Spiritual Gifts vs Natural Talents

I play it safe and simply give God the glory for any talent I have. I thank Him and praise Him for everything--even the pain I feel, because I don't want the devil to get any pleasure from me complaining.

 

I'm not sure there's a difference and I don't recall any Scripture referring to a "natural talent". However, I'm not dogmatic about this and I'd like to think I can be taught.

 

Well there are only a certain number of spiritual gifts for use in service of the church, talents are wide ranging and abundant.

 

We are minister, using only our Spiritual gifts...........
Acts 1:8
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

If we start depending upon our natural talents, we take a real chance of laboring in the flesh, instead of in the Spirit.

I am fortunate, in that I have very few natural talents, therefore I am more dependent upon the LORD when ministering.

 

I agree with you. I am not sure that talents and gifts can be separated. True, some hold that those listed in the NT are the only spiritual gifts, and these vary in number depending on the person and how they interpret various of Paul's' writings. ... while others hold they are representative of gifts and that the list goes on and on. The second makes more sense to me. Any talent, as understood in English, is from God, any spiritual gift is from God ... so it seems to me that trying to divide the two is to try to split a very fine hair.

 

Perhaps we should discuss just what are spiritual gifts. I Cor. 12 lists nine spiritua gifts. How about the gifts listed inRomans 12. Are they considered spiritual gifts or natural gifts?

" 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."

Is giving considered a spiritua gift? Is ruling considered a spiritual gift? Is showing mercy considered aspiritual gift?

A good exercise on BB might be to list all the spiritual gifts and also the natural gifts addressed in the Bible.

 

I believe that both spiritual gifts and talents come from God. However, spiritual gifts are ones used for God's glory, and He wouldn't waste such gifts on unbelievers. I do believe He gives talents to everyone, but spiritual gifts are (in my opinion) only for believers. I had a talent for singing long before I was saved.

 

This is a very good thread and makes one think. There are no doubt some born with a gift that never come to salvation. I would think that is a natural gift, such as maybe one of the great painters or composers of the 15th (?) century. They gave humanity some great works of art. Then there are those born with a gift that God will use to accomplish His work, and those listed above.

In one sense, God bestows all gifts and talents since he is our Creator. Some gifts people are born with, and some are learned. There is a third catagory, I believe. One of the reasons so many gifts have been listed, is that some of us, when it comes to certain gifts, are neither born with them or can learn them.

For example, I have seen people attend a technical school and make an almost perfect score. When they got back to the plant, they could not take the screwdriver or wrench and fix the machine. Another example I have seen teaching, take math for example. I have seen students try and try, the teacher and parents work with them all term, and they squeak by with a D-. Their attitude could not have been better. Then there are others who can pay little attention, never do homework, go to a party every night of school, and come out with a B. Go figure.

Sometimes I crack up at the threads on dancing, to dance or not to dance, because me dancing looks like a bull in a china closet. There is no tempatation there. The same goes for singing when it comes to serving the Lord. One time our choir director, although joking, made a really good point. He came up to me out of the blue, and said that he sent out letters every May inviting people to join the choir. Then, with a straight Dragnet face, he said, "Did you notice you never got one?" It took a second, but that also made me laugh.

I know there are some out there, but I would think it is a rare individual who can exercise all the spiritual gifts well.

 

I think so. Almost every church will have a few individuals who are extremely generous givers, sometimes giving large amounts of money to the church, or even selling property and giving the money to the church. I have known a few persons like this.

And some people are more organized and motivated than others and also have the ability to motivate others and so are put in offices in the church. This would be a ruler.

And mercy is a gift as well, there are some who more than others care for the sick and elderly. They will visit hospitals and shut-ins. I knew a fellow who used to make a big bag of sandwiches and go into areas where there were many homeless people. He would hand out the sandwiches and preach the gospel.