PLAY YOUR PART (Eph 4:7-16 ) (part2)

We all as believers have a role to play and we have to play it effectively. In God's scheme of things of accomplishing things on earth, He wants us to work as a team. [Eph 4:16]. In Col 4:7-12, Paul acknowledged all those that assisted him in fulfilling his ministry. We see the same pattern of teaming up even in the Old Testament where Aaron and Hur stayed up Moses hands on both sides so that his hands were steady until the going down of the sun, in order that they could win the battle, while Joshua was at the forefront fighting the battle [ Exodus 17:9-13]. Also, Moses in Numbers 11:10-17, overwhelmed by the burden of leading Israel alone, was given seventy men of the elders of Israel to assist him in the work. Even in the life and ministry of Jesus, we see this principle in place. With the exception of dying for us, almost every other thing he did he had people (the apostles/disciples) assisting Him. This is God's pattern for the Church with respect to the work of the ministry. It is very wrong for us as believers to want to do it all alone.

God has given us different gifts so that His manifold wisdom will be displayed for the world to see. However,, the display of His manifold wisdom is not the only reason why we have different gifts and why we should all play our parts. Another reason why we should is because the Church is a body (Rom 12:5, Eph2:22), and if we do not individually play our respective parts (roles), then we will be depriving the Church of some vital nutrients and components, since every joint and part is expected to make a contribution [Eph 4:16]. Even if we have the same gift, the operation of the gift might/will be different.

 

Eph 4:7-16 likens the Church to a human  body, with believers likened to different parts supplying what is needed so that there will be growth. Many times we perceive the Church as museums where we keep and hoard things that no one is using.  So many people make themselves nominal member of churches, refusing to use their gifts. However, we must realise that whenever we do not use our gifts, we are depriving the Body of nutrition and a vital component that the Body should have received. It is as each part of the body does its work that the whole body grows. For as long as we do not exercise our gifts, then not all parts are doing their work. The parts not exercising their gifts are depriving the whole body. Contrary to contemporary conception of the Church, it is not a multinational organization led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with a board of directors; rather, it is an organism made up of different parts with different gifts.

What is a spiritual gift?

Spiritual gift is a God given ability that serves as a channel through which God ministers to the body. The agency by which these gifts are given to us is the Spirit of God. It is instructive to bear in mind the following important points about spiritual gifts.

1.      The gift is an ability, not an office or a post.

Being given a post or office by the church does not necessarily mean a person has the gift. The gift is a God-given ability. Sometimes, we may even have a gift and we are not given a corresponding office in the Church. This should not be an impediment since the exercise of spiritual gift should not necessarily be in church. For instance, the gift of pastoring can be exercised in your home (your children and those around) and in your place of work.

Furthermore, the modern church has replaced the biblical concept of the Church as an organism made up of parts for growth with that of an organization or a multi-national corporation led by a CEO. Consequently, modern day pastors are expected to be like modern CEOs, and as such are now erroneously expected to have qualities like: being a good marketer, orator, and have ideas and inclinations about growth, etc. All these qualities have nothing to do with spirituality, much less the office of the Pastor. Since to pastor means to shepherd, a pastor does not necessarily have to be a good counselor, or orator – for that is not what He has been gifted with or called to do.

1.      The gift is also not an arm of ministry

Feeling inclined towards an office does not mean a person has the gift e.g.  having an inclination towards children is not equivalent to having the gift of children. Having an inclination towards music does not mean a person has the gift of music.  It is important to realize that the foregoing arms of ministry and other channels used in ministry are not the gifts, though they serve as channels for us to express and utilize our gifts. A good illustration of this is the arm of ministry involving children. Children will need every gift. They will need to be pastored, encouraged, taught, and these are the gifts that will be utilized in this arm of ministry. The same applies to every people-group. Every people-group and age group needs the working of the gifts

3.   Spiritual gifts differ from natural talents

When we compare spiritual gifts with natural talents, we realise:

i. They are both from God [I Cor 4:7] - Everything we have is given to us by God. [Compare also Acts 17: 26-27 in which we see that God has determined even the time of our life and the places where we should live].

ii Natural talents are given to us by God through our parents while Spiritual gifts are given to us spiritual gifts are given  independent of parentage - Our natural talents are a product of the combination of genes. It is by virtue of how we were born. If we had come from a different set of parents, we would not have our present talents. Whether they were used or developed or they were not, they were present at birth.

iii Natural talents were given to us at birth, while spiritual gifts at conversion -  This is a reason  why it is very wrong to attempt to duplicate gifting.  It is God that determines each person's spiritual gift. They are not inherited, or given at birth, but at conversion. We may not discover it but it is there nonetheless. Spiritual gifts are given through the Holy Ghost, therefore we could not have possessed before we got saved. The reception of the Spirit at conversion also gives/brings spiritual gift.

iv. Natural talents are given to benefit the whole of mankind but spiritual gifts are given to benefit the Body in particular

 

We may use your natural talents for God and we may not. Oratory is a natural talent, but it is not equivalent to the gift of teaching.  Being good marketers before we got saved does not translate to becoming preachers after we got saved. God giving the gift of teaching to someone who was an orator must be distinguished from an attempt to carry on the former life of an orator in a new cloak. However, every believer has a mix of talents and gifts. Therefore, it is not wrong to employ the use of natural talents in service to God but we must know the difference. Singing, for instance, is a natural talent. In singing we can teach and encourage, which shows how a natural talent can be a channel for employing a gift. The same goes for poetry and writing. In doing this we have to ensure that we are not attempting to carry over our natural talents into spirituality, as though it is a spiritual gift.

Discovering and developing our gifts

First, we must bear in mind that everybody born again has been given at least a spiritual gift [ 1 Cor 7:20, Rom 12:3-4], but nobody has all the gifts.  If a person were to have all the gifts then such a person will constitute the “Body of Christ”, and that will be contrary to scriptures. In fact, one of the ways a person can think highly of himself is when he thinks he has all the gifts [Rom12:3]. Second, we must remember that spiritual gifts are different from natural talents as defined above, and not as used in Matt 25:14-30 which was not talking about innate ability, but about stewardship in general.

Discovering our gift(s) starts from dedication and devotion to God [Rom12:1, Eph 4:1] and deploying faithfulness to God in any service that we find yourself doing, recognizing the facts that we are stewards. As we do these, we will discover our gifts. Philip Is an example, he started as a deacon (serving food), then became an evangelist. Stephen is another good example, who was initially serving tables and ultimately turned out to be a powerful witness for Christ, and ended up even giving his life for Him.

Developing our gift, on the other hand, requires preparation and faithfulness (1 Tim 4:14, 2 Tim 1:6)

·       Preparation: We should not feel we do not need preparation at any point in time because we are gifted. Sometimes those who are gifted feel that way. Preparation is necessary to ensure that we deliver what God has for the Body. If we do not prepare adequately, we will taint the end-product. Preparation is not momentary but something we do throughout life.  Regardless of gifting, most of the preparation we will need to do will be in the study of the word and prayer, so that you will be able to know and understand the mind/heart of God, and will be able to express God’s heart in whatever gift He has given us.

·       Exercise: The more we exercise our gift, the better we become [2 Tim 1:6].

     ·       Dedication and Willingness to do anything for God.

Conclusion

Our natural talents, learnt abilities and spiritual gifts form a composite of what we can use in service to God. We should be ready for God always, by preparing ourselves always, and as good stewards we should seize every opportunity that will make us play our respective parts a member of the Body of Christ.