Faith Gifts: 1 Corinthians 12. 8-10, 28-30 with Romans 12. 6-8

We're learning from the Bible, about God at work, in our lives by his Spirit. We're learning about his gifts - not things we own but God-breaths - events that happen make us like Jesus and equip us for God's kingdom. The list in 1 Cor 12. 8-10, is divided into three groups of two, five and two. It begins with the "Word" gifts (wisdom and knowledge).  The headline for the middle five is "Faith".  The faith gifts are faith, healing, miracles, prophecy and discernment.

Faith 

Faith moves mountains.
Schiehallion in Perthshire, Scotland

The New Testament talks about faith a number of different ways.  Faith is about trusting in Jesus to be your saviour.  We are told to believe the Good news.  Secondly faith (or faithfulness - the Greek word is the same) is part of the fruit of the Spirit; the attitude that will "believe all things" is part of the outworking of Love (1Cor 13) so faith is part of Christian Character. It is the flip-side of being trustworthy and having integrity, that you avoid a cynical attitude to people around you.  That's not a gift: it's part of Christian character, something that should be present in every Christian.  We are responsible for the exercise of faith in order to trust in Jesus, to begin the Christian life. And we are responsible for the exercise of faith as we pray and get along with other people.  Becoming a Christian is a step out, a leap of faith - not a leap against the evidence, not becoming irrational but choosing to accept the evidence. It may be counter intuitive but it is not anti intellectual. We are all exercising faith as Christians. We are all trusting Jesus. We all pray with faith.  We are all to be trusting towards each other. We are all responsible for quenching words of cynicism and unbelief.  That's Christian character.

But Paul talks about a gift of faith. That is different.  It is, says Joseph Brosch, "a supernatural conviction that God will reveal his power, righteousness and mercy in a specific case."  Jesus and Paul talk about the faith that could move mountains (Matt 17. 20, 1 Cor 13. 2). It's the faith that does not doubt that God is at work.  We see Jesus moving in that kind of faith when he prays at the grave of Lazarus, in John 11. 41f.  "Father, I know that you always hear me..."   There is a conviction that God is at work in the situation.  That gift-of-faith is given to strengthen the faith of other people. It's infectious.  It's not something to be worked up and it's not something that will be present all the time. It's a God-breath, given at a specific moment. He could give it to you.

Healing
Actually, Paul talks about "Gifts of healings."   Different gifts, different healings.  I could talk about this all day but I will restrain myself!  We are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139. 14)  Our minds and bodies affect each other, in ways that are hundreds of times more complex than we imagine.  The connexions between body mind and spirit are almost universally accepted. In his book "Fear no evil" the late David Watson explores the relationship between emotions, chemicals produced in the brain, and physical health. He quotes one man who found that "ten minutes of belly laughter would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep" John Wesley suggested that as well as through word or touch, God's healing "may exert itself also, though to a lower degree, where natural remedies are applied".

Rontgen's first ever medical x-ray,
of his wife's hand with a ring.

So what is a gift of healing? It's not an ability to heal that resides in a Pastors or evangelist. It is an occasion when God moves to bring restoration of health of the whole person, body, mind and spirit. Gifts of healings can affect us at the different levels of mind, body and spirit.  That may be totally supernatural. Some healings may begin with the mind and affect the body. it may that prayer releases the natural healing mechanisms in the body. It may a touch from God that goes along with medical or counselling skill.  Some healings may be partial, repeated over weeks or months.  Some may be a combination of different factors.

God knows all about us. Gifts of healings are times when God says to a sick person, "Today, I have a gift of healing for you!"  But any of us might be the person God uses to pass on that gift!

Miracles 

This is an unhelpful word: it doesn't translate the Greek properly.  Philosophers define a miracle as a "violation of the laws of nature" and the Catholic Church says that a miracle can only be claimed if there is clear evidence. We talk carelessly about miracles and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is reported to be trying out a new "miracle cream" that costs £57 per 30 ml bottle! (By the way, it's been tested on 34 women!)   None of that is what the Greek word means.  

Paul says literally "workings of powers".  These were "power-events", power encounters between the power of God and the power of the evil one.  Jesus not only healed the sick, but raised the dead, clamed the storm, fed the five thousand.  There are moments when the power of God is dramatically seen.  These moments are the "workings of powers" Paul talks about.  Again, the emphasis is on the moment not possession of the gift.  To some people in the church, these moments are given. "Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?"  The workings of power events are something God does - in response to faith.  (Gal 3:5 ESV) 

Prophecy 
Prophecy is literally "speaking out."  It may involve foretelling but it always involves forth-telling, saying something because it is what God is saying.  Some preaching may be include a prophecy, but we shouldn't confuse the two. Preaching says, "The Bible says and means this; the truths of the faith apply like this." Prophecy says, "Thus says the Lord." It is direct, from God.

Prophecy may include insight, encouragement, information about the past, the present or the future, that the speaker hasn't worked out or learned. It could come in the form of a picture. It could simply be a sense of being led to share a verse from the Bible. It could be for the gathered church or an individual. The gift that we sometimes call a "Word of knowledge" - the person who says, "there's someone here with toothache" - is more like a word of prophecy.

Paul gives a number of pointers for the use of prophecy:
1. This gift - like all the gifts - is under our control. We can decide whether to speak out, and how loudly to speak.  If we're out of control, it's not the Holy Spirit; it's the flesh.
2. The person who prophesies should do so in accordance with his faith. In other words, you speak out what God gives you the faith to speak out. You don't go beyond it for any reason. If you are not sure, but think God may be saying something, admit it as you share the word.
3. Prophecy should be assessed, by the body, according to the gold standard of Scripture.  If it runs contrary to the clear teaching of Scripture, it's not prophecy: God never contradicts himself.  If the body discerns something not right, it's not prophecy.

Discernment of Spirits
This is the ability, when dealing with the supernatural, to tell the difference between what is from God, what is from the enemy, and what is just someone's human ideas.  Jesus used discernment on a number of occasions.  See Matthew 16. 23, when he tells Peter (the "Rock" who's just had the amazing revelation that Jesus is the Son of God) "get behind me Satan, your thoughts are not God's but man's."   Discernment means we will reject lies, even if they are being spoken by usually good people.  It also means we won't accept nice things, if they are being said by wrong spirits (see Mark 1. 24f)

We have God's word as the ruler with which we measure everything; but sometimes we just need an inner nudge from the Spirit.  We need discernment when prophecy and other gifts are used. We need discernment in healing: otherwise we try to heal sin, drive out illness and repent of demons. And when discernment is needed, God gives it!  As he does the other gifts

© Gilmour Lilly September 2011