Chapter
38
Spiritual Gifts
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How did God
communicate with man in the Eden?
"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art
thou?" Gen. 3:9.
Since the fall,
how has God made known His will?
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets." Heb. 1:1.
What was the
object of speaking "by the prophets?"
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto
His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.
By what
influence did the prophets reveal God's will?
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men
of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. " 2 Peter 1:21 (2
Sam. 23:2).
Then what may
the gift of prophecy be called?
A gift of the Holy Spirit, or a spiritual gift.
What was said
regarding the words of God's prophets?
"If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known
unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." Num. 12:6.
How were the
Lord's words preserved to the people?
"Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote
the dream, and told the sum of the matters." Dan. 7:1 (Jer. 51:60, 61).
What had these
writings to do with the people's understanding future events?
"I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof
the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish
seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." Dan.9:2.
How did God's
ministers use the words of the prophets in exhorting the people to obedience?
"Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former
prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity?" Zech. 7:7 (2
Chron. 20:20).
How were. people
to know whether or not the words of prophets were from the Lord?
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing
follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not
spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid
of him." Deut. 18:22.
What was
considered a still better test on this point?
"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth
thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he
spake unto thee, saying Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not
known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that
prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know
whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul." Deut. 13:1-3.
What was
predicted concerning the spirit of prophecy in the last days?
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit
upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old
men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." Joel 2:28.
When did this
prediction commence to be fulfilled?
"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall
come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all
flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall
see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 2:16, 17.
To whom was this
promise to extend?
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall
call." Acts 2:38, 39.
What relation
should the Christian church sustain toward these spiritual gifts?
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you
ignorant." 1 Cor. 12:1.
What is the
object of these gifts?
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
withal." 1 Cor. 12:7.
What are some of
these gifts?
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;... to another
faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to
another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of
Spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues." 1 Cor. 12:8-10.
Which one of
these does the apostle say is especially desirable?
"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather
that ye may prophesy." 1 Cor. 14:1.
Whom was this
gift designed to benefit?
"Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them
which believe." 1 Cor. 14:22.
What effect is
the exercise of these gifts to have upon the church?
"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work
of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come
in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
Eph. 4:11-13.
Where did God
place these gifts?
"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps,
governments, diversities of tongues." 1 Cor. 12:28.
Who came down
from Judea to Ceasarea while Paul was there?
"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a
certain prophet, named Agabus." Acts 21:10.
What did he do
as soon as he saw the apostle?
"And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own
hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at
Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the
hands of the Gentiles." Acts 21:11.
At a later
period, what did Paul say these trials had wrought?
"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which
happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the
gospel." Phil. 1:12.
How long was it
designed that these gifts should last?
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which
is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." 1
Cor.13:9, 10.
What admonition
does Paul give respecting the gift of Prophecy?
"Despise not prophesyings." 1 Thess. 5:20.
What is the
"testimony of Jesus?"
"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10.
Why is it
necessary for the church now to have confirmed in it the testimony of Christ?
"Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye
come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ." 1 Cor. 1:6, 7.
What will
characterize the last, or "remnant," church?
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the
remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.
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