Re-orienting the "gifts": Part II

It is unmistakably apparent that the gifts were given to the early church to fulfill a specific purpose. Much of the evangelical community maintains that these same gifts were given not only for the establishment of the early church but also for the continuing maintenance of the church. It must be asked however what the true nature of the spiritual gifts were in the early church and then how they relate to the church today.

A Spiritual gift is commonly defined as “…divinely given capacities to perform useful functions for God, especially in the area of spiritual service.” The focus here seems to be on the divinely given supernatural ability or capacity though many follow Charles Ryrie in including natural talent within their definition. The gifts are then seen as a permanent part of the Holy Spirit’s new covenant ministry, though this point is often disputed. However this debate is an irrelevant one if we look to a different understanding of the spiritual gifts.

In this new understanding the spiritual gifts should not be viewed so much as a spectacular ability or a supernatural capacity but instead as a fulfillment of divinely designated function. This “functional” perspective comes after an examination and comparison of key texts concerning spiritual gifts.

Romans 12:3-8
The immediate context in which Paul discusses spiritual gifts in this passage is the manner in which believers are to operate in relation to one another; that is in harmony which is brought about by attitudes humility and “sound judgment.” The community of believers is here being viewed as a collective body in which each person is a different part. Paul makes a point of stating that just as we are all “one body in Christ” so we are also “individually members one of another.” The context would then lead us to believe that the gifts being discussed should be understood primarily as the functions or tasks that are to be executed.
The word “function” in verse four implies “sustained activity and/or responsibility”. This also suggests as does Paul’s metaphor of the body that each believer has a different responsibility, activity, or work to do. It is interesting to note that even in the listing of certain specific gifts Paul’s emphasis seems to be on the manner that these gifts are exercised or carried out which Paul says is according to the measure of grace that has been given to each individual.