1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

PROPHECY: Seven "Motivational" Gifts from the Holy Spirit

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Dr. Bob, Jun 9, 2010.

  1. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    In Romans 12 we read

    Just as each of us has one body with many parts, and these parts all function diistincly, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each part belongs to all the others.

    But having differing gifts according to the grace which is given to us,
    whether prophesying, according to the proportion of faith;
    or service, in the ministry;
    or the one who teaches in teaching;
    or the one encouraging in the exhortation;
    the one contributing in simplicity;
    the one who takes the lead, with diligence;
    the one showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

    I contend that ONE of these seven gifts is given by the holy Spirit to each believer and serves to guide or motivate or control all other gifts in the Church. A person might actually have aspects of all seven of these (plus other "sign" gifts" or such listed elsewhere) but one of these gift will be dominant in our attitude and action.

    These will all help the local assembly, the "body", function interdependently and optimally. All are equally needed and one is not "better" than another; just differing.

    I have found that it is often easier for others to see the gifting of the holy Spirit in others than in themselves (might be that log/splinter phenomena).

    So laying this out for discussion on these seven "Motivational" Gifts (please don't hijack to other gifts) and how they function.
     
    #1 Dr. Bob, Jun 9, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 11, 2010
  2. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    19,500
    Likes Received:
    2,880
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Dr. Bob, what's your thoughts on prophesying and how this applies to believers today? Sincere question on my part. Looking for some knowledgeable input.
     
  3. thegospelgeek

    thegospelgeek New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,139
    Likes Received:
    0
    I love the idea presented in this thread.

    I think I am in disagreement about the singularity of these gifts, I know a few folks that a very gifted in more than one of these areas. On the assumption that prophesying means preaching, these will almost always be teamed with teaching. What do you base the idea that one will be dominate? Scripture or personal experiance? I would change your ststement to be "I contend that at least ONE of these seven gifts is given by the holy Spirit to each believer "

    What would be considered contributing?

    Having said that I feel that my strongest gifts are teaching/prophesying (preaching) and service. I think my weakest is encouraging.
     
  4. thegospelgeek

    thegospelgeek New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,139
    Likes Received:
    0

    Good question, I assume preaching but I want to here what Dr. Bob says.
     
  5. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    Messages:
    13,977
    Likes Received:
    2
    1 Cor 7:7 speaks of every believer having a gift. I like the list of gifts in 1 Cor 12:4-11. They are ministry, activities, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, tongues, iterpretations, and discerning. Some of these gifts are never talked about, or taught they have no relevence today. I am not so sure about that. For example, I have seen prayer extend someone's life beyond what one would have expected, which is healing and a miracle. One of the posters above asked about prophecy, which is an excellent question. Maybe we should be careful about dismissing any of them.
     
  6. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    19,500
    Likes Received:
    2,880
    Faith:
    Baptist
    The topic of cessation is a dirty word to many, but what are we to derive from this passage?:

    8 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.
    9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
    10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 1 Cor 13
     
  7. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 14, 2001
    Messages:
    26,977
    Likes Received:
    2,536
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I'm not Dr Bob, but I'll contribute.

    From my traditional non-charismatic futuristic point of view, the Bible is a book of unfulfilled prophecy concerning the 2nd coming.

    Any preaching centered around His 2nd coming and the Day of the Lord is "prophecy". Not new prophecy but an explanation/exposition of that which has already been revealed by Christ, the prophets and apostles in the Scripture.

    HankD
     
  8. drfuss

    drfuss New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2005
    Messages:
    1,692
    Likes Received:
    0
    Back to the OP which requested that we not discuss other gifts not included in Romans 12.

    "In Romans 12 we read

    Just as each of us has one body with many parts, and these parts all function diistincly, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each part belongs to all the others.

    But having differing gifts according to the grace which is given to us,
    whether prophesying, according to the proportion of faith;
    or service, in the ministry;
    or the one who teaches in teaching;
    or the one encouraging in the exhortation;
    the one contributing in simplicity;
    the one who takes the lead, with diligence;
    the one showing mercy, with cheerfulness."

    I believe this scripture says we each have a gift or gifts to contribute to the body of believers. I think it also says (or implies) that we should exercise the gifts we were given; and not try to work in areas that we were not gifted in.

    I Peter 4:10 says: "Each one should use whatever gift he has recieved to serve others." It says nothing about using gifts we do not have.

    I have not found a scripture that encourages us to use gifts that we don't have. In Corinthians, we are told to desire the better gifts, but are not told to try using gifts we do not have.

    On the other hand, the worldly approach is to develop the weak areas of our life in order to become a well balanced and more effective person. The difference is the worldly objective is to promote ourselves to become more effective; while the scripture objective is to promote Christs and his people to be more dffective
     
  9. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    Messages:
    13,977
    Likes Received:
    2
    That is a tough passage to look at any other way, except that maybe you could look at it that love is eternal and will be around longer than any of the gifts. However, the gift of healing and miracles is often dismissed also. I am like you, this is something I want to learn more about.
     
  10. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    19,500
    Likes Received:
    2,880
    Faith:
    Baptist
    At the risk of appearing to be off topic, albeit we are discussing the first gift in the OP, I wish to make a point concerning 'the doing away' of prophecy and tongues in 1 Cor 13.

    Contrary to what may be generally believed about the Bible, it is not willy nilly chocked full of miracles and signs throughout; but these miracles and signs are generally confined to three periods of time. These are the times of Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, and Christ and the Apostles. It doesn't require one to be a Bible scholar to make an honest assessment that yes, there has been a cessation of miracles and signs, and some of these 'gifts' were for the purpose of signs, prophecy being one of them, both to the unbelieving and believing.
     
    #10 kyredneck, Jun 10, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2010
  11. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    19,500
    Likes Received:
    2,880
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Dr. Bob, I see what you mean when you say 'motivational' gifts, and agree with the gist of it. My apologies for getting off topic, somewhat, but I don't know how the gift of prophecy, as I percieve it defined, fits into the Church today.
     
  12. RAdam

    RAdam New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2009
    Messages:
    2,100
    Likes Received:
    0
    Exactly. Hebrews 2:4 supports that view.

    The key to the passage from 1 Cor 13 is verses 11 and 12. There Paul says, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see though a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

    At the time of the writing of this letter, the church was in adolescent stage. It was like a child. As such, it needed signs and wonders to confirm the geniuneness of the message. Those were childish things which have now been put away. The tendency of some is to long for those kinds of gifts and signs. The fact is, we have something better today. I don't need to be able to heal someone miraculously or speak in tongues to confirm that I am preaching the truth. Why? Because we now have the entirety of scripture. We've grown up, you see. And when we grew up, we were to put away childish things. The confirmation of the message is found in the 66 books of the bible.
     
  13. kyredneck

    kyredneck Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    19,500
    Likes Received:
    2,880
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Amen. Well said.
     
  14. Winman

    Winman Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2009
    Messages:
    14,768
    Likes Received:
    2
    Years ago our Pastor actually gave us a test in church to determine our spiritual gifts. It was about 150 questions. He said it might seem unbelievable, but this test really works. I would love to get hold of this test and post it here, but this was nearly 30 years ago in Florida and I am out of touch with my Pastor.

    I found this test online, but I am not sure if this is the exact test we were given being so long ago.

    http://www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift/Spiritual-Gifts-Test-28.doc

    Edit- I am pretty sure this is not the test we took years ago. This test I have posted seems to have very strong Pentacostal leanings, so I do not think this is the test we took. There are other tests online like this however.

    http://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm

    http://archive.elca.org/evangelizingChurch/assessments/spiritgifts.html
     
    #14 Winman, Jun 10, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2010
  15. thegospelgeek

    thegospelgeek New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2008
    Messages:
    1,139
    Likes Received:
    0
    IMO that test talents better than gifts. I find them to be different.

    I took the test on the last link and found it different than others I have seen. I still find it to be identifying my talents and tendancies instead of gifts. For example, had I taken this test a few years ago i would have answered much differntly. My scores in some areas would have been very low, however after answering God's call I have discovered that some of the things I was not inclined to do naturally, I can do very well, by the gifts God has provided. Sort of like Moses when God told him to go to Egypt and free his people.
     
    #15 thegospelgeek, Jun 10, 2010
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2010
  16. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    The definition of the word (Greek) is to FORTH-TELL, with "fore-tell" future events as secondary. Of course, in today's English, the concept of simple black-and-white proclamation is almost unlinkable to "prophecy" as everyone assumes it must be only about future events. Au contraire!

    When the inspired Bible was completed/canon established in the first few centuries, the concept of prophecies of "future" events became useless (word in I Cor 13 is "fail", again not defined the same today)

    The gift is the inward motivation of thed holy Spirit to both proclaim/apply truth and to reveal new truth.

    I Cor 14:3 "But one who prophesies speaks to men for their edification and exhortation and consolation."



    The church is in GREAT need for men/women with the gift of prophecy today. You might see a person with this gift motivating them to as
    Positive
    • Good verbal expression of truth
    • Quick judgment and discernment of others
    • Hatred of sin
    • Open dealing with sin
    • Persuasive in speech
    Negative
    • Strong willed and often not Spirit controlled
    • Harsh, unloving
    • Inflexible
    "Despise not prophesyings, but test everything - holding fast only to the good." I Thes 5
     
  17. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 14, 2001
    Messages:
    26,977
    Likes Received:
    2,536
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Would both the positive and negative qualities exist in the same person?

    Thanks
    HankD
     
  18. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Most often, Yes.

    So 'Persuasive in speech' and 'Good verbal expression of truth' might make them strong-willed and not dependent on God - just use natural ability

    'Hatred of sin' and 'Open dealing with sin' might make them inflexible

    'Quick judgment and discernment of others' often is seen as harsh, unloving
     
  19. saturneptune

    saturneptune New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2006
    Messages:
    13,977
    Likes Received:
    2
    Dr. Bob,
    Would you give us your idea of exactly what discernment is? Does it go farther than the traditional definition of distinguishing spirits? Only a person and the Lord knows if they are truly a child of God, however, would a person with a strong gift of discernment be able to point out a false teacher or a person "playing church?"
     
  20. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
    Administrator

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2000
    Messages:
    30,285
    Likes Received:
    507
    Faith:
    Baptist
    I think that you are on track here. The gift of prophecy likely would allow the person to "discern" (in-depth understanding, looking to the core) whether another was truly regenerated or not. Maybe not completely (I don't have the gift; will wait for someone who does to chime in) but far more than me. The prophet is black/white truth/judgment and I live in the world of mushy gray!!

    I have been deceived by people who I truly "felt" and saw "evidence" were born again . . only to have them totally reject truth and show themselves reprobate. Wish I COULD see into the heart at a deeper level, but that is not my gift! :)
     
Loading...