The Use of Spiritual Gifts*

      The Holy Spirit has given to each member of the Body of Christ varying spiritual gifts. These gifts are given for a specific purpose, which we will see. As Paul wrote about the gifts given to the members of the Body by the Holy Spirit, he said: "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant...Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (symphero - to bear or bring together, to bear together at the same time, to carry with others, to collect or contribute in order to help, to help, be profitable, be expedient)." (1 Cor. 12:1-7).

     In the world we live in today, it is very common to hear the name of Jesus used as a curse. The Holy Spirit would never curse the name of Jesus. The Holy Spirit continually confirms the name of Jesus.

     The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not divisive, but all of the gifts affirm the oneness or unity of the Godhead/Trinity and also the oneness or unity of the believers who are in, with, and of Jesus Christ. As we can see from the Greek meaning above, the gifts that are given to individuals are meant to benefit the whole church of believers.

     The manifestation of the Holy Spirit within the members of Christ's Body, which is made up of each one of the believers, take several different forms, as Paul wrote. These manifestations include the word (logos - sayings, decree, moral precepts given by God, Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets, also see Jn. 1:1-3) of wisdom (sophia - full of intelligence, moral wisdom, [true] science and learning, meanings of mysteries of a number or a vision, devout and proper prudence, skill and discretion, supreme intelligence as belonging to God and to Christ), the word of knowledge (gnosis - intelligence, understanding, a deeper more perfect and enlarged knowledge of the Christian faith, knowledge of things lawful and unlawful, moral wisdom), the gift of faith (see Heb. 11:1-3), gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues. (v. 8-10). All of these gifts serve the purpose of the Holy Spirit and the will of God in the one Body of Christ made up of many members. (v. 11-18).  

     Paul also wrote: "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." (v. 27-28).

     Paul emphasizes again: "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." (v. 25). There have come divisions, or schisms, in the Body of Christ over many things, including the gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Some in the Body of Christ do not accept that miracles or healings by God still happen, or that speaking in diverse tongues is acceptable, or that apostles, prophecy and prophets still function in the Body of Christ. We have seen and are witnesses to the fact that all of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are still present in the Body and work in and for the benefit of the Body of Christ.

     In Ephesians, Paul again makes clear that the gifts of the Spirit, including apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, are present for God's purpose in the Body of Christ: "For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge (epignosis - precise and correct knowledge of things ethical and divine, full discernment, acknowledging) of the Son of God, unto a perfect (teleios - complete, finished, perfect, mature) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness (plemora - body of believers filled with the presence, power, agency, riches of God and of Christ [the anointing]) of Christ:" (Eph. 4:11-13).

     The Body of Christ needs to know what it means to be mature. Paul wrote that we were to put away childish things. If we are not mature, then we will act immaturely.

     One of the ways that the Body of Christ must be mature is in receiving and knowing truth. Jesus told us the truth, and sanctified us with the truth. Jesus prayed to the heavenly Father for those who believed in Him: "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name...And now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but thou shouldest keep them from the evil...Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." (Jn. 17:12-19). 

     Jesus also prayed for those who would hear and believe in Him through the word of His disciples, meaning all of the generations of believers that followed after His death and resurrection, including us. As Paul emphasized the oneness of the Body of Christ above, Jesus also prayed for oneness: "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may be believe that thou hast sent me." (v. 20-21). This Oneness with the Father and the Son also gives us oneness with Their glory and makes us perfect (teleioo - accomplish, made perfect, finished) in them. (v. 23). How can there be a single oneness from a plurality? The Hebrew language has a word, echad, which is a plural unity, like one bunch of grapes made up of many grapes, or like the unity and Oneness of the Trinity, Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and also, as Jesus prayed, the believers in Christ.

     In this oneness that the LORD desires to have with His people, He also tells His people to seek His face: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land." (2 Chron. 7:14).

     David wrote of the LORD: "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock....When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation." (Ps. 27:27:5-9, excerpt).

     The LORD spoke to the prophet, Hosea, saying: "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early." (Hos. 5:15).

     Isaiah 52 prophesied that the face of the Servant of the LORD, referring to Messiah/Christ, would be marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men. We can see that marred face and form on the Shroud of Turin, which also agrees exactly with the detailed accounts of the Lord's suffering, death and resurrection in the Gospels. To seek, see, and understand that face, the book, NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling written by Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson is available on Amazon. It is the result of many years of Dr. Stevenson's research on and handling of the Shroud. Our faith does not require proof, but the Shroud of Turin has been left to us as a testimony and a witness. Isaiah asked: "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? (Isa. 53:1). The Lord is coming back sooner than most people think.

    *Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 4/27/25 message to the church. If you would like to hear the complete message, you can find it on the Facebook page of Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr. Dr. Stevenson's video messages are also found on You Tube at Kenneth Stevenson. To contact or support this ministry, or to request prayer, you can write to PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705. To find out more about the Shroud of Turin, and to receive a free e-book now available in several languages, go to http://www.theshroudofturin.org/freebook. The book NAZAH: White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling is available on Amazon.



 
























Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who is the Suffering Servant?*

Image
            Around 325 A.D., the known Church at that time officially removed the treasured Jewish roots from the Christian faith, creating a divide that still exists today. This division has sometimes taken the form of antisemitism, such as we see in the Christian Nationalism movement, as well as the falsehood of Replacement Theology that states that the Church has replaced Israel. In His Word, the LORD made a covenant with Israel specifically and intends to keep that covenant. We, as Christians, have been grafted into the natural olives tree of the Jewish faith. (Rom. 11:16-18). The early church was made up of Jews first and shortly thereafter Gentiles, with thousands of Jews converting to belief in Jesus as Messiah/Christ, including Jewish priests, after the resurrection of Christ according to the Book of Acts.       The divide between the two faiths of the same olive tree is also reflected in portions of scripture, such as Isaia...
Read more

As It Was In The Days*

      We are in the days of the fall Feasts of the LORD. Most of the Church is never taught about the feasts, even though the first coming of Christ and His sacrifice as the Lamb of God and the Firstfruits of the resurrection fulfills the spring feasts, and the second coming of Christ, the rapture of the Church and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb are reflected prophetically in the fall feasts. The Church continues on being what we are rather than what we are supposed to be.      In Ecclesiastes 1:9-10, Solomon wrote of how the past things are tied to the future things: "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun..." The things shown in the past in scripture are also prophecies of the things to come, but are we heeding them? Jeremiah the prophet spoke to the people of Judah, saying, "And the LORD has sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising early ...
Read more

Coming Deception*

      In discussing the dangers and tribulation connected to the end of the age and His return, Jesus also warned His disciples not to be deceived: "Take heed that no (man) deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Mt. 24:3-5, see also Mk. 13:5 ). Jesus then described the events that would come upon the earth and added: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (v. 21-22). Then He spoke again regarding deception: "Then if any (man) shall say unto you, Lo, here (is) the Christ, or there; believe (it) not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if (it were) possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you bef...
Read more