Spiritual gifts survey - what are the different spiritual gifts the Bible mentions?

Spiritual gifts are special abilities given by the Holy Spirit, not to be confounded with natural abilities such as eloquence or a sharp mind (although God can make use of these). We read in 1 Corinthians 12: ‘Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit’ (v. 4). This chapter lists many spiritual gifts: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues (that is, languages), etc. All believers have received different gifts but they come from the same Spirit and should be used for the benefit of the whole body of Christ.

The Lord Jesus, having led captivity captive, ascended up on high and thence gave gifts unto men. Ps. 68:18. These were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Here persons are the gifts, δόμα. Eph. 4:8, 11, 12. (See under each of the names.) Another list is given in 1 Cor. 12, where the word is χάρισμα, 'grace, favour.' They are endowments of the one Spirit given to various persons, such as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, kinds of tongues, interpreting of tongues: "all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." Later in the same chapter these persons are seen to be members of Christ's body, and as such set in the church — apostles, prophets, teachers. Other gifts are added: miracles, gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man (a true believer) for profit." The gift bestowed upon one member is for the whole body, all are to profit by it. The possession of a gift makes the believer a debtor to the other members of Christ. Nine gifts by the same Spirit are mentioned. They are the following: The Word of Wisdom; the Word of Knowledge; Faith; the gift of Healing; the Working of Miracles; Prophecy; Discerning of spirits; tongues and interpretations of tongues.

The connection in which the exhortation, "Quench not the Spirit" occurs, shows to what it refers. The next sentence is, "Despise not prophesyings." It has to do with the gifts of the Spirit and their exercise in the holy liberty and power of the Spirit. These gifts are enumerated in great variety in 1 Corinthians 12:8. The Word of wisdom, of knowledge, faith (not that which believes the gospel, but that which could remove mountains and the like), gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, divers kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues — of which it is said, "All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

Diversities of gifts, then, are, in the apostle's thought, spiritual manifestations. They are the voice of the one Spirit in the members of Christ. There are gifts of God's grace which are different as adapting themselves to different needs, and which are different, no doubt, because also it is safer to have these various ministries than a ministry all of the same kind, a ministry too copious and too full on the part of any. In the way in which God acts, it is plain that Christians are more bound together by their very needs, and that the instruments are designed to be kept more in humility by the sense of their imperfection, — of the necessary way in which one must supplement another. This is the manner in which, as we have seen many times, God has linked men together in creation. We are more debtors to our needs, to our very imperfections in this sense, (we are not speaking of moral imperfections,) we are more debtors to our deficiencies, than we have any idea of. God binds the whole body together, as the apostle says directly, in giving the more abundant honor to that part which lacks. But these are different gifts of grace, then. Withal there is the same Spirit. There are differences of administrations and the same Lord. In the ministrations of these gifts themselves, it is the Lord to whom the gifted ones are subject. The Spirit is the power by which the gifts are made known, but the Lord it is to whom the servants are always subject. Then there are diversities of workings, (this is more general), and the same God who worketh all things in all. Here is, then, the substantial unity amid all the diversity.

(2) Now we come to consider more distinctly the diversity in the unity. To every one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for profit. That is the thought of it. It is in a practical interest and in the interest of all that the Spirit manifests Himself. Thus the responsibility of every one who has gift at all is that by this he is made debtor to others for whose profit the gift is given. He is not his own in this sense. He belongs to those with whom God has given him his place.

But there are, then, these different manifestations. In one it is the word of wisdom. That is that which would put knowledge in its proper place and give it its proper application. To another might be given the word of knowledge, still by the same Spirit, but which nevertheless exhibited itself within the limits of the individual. For instance, the word of knowledge would be the doctrine in itself, rather than in its practical application. To a different one, again, might be given faith by the same spirit; not the ordinary faith of Christians, of course, but a special character and boldness of it which would lead the possessor into paths in which others not so gifted would break down. Then there were gifts of healing by the same Spirit; in others, the working of miracles; in others, prophecy; in others, the discerning of spirits, — not the discerning of what was working in men's minds, but rather of spiritual beings themselves in their work amongst men. Then, again, there were tongues and the interpretation of tongues. He puts lowest what the Corinthians were evidently tending to put in the highest place. We shall find in a little while how he distinguishes between tongues and prophesying, for instance, and his comparative estimate of each; but in all these things there was the work of the one and the same Spirit, who gave as He pleased to every one.

In 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 we read that it is by the Spirit that are given the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, the interpretation of tongues: it is the Spirit who worketh all these things. Lower down (v. 28), apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healings, helps, governments, tongues — all these things are gifts. Consequently, according to Mr. Wolff, all these things are wanting to the Church.

In chapter 12 then we find that the apostle names nine gifts bestowed by the Spirit and wrought by Him. He writes: “For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom … to another diverse kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these works the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as He will” (1 Cor. 12:8-11, R.V.). Tongues and their complement, the interpretation of tongues, are placed at the close of this list, indicating their relative importance from the divine point of view. The primary gifts are always those whereby the church is developed in love and faith and the knowledge of Christ. The sign-gifts, on the other hand, are always in scripture placed lowest in the scale, though man is apt to value them otherwise and unduly.

Now the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every believer, for its profitable use. None of us can excuse ourselves therefore, in feeling that we have no gift. Each gift certainly is different, but each necessary. There are nine gifts now listed, though we must not consider this a complete list, for another viewpoint of gift is found in Romans 12:6-8; and a still differing viewpoint in Ephesians 4:11-16. But here he is pressing the practical functioning of the Assembly in unity, by the indwelling Spirit, each gift being given for the profit of the Assembly, the body of Christ.

It is important to note that we nowhere get a complete list of these gifts — God would have us search His word to discover His mind. Hence, if you will refer to Rom. 12 and 1 Cor. 12, you will find gifts mentioned which are not found in Eph. 4, but which have their function in the one body, as much as the five specified in this latter chapter. Rom. 12 and 1 Peter 4:10-11, show God in His grace, the spring of all gifts: Eph. 4 presents to us Christ as the giver: while 1 Cor. 12 gives us to understand that the Holy Spirit distributes them to every member of the body, to profit withal, ver. 7; and, "all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will," ver. 11. This distinction is, moreover, recognised in the same chapter, 1 Cor. 12:4-5, 6.

There are three places in the New Testament where the truth as to the saints being spiritually gifted is taught. Here in Romans 12, again in 1 Corinthians 12, and also in Ephesians 4. Romans 12 has the accomplishment of the will of God in view, hence it is God Himself who is said to give the gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12 the great end in view is "the manifestation of the Spirit," therefore it is the Spirit who gives the gifts. Finally in Ephesians 4 what is in mind is that the body may function for the display of Christ, hence Christ Himself is the Giver of the gifts.