Like the various colors in a box of crayons, the Spirit gives diverse gifts to members so that many forms of ministry can take place in the church and the community to build up God’s kingdom. No person has all the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:21), yet each believer has at least one gift (v. 15), for “You are the body of Christ, and members individually” (v. 27).

Apply It:

Read through the three primary passages on spiritual gifts (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4) and prayerfully ask yourself, “What are my gifts?”

Dig Deeper:

Exodus 28:3; 31:3; 1 Chronicles 25:1; 1 Peter 4:9–11

Key Bible Texts

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:4 KJV)