Understanding and Exercising Spiritual Gifts in Faith

 

Summary

In Romans 12:6, Paul emphasizes the diversity of spiritual gifts within the church, urging believers to exercise their gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. Each gift, whether prophecy or another, should be used in accordance with the faith and for the benefit of the church community. Prophecy, as discussed, is a direct communication from God to the church, distinct from teaching or preaching. It involves a special illumination by the Holy Spirit, allowing both men and women to convey God's message. However, the exercise of prophecy must be sincere and aligned with the faith, avoiding personal embellishments or omissions that could lead to confusion or sin.

Two interpretations of "prophesy according to the proportion of faith" are explored. The first is subjective, suggesting that prophecy should be sincere and in line with the individual's faith. The second is objective, proposing that prophecy must conform to the established body of Christian doctrine, the faith delivered to the saints. This ensures that any prophetic utterance is consistent with the truth revealed through the apostles and prophets.

The importance of testing prophetic utterances against the faith is underscored, as truth from the Holy Spirit is self-consistent and will not contradict itself. This principle is crucial in discerning true prophecy from false teachings, as seen in the early church and relevant today amidst movements like the ecumenical movement and renewed interest in spiritual gifts. Systematic theology, which organizes biblical doctrines, serves as a framework for testing and understanding these truths.

Prophetic utterances should not introduce new doctrines but rather highlight aspects of the existing faith. Historical examples, such as the teachings of Edward Irving and the secret rapture doctrine, illustrate the dangers of untested prophetic claims. Therefore, prophetic messages must be approached with caution, especially when they direct actions within the church or individuals' lives.

Ultimately, the exercise of spiritual gifts involves a blend of the divine and human, the supernatural and the natural. While these gifts are given by the Spirit, they remain under the control of the individual, ensuring order and peace within the church.

Key Takeaways:

- Spiritual gifts, including prophecy, are given for the edification of the church and must be exercised with sincerity and in alignment with the faith. This prevents personal pride and ensures the gifts serve their intended purpose. [01:40]

- Prophecy should be tested against the established body of Christian doctrine, ensuring consistency with the truth revealed through the apostles and prophets. This guards against false teachings and maintains doctrinal integrity. [10:30]

- Systematic theology provides a framework for understanding and organizing biblical doctrines, helping believers test and interpret prophetic utterances within the context of the whole body of truth. [18:09]

- Prophetic utterances should not introduce new doctrines but rather emphasize aspects of the existing faith. Historical examples highlight the dangers of untested prophetic claims leading to doctrinal errors. [32:21]

- The exercise of spiritual gifts involves a balance of divine inspiration and human control, ensuring order and peace within the church. This prevents confusion and maintains the integrity of the church's witness. [50:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Romans 12:6
- [00:30] - Spiritual Gifts and the Body of Christ
- [01:03] - Diversity and Importance of Gifts
- [01:59] - Understanding Prophecy
- [03:21] - Purpose of Prophecy
- [04:15] - Prophesy According to Faith
- [05:04] - Sincerity in Prophecy
- [07:09] - Prophecy vs. Prophets
- [08:26] - Objective Interpretation of Faith
- [10:12] - Testing Prophetic Utterances
- [18:09] - Systematic Theology
- [29:35] - No New Truth Beyond Apostles
- [32:21] - Prophetic Utterances and Doctrine
- [50:00] - Divine and Human in Spiritual Gifts
- [51:31] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 12:6
- 1 Corinthians 14:3
- Jude 1:3

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Romans 12:6, how does Paul describe the diversity of spiritual gifts within the church? What is the purpose of these gifts? [00:30]

2. In 1 Corinthians 14:3, what are the three purposes of prophecy mentioned by Paul? How do these purposes align with the overall message of the sermon? [03:39]

3. What are the two interpretations of "prophesy according to the proportion of faith" discussed in the sermon? How do they differ in their approach to prophecy? [04:15]

4. How does the sermon describe the relationship between prophecy and the established body of Christian doctrine? Why is this relationship important? [10:12]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the subjective interpretation of "prophesy according to the proportion of faith" influence an individual's approach to using their spiritual gifts? [05:04]

2. What role does systematic theology play in testing prophetic utterances, according to the sermon? How does this help maintain doctrinal integrity? [18:09]

3. Why is it important to test prophetic utterances against the established body of Christian doctrine? What are the potential dangers of not doing so? [10:30]

4. How does the sermon suggest balancing divine inspiration and human control in the exercise of spiritual gifts? What are the implications of this balance for the church? [50:00]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own spiritual gifts. How can you ensure that you are using them sincerely and in alignment with your faith, as suggested in the sermon? [05:04]

2. Have you ever encountered a situation where a prophetic message or spiritual insight was not tested against established doctrine? What was the outcome, and how could it have been handled differently? [10:12]

3. How can you incorporate systematic theology into your personal Bible study to better understand and test spiritual insights or teachings? [18:09]

4. Think of a time when you felt a strong spiritual prompting. How did you discern whether it was aligned with the faith and doctrine of the church? What steps can you take to improve this discernment process? [10:30]

5. In what ways can you contribute to maintaining order and peace within your church community while exercising your spiritual gifts? How can you encourage others to do the same? [50:00]

6. Consider a historical or modern example of untested prophetic claims leading to doctrinal errors. What lessons can you learn from these examples to apply in your own spiritual journey? [32:21]

7. How can you support others in your church community to use their spiritual gifts responsibly and in accordance with the faith? What role can you play in fostering a culture of testing and discernment? [10:12]

Devotional

Day 1: Exercising Spiritual Gifts with Sincerity and Faith
Spiritual gifts are bestowed upon believers for the edification of the church, and it is crucial that these gifts are exercised with sincerity and in alignment with the faith. This ensures that the gifts serve their intended purpose and prevent personal pride from overshadowing their divine origin. Prophecy, as a spiritual gift, involves a direct communication from God to the church and must be delivered with honesty and integrity. The exercise of prophecy should be free from personal embellishments or omissions that could lead to confusion or sin. By using spiritual gifts in accordance with the faith, believers contribute to the growth and unity of the church community. [01:40]

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."

Reflection: Consider a spiritual gift you believe you have been given. How can you use this gift today to serve and edify someone in your church community?


Day 2: Testing Prophecy Against Established Doctrine
Prophecy should be tested against the established body of Christian doctrine to ensure consistency with the truth revealed through the apostles and prophets. This practice guards against false teachings and maintains doctrinal integrity within the church. The early church faced challenges from false prophets, and the same vigilance is required today. By grounding prophetic utterances in the faith delivered to the saints, believers can discern true prophecy from misleading teachings. Systematic theology, which organizes biblical doctrines, provides a framework for understanding and interpreting these truths. [10:30]

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 (ESV): "Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good."

Reflection: Think of a recent message or teaching you heard. How can you test its alignment with the core doctrines of your faith today?


Day 3: Systematic Theology as a Framework for Understanding
Systematic theology plays a vital role in helping believers understand and organize biblical doctrines. It serves as a tool for testing and interpreting prophetic utterances within the context of the whole body of truth. By providing a structured approach to theology, believers can better discern the consistency of prophetic messages with the established faith. This approach ensures that new insights or revelations do not contradict the foundational truths of Christianity. [18:09]

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV): "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

Reflection: How can you incorporate systematic theology into your personal study of the Bible to deepen your understanding of your faith?


Day 4: Emphasizing Existing Faith Through Prophecy
Prophetic utterances should not introduce new doctrines but rather emphasize aspects of the existing faith. Historical examples, such as the teachings of Edward Irving and the secret rapture doctrine, illustrate the dangers of untested prophetic claims leading to doctrinal errors. By focusing on the established truths of the faith, prophecy can highlight and bring attention to important aspects of Christian doctrine without deviating from the core message. This approach helps maintain the integrity of the church's teachings and prevents confusion among believers. [32:21]

Jude 1:3 (ESV): "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints."

Reflection: Reflect on a prophetic message you have encountered. How did it emphasize or highlight an aspect of the existing faith without introducing new doctrines?


Day 5: Balancing Divine Inspiration and Human Control
The exercise of spiritual gifts involves a balance of divine inspiration and human control, ensuring order and peace within the church. While these gifts are given by the Spirit, they remain under the control of the individual, preventing confusion and maintaining the integrity of the church's witness. This balance allows for the harmonious functioning of the church body, where each member contributes to the common good. By exercising spiritual gifts with both divine guidance and personal responsibility, believers can foster a community that reflects the love and order of God. [50:00]

1 Corinthians 14:32-33 (ESV): "And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints."

Reflection: In what ways can you ensure that your use of spiritual gifts contributes to peace and order within your church community today?

Quotes


His great statement is therefore that the gifts differ according to the grace that is given to us we all have some gift and we've considered how it is we may discover what that gift is and now we are looking at this first illustration that he takes up in order to illustrate these general principles the first gift he looks at is the gift of Prophecy. [00:01:45]

Prophecy is a men speaking for God giving a word from God to the church it means a very special illumination therefore it's a kind of direct inspiration and we saw that it is something that women can do as well as men they're prohibited to teach teach preach but they do act in this manner. [00:02:35]

The inspired utterance must always conform to this body of teaching and of doctrine that has been given by God through the apostles and Prophets to the church and that the prophet the one who the one who has this prophecy must never add to this revealed body of Truth nor again subtract from it. [00:10:00]

Every prophecy that is uttered must always be tested in terms of this faith that has been given to us now this is where you see it becomes so important for myself I'm very ready to accept the two expositions of this statement I think both are right the one what as the prophecy must obviously be sincere. [00:10:24]

The only way in which you can test them of course is by the faith or take the way in which the same Apostle puts it in one Thessalonians 5 and in verse 21 and it's in this context here it is quench not the spirit despise not prophesyings prove all things test them prove them all things hold fast that which is good. [00:11:27]

All truth is given by the Holy Spirit and therefore all truth is always self-consistent it will never contradict itself truth is given by the spirit so he's not going to say one thing on one occasion and another one on another occasion there are certain characteristics of truth that comes from the spirit. [00:12:15]

The faith was once and forever delivered to the Saints the faith the truth was given to the apostles and Prophets The Church says the Apostle is on is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and you cannot add to the foundation you build upon the foundation you don't add to it. [00:29:51]

Prophetic utterance is only a value as it directs attention to this faith that has already been given what prophetic utans does is to bring out some particular aspect or facet and to emphasize it because it may be the thing that's needed supremely at their present time but it never lays down Doctrine. [00:32:06]

The enthusiasm of novelty that attends the first experience of such spiritual gifts as prophecy tongues or interpretation of tongues tends to unbalance the believer's perspective for a time especially if not well rooted and grounded in the scriptures of Truth beor end this proness to undue emphasis upon messages has been a constant danger. [00:37:23]

There is a blending of the Supernatural and the natural the Divine and the human and we get into trouble when we fail to realize that both are present and both should always be present there is God's part in this there is men's part in this and that is where we see of course that we're dealing with something which the scripture calls a mystery. [00:39:25]

Though this is something that is given though it is the activity of the spirit there is no loss of self-control this is the Marvel this is the mystery this is the Paradox of it all all given all of the spirit in power and yet there is no loss of control that is the difference between this and hysteria. [00:50:13]

God is never the author of confusion he is always the author of Peace well there are some of the thoughts that come to us as we read this first injunction given by the Apostle with the prophecy let him prophesy according to the proportion of Faith prove all things hold fast that which is good. [00:51:31]

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Transcript
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