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      "The Ministry and Spiritual Gifts"
      Selected Scriptures
      Theme: The ability of the power of God to be evidenced is directly connected to the transformation that results in believers lives as the Word of God is embraced, applied, and obeyed.

        1. The Priority of Ministry is to Perfect the Saints – "We believe that God is sovereign in the bestowment of all His gifts; and that the gifts of evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sufficient for the perfecting of the saints today; …"

          1. God’s Purpose in Perfecting the Saints

            1. It is remarkable how the clearly revealed focus of the church has been blurred by a failure to maintain an awareness of what God is seeking to accomplish through the church.
            2. Many have come to think that the church exists for the purpose of providing men with the affirmation that human beings need in order to have a desirable self-image.
              1. The Consumer Driven Church – figuring out what people want and giving it to them in order to get them to come to church (indulge the world to reach the world).
              2. The Culture Driven Church – attracting people by entertaining them with the latest forms of the world’s amusement with a slight spiritual spin (involve the world to reach the world).
              3. The "Compassion" Driven Church – attracting people by appealing to and addressing their surface needs, but stay off the issues of sin and hell (identify the world to reach the world).
              4. The Corporate (or Purpose) Driven Church – attracting people through a carefully developed marketing plan – advancing the church through a strategic, slick, and well delivered presentation (impress the world to reach the world).
            3. In reality, the church doesn’t exist for the world, or even for the individual believer, but for the purpose of bringing glory to God through Christ Jesus – cp. Ephesians 3:21; 4:13.
            4. In light of this, God acts sovereignly in the bestowal of spiritual gifts for the purpose of enabling the church to bring glory to Christ – God’s eternal purpose for the church – cp. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

          2. God’s Provision in Perfecting the Saints

            1. First, we believe that God has provided certain gifted men who fill offices in the church for the purpose of outreach and teaching – Ephesians 4:7-12
              1. For the purpose of outreach:
                1. In the foundational period, outreach was performed by means of the apostolic office
                2. After the Scriptures were completed, the emphasis on outreach is through the office of evangelist (missionary, or church planter)
              2. For the purpose of teaching:
                1. In the foundation period, the proclamation of newly revealed truth was performed by prophets
                2. After the Scripture was completed, the emphasis on teaching was limited to the office of pastor/teacher whose responsibility is to "preach the Word".
              3. It is the mission of the evangelists and pastor/teachers to preach and teach God’s Word so as to bring the church of Jesus Christ to spiritual maturity – cp. Ephesians 4:12-13.
            2. Second, we believe that God’s Holy Spirit also gives unique and special spiritual abilities to each member of the Body of Christ – cp. Romans 12:5-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4, 7; 1 Peter 4:10-11
              1. These are called "ministering gifts" given to equip believers for edifying one another.
              2. Permanent Spiritual Gifts include the following:
                1. Teaching - Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11
                  1. Definition – supernatural ability to explain truths to the church, already revealed
                  2. Relative to illumination – illumination is ministry of Spirit to all for understanding; teaching based on illumination but extended to presentation to others.
                  3. Relative to prophecy - the gift of revelation of new truth
                2. Ministering - Romans 12:17; 1 Corinthians 12:28
                  1. Definition – to help in spiritual things
                  2. Distinctions within the gift
                3. Ruling - Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28
                  1. Definition – to administer church and lead other saints
                  2. It is not a level of privilege but of ministry or authority
                  3. Honor to it is commanded – Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13
                4. Exhortation - Romans 12:8
                  1. Definition – to appeal for action and realization of God’s will
                  2. Word parakalon includes ideas of encouragement, comfort, admonition and entreaty
                5. Giving - Romans 12:8
                  1. Definition – to present possessions for the Lord’s work
                  2. All of us are commanded tp give – but some have a special gift
                6. Showing Mercy - Romans 12:8
                  1. Definition – giving aid and mercy to sick and afflicted with cheerfulness, readiness of mind and promptness
                  2. It is the exhibition of loving-kindness and tenderness.
                7. Evangelism - Ephesians 4:11
                  1. Definition – effective preaching of gospel to unsaved
                  2. It is to the lost what teaching is for the saved.
                  3. General obligation to witness is given to all believers
                8. Pastor or Shepherd - Ephesians 4:11
                  1. Definition – to lead, protect, provide for, and feed the church
                  2. Relation to teaching – often this is connected with teaching
                9. Faith - 1 Corinthians 12:9
                  1. Definition – special trust in God to guide and supply
                  2. This is the supernatural exhibition of such confidence.

        2. The Power of Ministry is the Preeminence of Scripture – "… and that speaking in tongues and working of sign miracles gradually ceased as the New Testament Scriptures were completed and their authority became established."

          1. The Authentication of the Apostles

            1. Apostolic sign gifts were to authenticate the apostolic gospel message (Acts 2:16, 21; 10:45; 19:11-12; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Romans 15:18-19)
            2. The apostles and prophets were foundational - (Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14; 22:18); that is they were for the church in its foundational times.
              1. Once the Scriptures were written, the revelation gifts were no longer needed.
              2. As the incarnation was foundational and only for the founding period; so were the apostles and prophets.
            3. It is inarguable that God did not intend all of the gifts to continue indefinitely – 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.
            4. The miraculous gifts of signs, wonders and miracles were for the first generation church only – Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12

              5. Note 3 steps in transmission of the message:
              1. The Lord spoke it – 3b
              2. Those who heard it from the Lord, preached it with confirming signs and miracles and wonders & gifts of the Holy Spirit - 3c-4
              3. The listeners (3c "to us") received the message from the "signs" group. Thus the sign gifts were given only to the first generation Christians to confirm their message.
            5. Miraculous prison escapes ceased.
              1. Acts 5:19-20 – Peter and John escaped
              2. Acts 12:6-10 – Peter
              3. Acts 16:25 – Paul
              4. Yet all the apostles except John died a martyr’s death.

          2. The Authority of the Scriptures

            1. When the New Testament was completed, Scripture became the sole test of authenticity of a man’s message – cp. 2 Peter 1:3-4; Acts 17:11
            2. As 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 teaches, when the "Perfect" came, the partial means of knowing the truth were "done away."
              1. The term "perfect" means complete and refers to that which is "fully matured" or "fully developed."
              2. Instead of have to rely on uncertain and "partial" means of revelation, there would come a time when revelation would be complete or "perfect" in the provision of the Scripture – 2 Peter 1:19-21
              3. This same term "perfect" is used of Scripture in James 1:25
            3. In addition, the concept of seeing "in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" refers to the reality that when the entire Word of God is given, we will be able to gain a full view of ourselves – cp. James 1:22-25; 2 Corinthians 3:18
            4. Thus, since God’s Word is complete, it is profitable to provide the guidance needed for the man of God to be thoroughly furnished unto every good work – cp. 2 Timothy 3:17.

        3. The Presence of Mercy in the Prayer for the Sick - "We believe that God does hear and answer the prayer of faith, in accord with His own will, for the sick and afflicted."

          1. God’s Method in Healing

            1. It is our belief that no one possesses the gift of healing today – this again, was one of the sign gifts.
            2. The healing gifts gradually ceased according to Scripture.

              3. Acts 5:14-16 everyone healed A.D. 35

              Acts 28:9 Paul healed some A.D. 60

              Phil. 2:25-28 Paul could not heal Epaphroditus A.D. 62

              1 Tim. 5:23 Paul could not heal Timothy A.D. 64

              2 Tim. 4:20 Paul could not heal Trophimus A.D. 67

              Note: Healing never was for absolutely everybody

              2 Corinthians 12:7; Galatians 4:13; 6:11

            3. Today, God responds to the prayer of faith – as men surrender to His sovereign ends of bringing glory to Himself – whether by healing or by providing the grace needed to endure an affliction.
            4. This is the "prayer of faith" described as effectual in James 5:16 – cp. John 15:7.
            5. Thus, instead of the power to heal being vested in gifted men, the Spirit of God Himself mediates it in response to prayer.

          2. God’s Mercy for the Sick

            1. Let there be no mistake – God is able and willing to heal today – simply not through gifted men.
            2. Instead, He has called for us to pursue two different avenues for our physical well-being:
              1. Spiritually, we are to address the issue that considers whether or not an illness is a result of personal sin.
                1. It is inappropriate to claim that all sickness is God’s personal judgment on an individual because of their sin – cp. John 9:1-3
                2. However, it is irresponsible to ignore the fact that there are occasions whereby sickness does result from personal sin – cp. 1 Corinthians 11:30
                3. Thus, persons who are sick ought to pause spiritually and examine themselves and confess whatever sin may exist in order to be forgiven – cp. James 5:15-16
              2. Physically, we are to address the issue of physical provisions through medicine – something that I believe is represented by the anointing with oil in Scripture – cp. James 5:14
            3. In both approaches, it is understood that God’s mercy is extended to those in suffering – either by way of healing or by the provision of abundant grace enabling them to endure.

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