Unlearning Spiritual Gifts

In our current Dispensation of Grace, the empowerment of believers is not dictated by the presence of specific spiritual gifts, but is instead dependent on the transformative power of grace, which is universally accessible to all believers.

Last week we discussed that the ultimate problem with spiritual gifts teaching in the church today is that it fails to help believers rest in the transformative power of grace that is universal among believers, instead insisting that believers need to discover something more. Spiritual gift inventories typically are Jungian psychological analysis, gifts themselves are redefined to fit today’s experience, and a definitive list is non-existent.

The Original Use of Spiritual Gifts

There are three views on the original use of spiritual gifts.

First, the normative view considers what happened at Pentecost and with the manifestation gifts as the normal Christian life. Therefore, in this view, every believer should have a manifestation gift. This view is the standard view.

Second, some consider the manifestation gifts as authentication for the early spread of the gospel. They interpret a single gospel with no differentiation between the gospel of the Kingdom and the gospel of grace. In this view, one must devise some kind of reason why the gospel needed authentication then but not now. Some contend that it does need authentication today and teach "Power Evangelism," which involves the display of the manifestations.

Third, the continuing proofs of the kingdom offer. Jesus came displaying physical proofs that He was "fit to be King." Later, when the apostles, under the leadership of Peter, were given the keys to the Kingdom, they were promised "power" (Acts 1:8). This power was the manifestation of the spirit, and it was expressed powerfully in the early parts of the book of Acts. But after the national rejection of the Kingdom message at the sermon of Stephen, the continuing proofs of the kingdom offer drop off suddenly and dramatically and are soon gone altogether.

The Importance of A Pauline Transition

What Is The Transition?

Paul's revelation marked a significant shift in God's dealings with humanity. With this revelation, the focus moved from the Jewish people and the promise of the kingdom to a new entity: the Body of Christ. Consequently, there was a change in how God demonstrated His power, shifting from tangible signs and wonders to the transformative power of grace and faith.

Those who dispute this idea should explain why the vast majority of Christians cannot identify their spiritual gift easily. Tangible manifestations of the Holy Spirit should not require a psychology test, an interview with friends, or even 10 minutes of thought. Tangible manifestations are supposed to be self-evident and dramatic.

In 1 Corinthians 13:8 Paul specifically mentioned several of the charismata, and said they would fail, cease, and vanish away. Isn’t it reasonable to assume that their absence in Paul’s later miracles displays a fulfillment of this prophecy?

Displaying Proof Of The Transition

As we examine the Pauline Epistles, particularly those written during his imprisonment (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon), it is notable that the subject of spiritual gifts is absent. In fact, Ephesians 4:7, sometimes taken to be a discussion of “charismata” (tangible manifestations), actually says that the Holy Spirit has given “charis,” simply grace alone, without manifestation. This has been done “according to the measure of the gift of Christ,” which is the same for all believers, with no difference whatsoever.

This absence of mention of spiritual gifts (charismata) underscores the transition from the dispensation of the kingdom to the dispensation of grace, where the focus is not on miraculous gifts but on the saving power of the Gospel. In fact, these books do not contain a single mention of tangible manifestations of God's work in the world. Colossians 1:29 speaks of “his working, which worketh in me mightily,” but that is simply the empowering work of God through grace and, it can be argued, is specific to Paul.

Recontextualizing Spiritual Gifts in Grace

The age of grace, as revealed to and preached by Paul, emphasizes faith in Christ's finished work on the cross for salvation. In this dispensation, God's power is demonstrated not through miraculous signs and wonders but through the transformation of lives and hearts by grace through faith.

It is time for evangelicalism to reconsider the role and understanding of spiritual gifts. While they played a crucial role in a specific context, the dispensation of grace places importance not on miraculous displays but on the transformative power of faith and grace in Christ.

Because of this, rather than focusing on a laborious process of self-discovery and introspection, believers should focus on the transformative power of grace that is universally accessible to all. The empowerment of believers today does not depend on the possession of a particular spiritual gift, but on the transformative power of God's grace. This understanding aligns with the Pauline transition and presents a simpler, more biblical approach to spiritual empowerment.