JesusWalk Bible Study Forum: Q1. Spiritual Gifts for Each One - JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q1. (Ephesians 4:7) In what way does verse 7 teach that all Christians have received spiritual gifts? (See also Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:11; 1 Peter 4:10). If all have received spiritual gifts, what is the implication of this in light of the clause in Ephesians 4:16 that mentions "each/every part"?Exposition

In I Peter we read that God gave us gifts so that they can flow through us. We are God's instruments on earth and if we don't spread His message it will not be spread. God gives us each special gifts for us to use to spread the Word mor easily. Be sure you learn what your gifts are or you will be ineffective. If you can't discern what your spiritual gift is, ask God and look and Listen for His answer. You will receive. Verse 16 means that we must all use the giftt we have for the work of the body. If one part tries to do a different job than the one God has assigned it, it would be like one of our body parts insisting on filling a job which isn't the one planned for them. The body can compensate for the loss of a part. People who lose one of their senses find other senses are enhanced to take over part of the job of the missing part so the body can function. Sometimes artificial or transplanted organs perform the work of the missing or non-functioning organ. Artificial or transplanted members are picking up the jobs others are better fitted for and therefore they have to do more than their share or strive to do something they aren't specifically fitted for. If everyone would carry out the task God has planned for them things will operate much more smoothly.

Every member has recieved by grace, a portion.....according to God's divine will. The gifts are the power and influence of the Holy Spirit that enable us to be prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to perfect our work of ministry. Matthew 25 14-30 teaches us that Christ has taken journey to a far country but has left with each of his servants a different measure of talents. The one with 5 talents went to work and doubled his portion and likewise the one given two. But the one who only recieved 1 talent was AFRAID and buried his talent. When Christ comes back, those who put their talent to work were given more but the one who did not prosper lost all that he had. God called that servant wicked and slothful. If we put our talents to work, we will hear "well done thou good and faithful servant"

"Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ; by grace are ye saved" Ep.2:5...Just as we received salvation by God's Grace, we also receive the gifts of the Spirit! Jesus never intended to leave us comfortless, so He sent the Holy Spirit, who bestows gifts to the Body for the 1; Edification 2; Deliverance 3; Perfecting, of the Church and the Body of Christ. The gifts are for all belivers, and with them there comes a responsibility; "And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; To every man according to his several ability; and straightway took His journey" Matt:25:15 The Word tells us, "For the gifts and calling, of God, are without repentance" Rom.11:29. To me, this means God never take's the gifts He has given us back; it is our responsibility as to how and if we use them, and in what manner; (for the world, or for the Body of Christ!) The gift's were never given to promote a man, a church, or a denomanation; They should alway's promote Jesus, and point to Him, and Him alone. We are told to "Desire Spiritual gifts"...Paul even tells Timothy to "Stir up the gifts within you"; When the gifts are stirred up in every believer, the Body of Christ, works together...is complete! If I may add this, as an after thought; I've noticed, in some body's today the practice of teaching people how to receive, and use the gifts of the Spirit; To me this is wrong; We don't need to take class's to be taught "what is your gift"...how to use it"...and "how to receive the gifts" It is the Holy Spirit who gives the gifts, and the Holy Spirit who operates in us, to manifest the gift.

(Ephesians 4:7) In what way does verse 7 teach that all Christians have received spiritual gifts?

It teaches that once Jesus had ascended, He received the gifts promised Him of the Father and the Spirit and then dispensed them unto man. (ps. 68:17&18)

If all have received spiritual gifts, what is the implication of this in light of the clause in Ephesians 4:16 that mentions "each/every part".


For me the key words in this passage is "effectual working". Though all have received gifts, all do not use these gifts for the body of Christ.

In what way does verse 4:7 teach that all Christians have received Spiritual gifts? J(See also Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:11; 1 Peter 4:10.)
Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This verse alone is a little confusing. We know we are in a state of grace because of Christ's atoning work on the cross. So we need the other verses to clarify. Romans 12:6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. OK so now we know we all have different gifts and are to use them accordingly. 1 Corinthians 12:11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. Now we know that God decides which gift each person gets. 1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gifts he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. So now we know we are to use the gifts God gave us to serve others and by doing so we are administering God's grace in different ways here on earth for our fellow man. So, to summarize what we have learned here, God gives us various gifts, according to His will. We are to use those gifts to their fullest to help our fellow man. By doing so we are administering God's grace to each other according to the proportion of our faith.



If all have received Spiritual Gifts, what is the implication of this in light of the clause in Ephisians 4:16 that mentions each/every part?

Ephesians 4:16 From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

If the whole body, the church, does its part according to the gifts given to it by God and held together by Jesus it will be strong. This could also be a reference to the olive tree which grows in Israel. People in that time would have understood that reference as we would understand the church today.
The body is a complex organism which cannot be reproduced by man, no matter how hard we try. Only God can create Man with the muscles and ligaments and joints that hold us together as the body of the church needs to work together to do Christ's work.

In what way does v7 teach that all Christians have received spiritual gifts?
God's giving of spiritual gifts to every person who becomes a Christian is 'part of the package' we receive when we receive the Holy Spirit. To say we don't have any gifts is to deny the way God works.
If all have received spiritual gifts, what is the implication of this in the light of the clause in Eph.4:16 that mentions 'each/every part'?
God ensures that within each 'body' or congregation/community there is at least one person with each gift needed for the body to function and grow. If one or more within the 'body' deny their gifts or don't exercise their gifts, the whole 'body' suffers, just as one malfunctioning organ of a physical body can debilitate the person's wellbeing.

By His wonderful grace He gives to us so Freely.

Each one in the Body has received a gift; and as one matures they will find more than one gifting. Now as one matures the giftings of the Holy Spirit work well together if we ourselves are not being hindered. Just as the Body being made up of more than one part... all parts function together. When one part of the Body is not functioning the body seems not balanced and it takes greater effort to bring the body into balance. If one body had 4 arms and 6 legs and only half a brain there would be continual chaos, disorder, and confusion. But each part of the body has it's function and works well together in an orderly functional way. Using gifts or even esteeming or envying of one's gifts can also cause an imbalance; if used for Ambition and not for the glory of God. All giftings are given freely and are to be used in an orderly, balance to Glorify Him; the giver of all gifts.

I don't think I could add any more to this: I read what each person wrote and found that some were so on target... and really enjoyed reading.

Christ has apportioned grace to all christian. God is not a partial God. Isn't it wonderful that we all have a gift even when we think we don't. We are equipped with a gift to help build up the body of Christ and carry out Jesus' work in the world. We are given this gift not to store it but to share it, use it, and be about out Father's business.

In light of the clause in Ephesians 4:16 that mention "each/every part" it is important that we all come together and use "each/every part" to increase the body of Christ and for edification of itself in love. For those who think they have no gift, pray and ask God to show it you you. WE DON'T NEED TO WASTE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US HE WANT US TO BE GOOD STEWARDS.

Quote

1a.) Though the term, "[color="blue"]But to each one of us..[/color]" God has provided us specific gifts to us to be used in order to build the Body of Christ (church).
1b.)  If all have received spiritual gifts, what is the implication of this in light of the clause in Ephesians 4:16 that mentions "each/every part"?
1b.) We all have gifts that are needed to build and hold the Body of CHrist together.

We are all given a special talent to carry on the work of Christ, through the gift of God's grace. If everyone does not do his part then the body does not fully function to grow in maturity-not fully grasping the wisdom of God.

[color="red"]Q.1a [/color]The Scripture states "each/everyone" of us has been given spiritual gifts proportion to grace. No one can say I have none. The Holy Spirit, produces these gifts in us, [color="red"]divides them as HE WILLS (John 3:8)[/color]. We have no say in what gift(s) or we have or the ones others receive.

Gifts then are many and different. They are all of the same Spirit! They are freely given according to grace. Freely we have received and freely shlould we [color="red"]USE THEM according to the proportion of faith.[/color] However, we should definitely use them in LOVE. [color="red"]The Holy Spiriit [/color]brings [color="red"]unity to the diversity of the gifts.[/color] We are to be faithful stewards of God's grce in its various forms.

[color="red"]Q1b[/color]Implications of this is as compared to a physical body. It takes each part working together; each part doing its work, and supportive of other parts for the purpose of growth and billding up of the [color="red"]Body of Christ in LOVE.[/color]

The word is the truth.I would say the word says every Christian person has received a gift or gifts in order to build up the Body of Christ.EPH.4:16From Him the whole body,joined and held together by every supporting ligament,grows and builds itself up in love,as each part does its work.All of Gods believers work together as one in unity with the gifts God has given us to use for His glory.

Pastor Ralph, on May 23 2003, 09:01 PM, said:

According to Ephesians 4:7 which says 'unto every one of us is given' (KJV) or 'to each one of us' (NIV/NASB/NKJV) which denotes all Christians have received a gift. The gift spelled out in Ephesians 4:7 is GRACE (charis). The other reference verses in Romans, 1 Corinthians, and 1 Peter make a much better case that this grace (charis) we are given is for spiritual gifts (pneuma charisma). Ephesians 4:8 then goes on to quote Psalms 68:18 and links it together to say that 'He gave gifts to men'. Psalms 68:18 however says 'You have received gifts among men.' What is the difference in the two verses? I take this to mean that WE (aka the Church / the Bride) are the gift that Christ has received in Psalms 68:18 and He in turn apportions Grace back to us and Spiritual Gifts through His Holy Spirit. The implication in light of this is that we all have to work together in unity operating using our Spiritual Gifts to make the body work towards its goal.

In Ephesians 4:7 we read that Grace is given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift to us.....we all have some of His gifts and the grace that goes with them. The Holy Spirit works through us by means of our gifts.
We are all members of Christ's body - each of us is a separate part having its own place, its own function as given to us from God the Fathert. All of our gifts are necessary for the salvation of God's people, to enable God's kingdom on earth, that all who believe might be saved and have eternal life with the Father.
We are appointd for this task and we are all needed - all our gifts are needed. One one else can do our job, our part of God's will.
None of us are expendable.

(Ephesians 4:7) In what way does verse 7 teach that all Christians have received spiritual gifts? (See also Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:11; 1 Peter 4:10).

All Christians have received different gifts as the Lord has determined for the administration of His grace.


If all have received spiritual gifts, what is the implication of this in light of the clause in Ephesians 4:16 that mentions "each/every part"?

The implication of receiving spiritual gifts is that all who have received these gifts must do put them to use by doing their work.

In the same way that a machine needs all of its parts in perfect working order to function properly, so does the Lord need each and every one of us to use the gifts that were given us to work and utilize our gifts to their full extent in order for the church that the Lord founded to work properly.

All Christians receive their gifts by the grace of God. Sometimes we fail to operate in the gifts that the Lord have given us

Each/every part is the whole body of Christ doing its job. Remember we have one body, but many members.

The RSV translates it as

Quote

It tells us that to each and every one of us a gift is given and this is backed up by the other Scriptures quoted. Each and every part of the Body of Christ is to work together for the edifying, building up, of the Body.

God cannot lie. There is a place in the Body for each member to serve. The problem is that some members don't want to do that which they have been called to do; but rather what they think they would be happiest doing.