Are All Spiritual Gifts For Today?
Understanding Spiritual Gifts: Are They All for Today?
The question of whether all spiritual gifts described in the New Testament are still active today is one of the most discussed topics among believers. To answer this, we must first understand what spiritual gifts are, their purpose, and what Scripture teaches about their duration and use in the church.
What Are Spiritual Gifts?
Spiritual gifts are special abilities distributed by the Holy Spirit to believers for the building up of the church and the accomplishment of God's mission. The main passages that list spiritual gifts are:
These gifts include prophecy, teaching, serving, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, miracles, and others.
The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
The New Testament teaches that spiritual gifts are given for the common good and to glorify Christ. As Paul writes:
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. - 1 Corinthians 12:7 ASV
Every gift, whether speaking or serving, is to be used to serve others and point to Christ.
Cessationism vs. Continuationism
There are two primary viewpoints on whether all spiritual gifts are for today:
- Cessationism: This view holds that certain miraculous gifts (such as tongues, prophecy, and healing) ceased with the close of the apostolic age or the completion of the New Testament canon. Supporters often cite 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 ASV:
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away.
They argue that the "perfect" mentioned in verse 10 refers to the completion of Scripture or the maturing of the early church, thus making some gifts temporary. - Continuationism: This view believes that all gifts, including the miraculous ones, continue until Christ returns. They interpret the "perfect" in 1 Corinthians 13:10 ASV as referring to the second coming of Christ, not the completion of Scripture.
It is important to note that both views agree that God can and does perform miracles today; the debate is about whether the gift of performing miracles, prophecy, or tongues operates as it did in the early church.
Key Considerations from Scripture
- No explicit end date: The New Testament does not explicitly state that any spiritual gifts would cease before Christ's return. In fact, Paul encourages believers to "earnestly desire the spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 14:1 ASV).
- Order and discernment: Even in the early church, gifts were to be exercised in an orderly way and tested by Scripture (1 Corinthians 14:26-33 ASV).
- The sovereignty of the Spirit: The Spirit distributes gifts "even as he will" (1 Corinthians 12:11 ASV), suggesting God’s ongoing authority to bestow any gift at any time.
Practical Application
Believers are called to use their spiritual gifts to serve one another, regardless of one’s view on the continuation of certain gifts. The focus is on love, unity, and building up the body of Christ:
As each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. - 1 Peter 4:10 ASV
We are encouraged to seek the Lord, study His Word, and pursue the gifts He has given, all the while testing everything by Scripture and seeking the edification of the church.
Summary
While Christians differ on whether all spiritual gifts are for today, Scripture affirms the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit in the church. The ultimate goal is not the gifts themselves, but the glory of Christ and the building up of His body. Whatever our position, let us exercise our gifts in love, humility, and dependence on God’s Word.