On Spiritual Gifts

[Usehername]

Obviously I disagree with a lot in this thread, but... I am very curious if there are other interpretations of these gifts. I seem them as being very metaphorical and not applied in the more direct sense that was talked about early in the OP.

I'm just curious, then... are there multiple interpretations or views depending on denomination?

Yes. Some denominations view all the listed gifts as completely applicable and distributed today as in Bible Times while others would say that some were only at the emergence of the Christian church.
(i.e. the book of Acts talks about speaking in tongues, some would say that while it happened then, it's clearly not something that happens today b/c it's unnecessary and they argue the point of tongues in the emergence of the church was to unify all people as one through Christ (as opposed to Jews who were a 'chosen people'; it was a "new idea" then and not necessary today).)

Some people view Spiritual Gifts as something that can only be gifted to professing, practicing Christians, others disagree and say it's available for all people...
(if you're more like Jen and I by saying there's less specifically outlined gifts as mentioned in Corinthians, and instead just more ways that God communicates, I think you're more likely to say that it's gifts available to all. I personally think God can work through anyone, no problem, no matter what religion. I don't know so much about specific gifts, though. Clearly that would not work for something like Evangelism)

I think the majority view, though, is that gifts are:
a) gifted to professing, practicing Christians (and everyone has at least one gift)
b) as listed in the bible (however there are discrepancies as to what exactly "makes the official list" b/c some are mentioned in other passages than the one in Corinthians and it's arguable as to whether they are considered Spiritual Gifts)

 

[Ivy]

I think the majority view, though, is that gifts are:
a) gifted to professing, practicing Christians (and everyone has at least one gift)
b) as listed in the bible (however there are discrepancies as to what exactly "makes the official list" b/c some are mentioned in other passages than the one in Corinthians and it's arguable as to whether they are considered Spiritual Gifts)

Really? Most people I encounter outside of the fringe churches of my youth tend to approach the spiritual gifts as more of a metaphorical thing. Although, I'm sure there are plenty of mainstream non-fringe churches that believe as you say but I don't tend to cross paths with them much.

 

[Usehername]

Really? Most people I encounter outside of the fringe churches of my youth tend to approach the spiritual gifts as more of a metaphorical thing. Although, I'm sure there are plenty of mainstream non-fringe churches that believe as you say but I don't tend to cross paths with them much.

That's my personal experience from churches throughout western Canada, churches from Montana down to Texas, Seattle, and Southern Africa. However, it tends to be that churches that are affiliated with each other think similarly (a lot of this is from my gap year program where we traveled to hosting churches), so I likely have a biased sample.

 

[Ivy]

That's my personal experience from churches throughout western Canada, churches from Montana down to Texas, Seattle, and Southern Africa. However, it tends to be that churches that are affiliated with each other think similarly (a lot of this is from my gap year program where we traveled to hosting churches), so I likely have a biased sample.

Me too. This is part of the problem in trying to make any kind of generalizations about what Christians believe or do- there's just so darn many kinds of us!

I think the American "individualization" thing, which is relatively new in a human history sense isn't it? is affecting the fracture of the Christian religion. Although I, personally, don't see that as a negative-- I don't think that there are multiple approaches to it means that it's inherently flawed any more than I think that there being different personality types means there's something wrong with humanity. It's a feature, not a drawback.

 

[Usehername]

Me too. This is part of the problem in trying to make any kind of generalizations about what Christians believe or do- there's just so darn many kinds of us!

I think the American "individualization" thing, which is relatively new in a human history sense isn't it? is affecting the fracture of the Christian religion. Although I, personally, don't see that as a negative-- I don't think that there are multiple approaches to it means that it's inherently flawed any more than I think that there being different personality types means there's something wrong with humanity. It's a feature, not a drawback.

At the heart of the matter, I agree with you.

But at the same time, 33 000 + denominations for Christianity and 7 for Judaism. We're doing something wrong that we need that many denominations. We all have differences, but we're all worshiping the same God. I wish we got along better. Unity has so much more power, too. It's far more practical.

 

[usernameredacted]

Unity has so much more power, too.

Indeed.

 

[Ivy]

At the heart of the matter, I agree with you.

But at the same time, 33 000 + denominations for Christianity and 7 for Judaism. We're doing something wrong that we need that many denominations. We all have differences, but we're all worshiping the same God. I wish we got along better. Unity has so much more power, too. It's far more practical.

Agreed. I just don't think we have to all worship the same way to have unity.

 

[cafe]

I have seen the good, the bad, and the fake when it comes to spiritual gifts. I believe that they exist and can be a true gift to the church, but I have seen so much misuse and even abuse that I am . . . cautious. Very cautious. I see way more BS than I see the real thing.

Another thing: when we do get someone in that has personal words for people, they often come up with some really bazaar stuff for me and/or Don. I suspect these people, maybe unconsciously, use the same tricks fake psychics do and Don and I do not provide adequate or accurate cues for them to play on.

 

[Ivy]

I have seen the good, the bad, and the fake when it comes to spiritual gifts. I believe that they exist and can be a true gift to the church, but I have seen so much misuse and even abuse that I am . . . cautious. Very cautious. I see way more BS than I see the real thing.

Another thing: when we do get someone in that has personal words for people, they often come up with some really bazaar stuff for me and/or Don. I suspect these people, maybe unconsciously, use the same tricks fake psychics do and Don and I do not provide adequate or accurate cues for them to play on.

Yep. Cold reading. I don't think they're (usually) doing it to be purposefully deceitful, but I do think they sometimes mistake having a sharp intuition for being given inside info.

 

[Totenkindly]

That's my personal experience from churches throughout western Canada, churches from Montana down to Texas, Seattle, and Southern Africa. However, it tends to be that churches that are affiliated with each other think similarly (a lot of this is from my gap year program where we traveled to hosting churches), so I likely have a biased sample.

I share your experience... I have been immersed in some form of organized conservative Christianity since a young age, and what you describe is all that I ever hear from the groups I have been part of.

(That's why the last few years have been real eye-openers for me, in learning that there are actually other widespread interpretations of things I thought everyone had agreed on...)

 

[spartan26]

When examining portions of the Bible I like to look to see how the passage or message fits with the overall chapter, book and entire word of God. When I think about the gifts listed in I Cor, I tend match it with the parable of the talents in Matt. The gifts may have supernatural qualities but they shouldn't be mistaken for magic. Like Michael Jordan had gifts, Tiger Woods has gifts, but they also spent thousands of hours developing them.

Prophesizing is teaching or at least one definition. A counselor could be called a miracle worker. When Paul is writing the church at Corinth and mentioning these gifts, he also warns on how these gifts should not be disruptive to the church nor should people rank them in order of importance. There are different theories of what speaking in tongues is. Speaking in tongues could simply be being bilingual. There was a workshop on addiction and abuse at my church today and some people were talking about not feeling comfortable in their own skin or family secrets or being the enabler and having to fix things, while I've learned some things over the years, there were plenty of things I "didn't get." However, there were other members who did. There were others who "knew" what addicts were talking about. Perhaps not what Paul was referring to but a modern application to this would be "hearers of tongues." Someone who can interpret what another is saying that might be foreign to the body as a whole.

I think it's easy to discount spiritual gifts if they don't appear to be grand or defy science or if they're traits that can be found in "ordinary people" in everyday life but I wholeheartedly believe God can work through anybody. The lady today who organized the event, brought the speakers in, gave the culminating address I can remember from about 12 years ago when she'd barely say 3 words and those were generally inaudible. At the time I had no idea she'd been taken from her alcoholic parents and placed in an orphanage or of her speech impediment or that she was in an abusive marriage which ultimately lasted 15 years. While no one's gonna mistake her for Paula White, (not today, who knows in a few years), she, who I believe had to go back to school just to get her certificates, was there in front of lawyers, people I knew who had master degrees, teaching and inspiring others to do good works and receive those in need.

It wasn't pyrotechnics. It wasn't an episode of the Twilight Zone. Without question in my mind though there were gifts of the Spirit at work in her.