The Gifts & The Body 32: The Sign Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:4–11

The Gift of "Healing" 

Healing- iama- "the capacity to cause someone to become healed or cured—‘the power to heal, the capacity to heal.’"

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 268.

The Gift of "Miracles" 

Miracle- dunamis- "a deed manifesting great power, with the implication of some supernatural force."

Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 680.

1. By false prophets in the Great Tribulation

Matthew 24:23–24

2. The mark of a true apostle in the 1st century

Acts 2:42–43

Acts 5:12

2 Corinthians 12:12

3. A validation of God's message with God being the source of power

Acts 2:22–24

Acts 4:29–30

Acts 14:1–3

"The apostles and New Testament prophets laid the foundation as they evangelized others and wrote New Testament books. The foundation was completed when the last apostle died. Although the church has continued to grow through the centuries, the foundation has remained firm and constant. No new foundation can ever be built. The revelatory and sign gifts validated the foundation, the doctrinal basis for church belief and behavior. The purposes for those gifts ceased when the apostles and prophets completed their tasks."

Robert G. Gromacki in Understanding Christian Theology (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2003), 523.

The Progressive Silence of Sign Gifts

-Any use of "tongues" after 1 Corinthians speaks to either the digestive organ in the mouth or the dialect of Gentile people. It is never used again in reference to a sign gift.

-Any mention of "miracle" after 1 Corinthians refers to either the authentication of an apostle (2 Cor 12:12) or is attributed to God alone (Gal 3:5; Heb 2:4).  These last two references emphasize the message of the gospel as greater than the Law.

The uses of "healing" after 1 Corinthians  speak of physical or metaphorical restoration, but not through the means of a sign gift (Heb 12:13; James 5:16; 1 Pet 2:24; Rev 22:2). 

Hebrews 2:1–4

Acts 19:11–12

Acts 20:7–12

1 Timothy 5:23

Finally, an account of "signs and wonders" after 1 Corinthians refers to the work of the Antichrist (2 Thess 2:9) or the authentication of the message of the apostles (2 Cor 12:12; Heb 2:4).

The Gifts & The Body 31: The Spiritual Gift of Faith

The Gift of "Faith" 

"a special endowment of faith for a special service"- F.F. Bruce

"Wonder-working faith"- Vincent

The Gift of Faith-

The God-given ability to see through mountainous problems to the Ultimate Resource with the vision that it is timely to rely absolutely on both God’s ability and willingness to perform in this particular matter. (1 Corinthians 12:9; 13:2).

  • Can quickly change from one task to another

  • Confident

  • Persuasive in getting others to join in on a project

  • Challenge people to assume greater responsibilities to accomplish what needs to be done

  • Set a pace for others

  • Determined in spite of difficulties when working on a project

  • Make decisions quickly, act quickly

  • Willing to tackle the seemingly impossible

  • Strong rest in God

  • A leader

"Many of the most useful men in the church are distinguished mainly for their simple confidence in the promises of God; and often accomplish more by prayer and by their faith in God than others do who are distinguished for their wisdom and learning. 

Humble piety and reliance in the divine promises, and that measure of ardour, fearlessness, and zeal which result from such confidence; that belief that all obstacles must be and will be overcome that oppose the gospel; and that God will secure the advancement of his cause, will often do infinitely more in the promotion of his kingdom than the most splendid endowments of learning and talent.

The Gifts & The Body 30: The Spiritual Gift of Knowledge

The Gift  (Word) of "Knowledge" 

"A person who has an insatiable desire to study exhaustively every facet of a subject, leaving no stone unturned, and to bring it forward, and to organize it, and put it forth in such manageable fashion that someone else can take it and use it." -Radmacher  

"It is the ability to be able to comprehend the Word of God and to see unifying principles in the Word of God. It is the ability to put the doctrines of Scripture into a meaningful whole." -Fruchtenbaum

The Gift of Knowledge-

The God-given ability to arrange the facts of Scripture, to categorize these into principles, and to communicate them to repeated or familiar situations.(1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 13:2, 8; 14:6)

  • Enjoy study, digging for facts or details

  • Persistent, thorough

  • More task-centered than people-oriented as a rule

  • Tend to become impatient with people who fail to learn

  • Very precise

  • Patient, stay with the project until completed in all its details

  • Continually looking, searching for new information or data

  • Enjoy talking to well-informed people

  • Logical, scientific, serious

  • Tend to avoid games or discussion on deeply personal matters

"The gift of knowledge is the ability to perceive and systematize the great facts God has hidden in His Word. A person exercising this gift is able to recognize the key and important facts of Scripture as a result of investigation. The gift of wisdom, on the other hand, is the ability to apply those insights to a specific situation. It is wisdom that puts knowledge to work."

Ray C. Stedman, Body Life: The Book That Inspired a Return to the Church’s Real Meaning and Mission, Revised Edition. (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1995), 63.

The Pitfalls of the Gift of Knowledge

1. Arrogance- Because of such great learning, superiority sets in. The point of the gift is to edify the Body. -1 Cor 12:7

2. Insensitive-  Facts can be cold, but the one who ascertains them should not be. 

-1 Cor 8:1

3. Misapplication- Are these truths changing the one with the gift?

4. Underappreciated- Feels that the time, sacrifice, and skill exercised was in vain.  -Col 3:23-

The Gifts & The Body 29: The Gift of Wisdom

The Gift of "Wisdom" 

"Wisdom is intelligence, then practical action in accord with it." -Robertson

"The supernatural power to speak with divine insight, whether in solving difficult problems, defending the faith, resolving conflicts, giving practical advice, or pleading one’s case before hostile authorities." -William MacDonald

The Gift of Wisdom-

The God-given ability to locate formerly unknown principles as well as to combine known principles of God’s Word and to communicate them to fresh situations (1 Corinthians 12:8).

  • Understand complex matters quickly

  • Easily pick out main points (a view to the practical)

  • Can come up with alternatives when faced with difficult situations

  • Consistent

  • Try to discern God’s mind in daily activities

  • Assist people sometimes at the risk of being misunderstood

  • Very responsible in tasks undertaken

  • Ability to make decisions quickly and to put ideas into words

  • Confident

  • Able to take details and puts them together to make a complete picture

A Common Mistake

The Gift of Wisdom is NOT advice from worldly sources, "the school of hard knocks," or clever stories that should be accepted because they are "logical." 

The Church is NOT the world.

It is not a strategy that "works."

"The word of wisdom doesn’t come from one’s ability to figure out a situation. It is supernaturally given to answer a question or solve a problem." -Jon Courson

(1 Corinthians 3:18-23)

Starting the Year off Right

Facts on Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

GAD affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment.

Women are twice as likely to be affected as men. GAD often co-occurs with major depression.

Panic Disorder (PD)

PD affects 6 million adults, or 2.7% of the U.S. population.

Women are twice as likely to be affected as men.

Social Anxiety Disorder

SAD affects 15 million adults, or 6.8% of the U.S. population.

SAD is equally common among men and women and typically begins around age 13. According to a 2007 ADAA survey, 36% of people with social anxiety disorder report experiencing symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help.

"The Bible is a finished and complete revelation entirely sufficient for its divinely intended purpose. It need not be supplemented by reason, experience, tradition, other religions, or anything else. It does not wait to be sufficient until it encounters the individual nor does it cease to be sufficient when rejected or ignored by the same."

Rolland McCune, A Systematic Theology of Biblical Christianity: Prolegomena and the Doctrines of Scripture, God, and Angels, vol. 1 (Allen Park, MI: Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary, 2009), 61.

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