The Age of Accountability

Posted on August 24, 2019 by russellmckinney

The term “the age of accountability” is a man-made one that cannot be found in the Bible. Still, this doesn’t mean that such a concept isn’t taught in scripture. The fact is, the Bible does teach such a concept.

For those of you who don’t know what I mean by “the age of accountability,” I’m talking about the age where a child matures to the mental and spiritual ability to be able to understand the differences between salvation and damnation, sin and forgiveness, and heaven and hell. Obviously, you can talk all day to an infant about that child’s need to believe in Jesus as Savior, but you aren’t going to get anywhere in winning that child to Christ. Why not? It’s because the child hasn’t reached the so-called age of accountability yet.

If for no other reason, this subject is of vital importance because it applies directly to infants who are miscarried, aborted, or in some other way die in infancy. Do the souls of those children go to heaven? That’s a good question, and it’s one that gets into the realm of each child having a unique age of accountability.

So, here now is what the Bible teaches about the age of accountability. I’ll leave it with you to do the homework by actually taking the time to look up each reference and read it. By doing so, I trust that you will agree with me that there really is such a thing as an age of accountability, even though that age is surely different in each child.

  1. Every child is not just a born sinner but a conceived sinner who is born “dead in trespasses and sins.” (Psalm 51:1-5; Psalm 58:3; Job 14:1-4; Job 15:14; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1 John 1:8-10; Romans 3:10; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1,4-5; Colossians 2:13; Matthew 8:22)
  2. Even though infants and small children have the inborn nature of sin, they do not possess the ability to differentiate between good and evil (righteousness and sin). (Deuteronomy 1:39; Isaiah 7:16; Jonah 4:11 (refers to Nineveh’s small children); Romans 9:10-12)
  3. For anyone to have an actual knowledge of sin, he or she must first either feel the effects of a conscience or clearly understand some revelation of God’s moral law. Infants don’t fit into either category. (Romans 2:12-16; Romans 5:13)
  4. The people of Israel sacrificed their infants to the false gods Baal and Molech as a part of their despicable idolatry. And yet God described those infants as “the innocents.” (Jeremiah 19:4-5; Jeremiah 2:34; Jeremiah 32:35; Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:1-5; 1 Kings 11:6-8; 2 Kings 16:2-4; 2 Chronicles 28:1-4; 2 Kings 21:1-6; 2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 7:30-31)  
  5. Jesus used small children as examples of those who are a part of the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:1-4; Matthew 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17) 
  6. God told the people of Israel that their children were actually born unto Him rather than them. This means that children under the age of accountability belong to the Lord. (Ezekiel 16:20).
  7. David planned to one day go to be with his deceased infant, and David certainly thought of himself as being forgiven, saved, and headed for an eternity with God. Furthermore, according to 2 Timothy 3:16 that entire story is written down for us as part of God’s inspired word. (2 Samuel 12:15-23; Psalm 23:6)
Posted in Abortion, Children, Parenting, Salvation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Is God Calling You to Deal with a Problem?

Posted on August 22, 2019 by russellmckinney

David Livingston, the legendary missionary to Africa, was a man who understood that some jobs God asks us to do aren’t for the faint of heart. On the subject of Livingstone’s work in Africa, one man wrote him, “I would like to join you. Is there an easy way to get to where you are?” Livingston wrote back, “I don’t want a man to join me who is looking for an easy way. I want a man to join me who will make his own way if he has to.”

When Christians discuss problems that need to be handled the conversations often end with something along the lines of, “Let’s just pray and ask God to take care of things.” Frankly, though, it has been my experience that God usually solves a problem by raising up a man or a woman to do the solving. Scripture teaches this same truth. For every Bible story in which God takes matters into His own hands to personally solve a problem there are dozens of stories in which He works through human beings to solve one.

But how do you know when God is singling you out to be the human vessel through which He solves a problem? Allow me to offer a basic list of how the process works. This, at least, is how the process has worked in my life.

  1. You are brought face to face with the problem. The fact is, there are problems here, there, and everywhere, but you don’t think about them because they don’t affect you. A problem has to get into your personal wheelhouse before you will start searching for the solution to that problem.
  2. You realize that no one else is going to do anything about the problem. Your first indicator that God is wading you into the battle is when it becomes obvious to you that no one else will even think about truly going out on a limb to do something about the situation.
  3. You begin to feel a growing burden deep down inside you that calls you to duty. If the burden you are feeling to address the problem is truly from God it will only increase with the passing of time.
  4. You hatch out a plan of action, at least the first step of one. Since your second step of action will probably be dependent upon how others react to your first step you might not be able to hatch out the entire plan all at once. Rest assured, though, that God will give you a unique, specific, step-by-step plan for the battle.
  5. You get personally involved with solving the problem by taking the first step of your plan of action. At this point you actually enter the arena. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself fighting in there alone. Remember, the problem wouldn’t still be there for you to encounter if a slew of people had taken it on before you.

Of course, it goes without saying that you should be praying, staying humble, and continuing to seek God’s will throughout this entire process. Please don’t envision yourself as the fast-draw sheriff who is going to ride into town and clean up the mess in no time flat. Instead, envision yourself as the humble (even reluctant) servant of God who is simply trying to be the vessel through which God gets the necessary work done. Seriously, the moment you start getting puffed up about what you are doing you run the risk of acting from your own logic and fleshly instincts.

And will the job that God is calling you to do be hard? Probably. Again, if it was easy someone would have done it before you got there. As David Livingston so graphically pointed out you will most likely have to make your own way by hacking out a new trail through the thick underbrush. Rest assured, though, that God will help you with that hacking as long as you are hacking out the trail that is pleasing to Him. So, don’t be afraid to take on the problem, and don’t shy away from allowing Him to do an impactful work through you.

Posted in Adversity, Change, Choices, Courage, Discernment, Doing Good, God's Guidance, God's Will, God's Work, Individuality, Influence, Ministry, Problems, Service | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What the Bible Teaches About Money

Posted on August 20, 2019 by russellmckinney

Several years ago, I wrote an outline on the subject “What the Bible Teaches About Money” and used the outline as a study guide in one of my churches.  So, I thought I’d share that outline in this post. The outline is designed to function as a Bible study in which you (the reader) look up and read each reference in your Bible. Ready? Here we go.

I. The Perspective Concerning Money: (All money belongs to God.): Psalm 24:1; Psalm 50:10-12; Deuteronomy 10:14; Job 41:11; Haggai 2:8; 1 Corinthians 10:26

II. The Power Behind Earning Money: (God gives individuals the power to earn money.) Deuteronomy 8:10-20; 1 Samuel 2:7; Psalm 75:6-7; Proverbs 10:22

III. The Plans for Making Money & Keeping It

  1. inheriting: Genesis 25:5-8; Proverbs 13:22; Ecclesiastes 7:11 (Be careful that the inheritance doesn’t become more important to you than the one who will bestow it.): Proverbs 20:21; Luke 15:11-13
  2. working: Proverbs 6:6-11; 10:4-5; 12:24; 13:4,11; 14:23; 20:4,13; 23:21;                    Ephesians 4:28; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12; 1 Timothy 5:8
  3. giving back to God: Proverbs 3:9-10; Matthew 22:21; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2
  4. being a good steward with your possessions: Proverbs 27:23-24
  5. saving: Proverbs 21:20
  6. being cautious concerning debt: Proverbs 22:7
  7. being cautious concerning cosigning a loan: Proverbs 6:1-2; 17:18
  8. doing business: Proverbs 31:16-18; Matthew 25:14-29; Luke 19:11-26 (Be sure that all your business ventures are honest.): Leviticus 6:1-7; 19:13,35-36; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; Hosea 12:7; Amos 8:4-8; Proverbs 10:9; 11:1; 13:11; 20:10,14,17,23; Jeremiah 22:13; Micah 6:9-11; James 5:1-4
  9. being generous: Proverbs 11:24-26; 22:9; Ecclesiastes 5:13-14; Luke 6:38; Acts 20:35;  2 Corinthians 9:6-7
  10. giving to charity: Proverbs 19:17; 22:9; 28:27

IV. The Purposes for Spending Money:

  1. provide for your family: 1 Timothy 5:8
  2. pay your debts: Psalm 37:21; Romans 13:8 (make your payments on time)
  3. pay your taxes: Matthew 22:15-22; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17
  4. fund the Lord’s workers and work: Matthew 10:1-15; Luke 10:1-12; 1 Corinthians 9:1-14; Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:13-18; 1 Timothy 5:17-18; Romans 15:25-27; 1 Corinthians 16:1-3; 2 Corinthians 8:13-15; 9:6-15; Galatians 6:10
  5. give to charity: Deuteronomy 15:7-11; Psalm 37:21; Proverbs 19:17; 22:9; 28:27; 31:20; Luke 6:32-38; Galatians 2:10; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 6:17-19; 1 John 3:17; Hebrews 13:16
  6. loan to those in need: Deuteronomy 23:19-20; Psalm 112:1-5
  7. purchase certain nice things: Proverbs 15:6; 24:3-4

V. The Problems Associated with Money (or a lack of it):

  1. discontentment: Philippians 4:10-12; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5
  2. covetousness: Exodus 20:17; Psalm 119:36; Proverbs 28:16; Micah 2:1-2; Luke 12:15; Ephesians 5:3-7; Colossians 3:5; 1 John 2:15
  3. greed: Proverbs 1:17-19; 23:4-5; 28:20,22; Ecclesiastes 5:10
  4. dishonest gain: Psalm 37:16; Proverbs 16:8; 19:22; 21:6; 22:16, 28:8; Jeremiah 17:11; James 5:1-6
  5. pride: Proverbs 11:28; 28:11; 1 Timothy 6:17
  6. worry: Matthew 6:24-34
  7. wrongly trusting in money: Proverbs 11:28; 30:7-9; Job 31:24-28; Matthew 19:16-22; Luke 12:13-21; 1 Timothy 6:17-19
  8. trouble: Proverbs 15:6,16; Ecclesiastes 4:6; 5:12
  9. the showing of favoritism: James 2:1-4
  10. the accumulating of treasure in the wrong place: Matthew 6:19-21; 16:26;    Colossians 3:2
Posted in Business, Gambling, Giving, God's Work, Greed, Money, Prosperity, Stewardship, Tithing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Christian Verses” Podcast: 1 Corinthians 9:22

Posted on August 18, 2019 by russellmckinney

The apostle Paul said, “I have become all things to all people, so that I may by all means save some” (H.C.S.B.). Perhaps Paul had Jesus in mind when he wrote those words because Jesus certainly modeled that incredible adaptability in his one-on-one ministering to others. In this week’s podcast, Malcolm and I discuss how the modern church faces the tall challenge of reaching a younger generation that lives and breathes with smart phones in hand and isn’t particularly enamored with any religion, particularly Christianity. How do we reach such a generation with the gospel? Unfortunately, judging by recent polling trends in church attendance, we aren’t doing a very good job of answering that question. You can play the podcast by clicking on the link below:

https://soundcloud.com/user-185243867/reaching-the-next-generationcv2019004

Posted in "Christian Verses" podcast, Church, Current Events, Evangelism, God's Work, Witnessing | Tagged | Leave a comment

New Seasons

Posted on August 16, 2019 by russellmckinney

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1, N.K.J.V.)

It’s been quite a while since I provided any kind of update as to what’s going on with me and my family. So, I thought I’d use this post to do that. I’m calling the post “New Seasons” because our little family has certainly moved into some new seasons in recent days.

First, I am now the pastor of Roan Mountain Baptist Church in Bakersville, NC. My final Sunday at Oak Grove Baptist in Nebo, NC was the last Sunday in June, and my first Sunday at Roan Mountain Baptist was the first Sunday in July. The drive to church is a lot shorter, 15 minutes as compared to the 40 minutes I was doing to Oak Grove. Roan Mountain is also the largest church, in regards to not only the size of the building but also the number of people, that I have ever had the privilege to pastor. It’s the oldest church in Mitchell county, having been established in 1813. That’s pre-Civil War.

Second, Malcolm Woody and I have started doing the “Christian Verses” podcast again. For those of you who don’t know what a podcast is, it’s just Malcolm and I having a conversation about a chosen subject. Each subject comes out of a singular focal verse — hence the title “Christian Verses” — that Malcolm reads to get the conversation started. Some of you might recall that we did about 25 of these podcasts last year and then went on a long hiatus. We weren’t sure we would ever pick back up with the ministry, but that’s the direction in which the Lord has recently burdened us. The only difference this time around is the fact that we are going to keep each podcast to around 10 minutes in length. (Some of our earlier ones clocked in at upwards of 30 minutes.) If you are interested in listening to the podcasts, you can access them through this blog site. Just click on the “Categories” section and then click on the heading “Christian Verses” podcast. There you will find the links to all of them.

Third, my wife Tonya has begun another year of teaching math at Bowman Middle School in Bakersville, NC. These days she’s teaching 7th graders. Since this is either her 28th or 29th year at the school (we’ve been debating the exact number), it’s hard to call it a new season for her. I guess you could say that her new season is being the pastor’s wife at Roan Mountain Baptist Church. Any new church always brings different opportunities and challenges for not only the pastor but also his wife.

Fourth, Ryan, our oldest, has been hired as the Physical Education teacher at Harris Middle School in Spruce Pine, NC. He graduated from Johnson University (Knoxville, Tenn.) this past May with a B.S. degree in Physical Education (K-12) and spent the summer working at The Bark House, a tree-bark processing place in Spruce Pine. He was scheduled to return to Johnson this fall and do the five months of student teaching required to earn his state teaching license in Tennessee, but the job came open at Harris Middle and he was fortunate enough to get it. So now he’s working full time, helping coach the middle school football team, and working toward earning his bus driver’s license. As for his teacher’s license, he’s going to start in East Carolina University’s residency program this coming spring and earn his license that way. That program takes about a year to complete and requires six online classes, but it will get him officially licensed to teach in North Carolina. Also, he gets to keep working his new job without missing a beat.

Fifth, Royce, our youngest, has begun his freshman year at Mayland Community College in Spruce Pine, NC. His plan is to get all of his General Education courses completed at Mayland and then transfer to a four-year school to finish out his Bachelor’s degree. Right now he’s working on the assumption that he will ultimately major in Criminal Justice, but I wouldn’t call that written in stone yet. He also isn’t sure which four-year school he will enroll in when he’s through at Mayland, but there’s no rush on these decisions. Oh, and he also just recently started working as a bagger/cashier at the Ingles Supermarket less than a mile from our house. You might say that he’s entering into not one but two new seasons.

Well, I guess that’s about it for now. (That’s enough anyway, right?) Please accept my personal thanks for reading this blog, and I trust the site is a blessing and a help to you. If our family ever comes to your mind, prayers are always appreciated. I’m convinced that we are currently where we are supposed to be and doing what we are supposed to be doing, but it takes constant discernment and obedience to stay in God’s will. After all, life keeps coming, doesn’t it? And it keeps changing, too. For our family, the past couple of months have brought a lot of those changes, but each change has been God’s way of opening a door to a good place. Now it’s up to us to make the most of the opportunities that He has given us.

Posted in Change, Current Events, God's Will, Personal | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wandering Around

Posted on August 14, 2019 by russellmckinney

In his daily devotional book, The Believer’s Code, O.S. Hawkins offers an excellent word about sheep. He writes:

Have you ever been to a circus? If so, you probably saw an array of trained animals. Huge elephants can be trained to stand on their back legs atop tiny stools. Monkeys can be trained to ride bicycles. Lions can be trained to jump through rings of fire. But have you ever seen a trained sheep? No. Why? Because sheep are not that smart. Sheep cannot be trained to do anything. They tend to just wander around. Focused as they are on the ground — on food — they walk with their heads down and frequently get lost. No wonder the prophet says, “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6).

I especially agree with the assessment that we, like sheep, tend to just wander around. Are there truly evil people in this world? Absolutely. But there are far more people who are just sort of wandering around out there. When it comes time for work, they wander to their place of employment. When the workday is finished, they wander back home. When they need groceries, they wander to the grocery store. When they need clothes, they wander to the mall. When they want to eat out, they wander to the restaurant. When they have an off day or some spare time, they wander to the site of something they like to do. When it is time for a vacation, they wander to the beach or the mountains.

No praying goes into any of these wanderings. God’s will isn’t sought concerning anything. The only “afterlife” these folks think about is retirement, which consists of all the imagined things they will do when they no longer have to work. If you ask any one of these people, “What is your purpose in being on this earth?” you won’t get much of an answer. They just go about their business, day in and day out, like sheep with their heads down, each of them focusing only upon the next blade of grass.

The contrast to such a life is a life like David lived. In Acts 13:36, the Bible says that he “served his own generation by the will of God” (N.K.J.V.). You see, there is a worthy way of living! Some people want to serve, but they want to pick their own area of service. Other people claim to want God’s will done, but those claims never translate into genuine commitment. David, however, had both sides of the issue covered. Not only did he serve his generation, he did it in the places and in the ways that God had planned for him.

Of course, we know that David wasn’t perfect. His affair with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of Uriah proved that conclusively. Still, though, when it came time for God to write the epitaph on David’s scriptural tombstone, He wrote, “He served his own generation by the will of God.”

That’s a pretty lofty word of praise, and it’s certainly not one that a dumb sheep can achieve by just wandering through life. The great news, though, is that you can have that same epitaph written on your tombstone, little sheep, if you will come under the shepherding of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and seek His will in all matters. Why keep wandering aimlessly through life when Jesus offers you direction, guidance, and purpose (to say nothing of eternal rewards)? So, if you have never embraced Him as Savior and Shepherd, let me encourage you to do so right now. And if you have, then take a moment to lift up your head and ask, “Jesus, am I truly serving my generation by your will right now or am I just wandering around?”

Posted in Choices, Commitment, Decisions, Desires, Discernment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Dying To Self, Eternity, Faithfulness, God's Guidance, God's Will, God's Work, Good Works, Heaven, Human Life, Individuality, Influence, Ministry, Obedience, Sacrifice, Sanctification, Service, Submission, Work | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Identifying Your Spiritual Gift (Gifts)

Posted on August 12, 2019 by russellmckinney

Series: “Spiritual Gifts” (post #4)

Just about every time I preach on the subject of spiritual gifts some sincere Christian will ask me, “How can I know what my spiritual gift is?” Each time I hear that question I find myself wishing there was a Bible passage to which I could point and say, “Just study that chapter and you’ll find your answer.” But there just isn’t any such chapter. Truth be told, identifying which spiritual gift (gifts) you have isn’t so much an examination of the Bible as it is an examination of yourself. It is with this in mind that I’d like to offer five practical suggestions that will help you with the process.

#1: You should begin by learning which spiritual gifts the Bible names and which ones are still offered to Christians today. While it’s true that identifying your spiritual gift (gifts) is more an examination of yourself than an examination of the Bible, this doesn’t mean you should leave the Bible out of the equation. To the contrary, you won’t have a clue which spiritual gifts are even potentially available to you as a Christian unless you consult the Bible and learn what it has to say on the subject. To help you with that I would encourage you to read the previous two posts from this series if you haven’t already done so.

#2: You should make a list of the spiritual gifts that you KNOW you DON’T have and let that be a starting point for your self-discovery. As you read over the Bible’s list of potential spiritual gifts there will be some that will stand out as red flags to you. For example, if the very thought of you having to put together a plan to bring organization to a chaotic situation causes you to recoil, you can bank on the fact that you don’t have the spiritual gift of administrations/governments. You see, the gifts upon which you need to focus your attention are the ones for which you have an interest or at least a possible interest.

#3: You should try different areas of service to Christ and see which ones you do well. Do you have the gift of evangelism? The way to find out is to try your hand at evangelizing and see if you win anybody to Christ. Do you have the gift of leading/ruling? The way to find out is to try your hand at leading and see if anybody follows you. Do you have the spiritual gift of giving? The way to find out is to contribute abundantly to a church offering and see how losing that money makes you feel. You get the idea. A good way to identify your spiritual gift (gifts) is to employ the trial-and-error approach. Take a chance. Step out of your comfort zone. Try something new, and see how it goes. You never know what you’ll find out about yourself.

#4: You should ask other Christians who know you best what they think your spiritual gift (gifts) might be. Fellow Christians can be invaluable resources in helping you identify which spiritual gift (gifts) you have. Because they’ve already seen not only your strengths but also your weaknesses on display they can provide an accurate assessment of you. All you need from them is blunt honesty regarding your abilities.

#5: You should keep in mind that your spiritual gift will ring your “inner bell.” When you find yourself doing something that requires your spiritual gift to be put into operation, you’ll instinctively sense it deep down inside you. Even if the work itself is difficult in its requirements it won’t be drudgery to you. Instead, it will produce a sense of joy, happiness, and contentment. You’ll feel like you are doing something you were put on this earth to do, and you’ll do it well. Those are God’s ways of ringing your “inner bell.”

Well, I hope these five simple tips help. Please don’t think that you identifying your spiritual gift (gifts) is some insurmountable task you’ll never achieve. Just know that God will surely help you as you make your way through the process. It is, after all, to His benefit that you put your spiritual gift (gifts) into action. Since we’ve got far too many gifted Christians sitting on the sidelines already there’s certainly nothing to be gained from God keeping you in the dark about your gift (gifts).

Posted in Counsel, Discernment, God's Work, Individuality, Ministry, Seeking Advice, Series: "Spiritual Gifts", Service, Spiritual Gifts | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

“Christian Verses” Podcast: Isaiah 46:4

Posted on August 11, 2019 by russellmckinney

Malcolm Woody and I stepped away from doing our “Christian Verses” podcast for a while, but recently we’ve been in prayer and discussion about picking back up with the endeavor. So, we recorded one this past Friday as something of a promotion for Malcolm’s upcoming devotional series, “Tracks.” This podcast is a short one (under 8 minutes long), and the focal verse for it is Isaiah 46:4. That’s a verse in which God promises to carry His people even through our gray hair and our old age. Here’s the link:

https://soundcloud.com/user-185243867/god-carries-uscv2019003

Posted in "Christian Verses" podcast, God's Omnipresence, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Are All the Spiritual Gifts Still Given?

Posted on August 10, 2019 by russellmckinney

Series: “Spiritual Gifts” (post #3)

Does God still impart all 20 of the spiritual gifts that are named in the Bible? Well, frankly, the answer you get depends upon whom you ask. As for me, my answer is, “No.” And in this post, I’ll offer my reasons for that answer.

Let me start with the gifts of apostleship and prophesying (prophecy). The New Testament describes these as gifts that were foundational to the early church. Ephesians 2:19-20 illustrates this truth by calling the early Christians “the household of God.” The passage then tells us the foundation of that household came from the apostles and the prophets, with Jesus serving as the chief cornerstone for the whole building. What all this means is that in the years before the completion of the writing of the New Testament, Christians with the spiritual gifts of apostleship and prophesying (prophecy) were vital.

As I mentioned in the previous post prophesying is not the same thing as preaching. While preaching amounts to saying some things about God’s written word, prophesying is speaking new words that come directly from God. In the early church, the indwelling Holy Spirit imparted this spiritual gift to selected men and selected women. For example, Acts 13:1 tells us there were prophets in the church of Antioch, and Acts 21:9 says that Philip the evangelist had four virgins daughters who were prophetesses.

But isn’t the gift of prophesying (prophecy) still needed today? No, it isn’t. That’s because we now have the completed New Testament to consult. I’m not saying that getting a never-before-heard word from God by way of a modern-day prophet or prophetess wouldn’t be helpful. I’m simply saying that now that the foundation has long been laid for the church, the need for such a ministry is no longer there. After all, a foundation only gets laid once.

Likewise, we can place the gift of apostleship in the same category. Here the New Testament case against the modern imparting of this gift is even stronger. I say this because the New Testament names two highly specific qualifications for an apostle, qualifications that are such that no man or woman today has them on a resume. Those two qualifications are:

  • The individual must have been an eyewitness of the fact that Jesus resurrected. (Acts 1:21-22)
  • The individual must have been able to perform “the signs (miracles) of an apostle.” (Acts 2:43; 2 Corinthians 12:12)

Furthermore, Mathew 19:28 and Revelation 21:14 both speak of the apostles as being a closed group of 12 in the future. While there is a debate as to whether Paul or Matthias (Acts 1:15-26) will take the place of Judas Iscariot in the group, there is no debate about “the 12” being a unique group. As evidence of this when James became the first of them to die, no election was held to name a replacement for him (Acts 12:1-2).

With all this said, are there men and women today who claim to have the gifts of prophesying (prophecy) and apostleship? Yes, there are. Christian circles are filled with them in the ranks of the Pentecostal and Charismatic groups. But are these men and women legitimate prophets/prophetesses and apostles in the New Testament sense? In my opinion, they aren’t. Again, the New Testament specifically describes these two spiritual gifts as being foundational to the church age (Ephesians 2:19:20), and that foundation got set in place a long time ago.

Now let’s move on and talk about the gifts (plural) of healings and the working of miracles. Both of these spiritual gifts were important for the work of legitimizing Christianity and were given to the apostles (Acts 3:1-11; 5:1-16; 8:5-13; 9:32-43; 19:11-12; 20:6-12; 2 Corinthians 12:12) to enable each apostle to perform “the signs (miracles) of an apostle.” Therefore, it stands to reason that if the Holy Spirit no longer imparts the gift of apostleship, He no longer imparts the gifts of healings and the working of miracles, either. Despite the grandiose claims of “faith healers” and “miracle workers” it is obvious that God is no longer doing all the things that are mentioned in the book of Acts, the book that provides the record of the early days of the church age. It’s not that God can’t still do all those things; it’s just that He doesn’t.

Finally, it is doubtful that the Holy Spirit still imparts the gifts of speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues. According to the New Testament speaking in tongues was no more or no less than the ability to speak in an unlearned foreign language (Acts 2:1-12). Similarly, the interpretation of tongues was no more or no less than the ability to interpret an unlearned foreign language.

As for the church services today that claim to display the gift of speaking in tongues and sometimes even the interpretation of those tongues, those services violate the Bible’s most basic rules for speaking in tongues in church. Not only does this include the rule that the tongues be unlearned foreign languages rather than being mere babble or gibberish (Acts 2:1-12), it also includes the rule that women be forbidden to speak in tongues in a church service (1 Corinthians 14:34-35). So, while it’s true that the apostle Paul spoke in tongues often (1 Corinthians 14:18) and warned against making the practice forbidden (1 Corinthians 14:39), the reality is that he wouldn’t recognize what passes for the gift in today’s church services. It would be like comparing apples to oranges.

Posted in Church, Discernment, God's Work, Prophecy, Series: "Spiritual Gifts", Service, Sickness, Speaking in Tongues, Spiritual Gifts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Spiritual Gifts Does the Bible Name?

Posted on August 7, 2019 by russellmckinney

Series: “Spiritual Gifts” (post #2)

To find out what spiritual gifts the Bible names you have to consult three separate passages of scripture. The passages are Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-30, and Ephesians 4:7-16. By combining the lists from all three passages we come up with 20 named spiritual gifts. Interestingly, the Ephesians passage and certain portions of the 1 Corinthians passage focus upon the Christians who actually have the gift rather than naming the gift itself. For example, “evangelists” obviously refers to Christians who have the spiritual gift of evangelism.

This post will list and briefly define all 20 of the spiritual gifts and cite the passage (or passages) in which each gift is found. I’ll provide multiple names for many of the gifts in order to showcase the different ways in which our English translations describe the gift. Hopefully, seeing the various translations will help you get a better handle on understanding the gift in question.

  1. evangelism (Ephesians 4:11): This gift is the special ability to effectively tell others about Jesus Christ and their need of the salvation offered in Him. Witnessing comes easy to Christians who have this gift and they enjoy sharing the gospel with unbelievers. Accordingly, they lead many people to saving belief in Christ.
  2. ministry, ministration, service, serving, serving others (Romans 12:7): This gift is the special ability to personally minister to others by serving them. Christians with this gift love doing “hands on” acts of service for others. They are wonderful about being Christ’s hands, feet, and voice to people in need.
  3. faith, great faith, special faith (1 Corinthians 12:9): This gift is the special ability to have extraordinary faith in God and what He is going to do. Christians with this gift continue to trust God in a situation long after others have given up such trust. They will attempt great things for God when others are afraid to do so.
  4. exhortation, encouragement, counseling (Romans 12:8): This gift is the special ability to motivate people to action by way of encouraging them, counseling them, urging them, or warning them. Christians with this gift use words and deeds that are highly persuasive and influential.
  5. pastoring, shepherding (Ephesians 4:11): This gift is the special ability to serve as the pastor (shepherd) of a group (flock) of Christians. The gift is associated with the call to preach and the ability to teach the Bible. Christians with this gift are skilled at shepherding people, which requires leading those people, caring for them, protecting them, and spiritually feeding them.
  6. discerning of spirits, the distinguishing of spirits, the ability to tell the spirits apart, the ability to discern whether a message is from God or from another spirit (1 Corinthians 12:10): This is the special ability to know whether a situation is being energized and promoted by God or by Satan. Christians with this gift are especially adept at sensing when the demonic realm is causing something to happen. They know when something is “of God” and when it is “of the devil.”
  7. teaching (Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:29): This gift is the special ability to teach the Bible with profound effectiveness. Despite the fact that many Christians who have the gift of pastoring also have the gift of teaching, the two gifts don’t always run in tandem. In other words, a Christian can have the spiritual gift of teaching without feeling the call to preach or serve as a pastor.
  8. the word of knowledge, a word of knowledge, words of knowledge, a message of knowledge, the utterance of knowledge, the ability to speak with knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8): This gift is the special ability to traffic in factual information and impart it. Christians with this gift are great at collecting data and bringing all the facts to bear upon a situation. While it’s true that anyone can acquire knowledge through study, Christians with the gift of the word of knowledge supernaturally excel at it. Furthermore, since this gift is the “word” of knowledge they also excel at communicating their knowledge.
  9.  the word of wisdom, a word of wisdom, words of wisdom, a message of wisdom, the utterance of wisdom, the ability to speak with wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8): This gift is the special ability to speak words of divine wisdom to others. Christians with this gift are uncommonly adept at offering godly, Bible-based advice. They are the best people in all the world to seek out for counsel. The difference between “the word of wisdom” and “the word of knowledge” is that wisdom is knowledge smartly put to use.
  10. the working of miracles, the power to work miracles, the performing of miracles (1 Corinthians 12:10,29): This gift is the special ability to perform miracles by means of the power of God. Christians with this gift can cast out demons, raise the dead, and do other miraculous deeds.
  11. apostleship (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:29): This gift is the special ability to serve as an apostle to the church at large. Christians with this gift evidence “the signs of an apostle” (2 Corinthians 12:12), which means that any Christian with this gift must also have the spiritual gift of working miracles. The gift of apostleship will empower the Christian to be highly effective in a wide range of service to Christ, including evangelism, church planting, settling doctrinal disputes, and contending for the Christian faith against its attackers.
  12. gifts of healings, gifts of healing, the ability to heal, the power to heal (1 Corinthians 12:9,30): This gift is the special ability to physically heal by means of the power of God. Christians with this gift can cure sickness and disease instantaneously and completely without the aid of medicine, surgery, or physical therapy. The gift is typically associated with either the gift of the working of miracles, the gift of apostleship, or both.
  13. giving (Romans 12:8): This gift is the special ability to generously contribute one’s finances and possessions to support the Lord’s work. Christians with this gift contribute joyously and abundantly. They give, even to their own detriment many times, and they never begrudge doing it. To them giving is a joy rather than an obligation.
  14. prophesying (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:29, Romans 12:6): This gift is the special ability to speak God’s exact words as you are moved by the Holy Spirit. Christians with this gift metaphorically become the mouthpieces of God. The gift can involve preaching but it isn’t exactly the same as preaching. Prophesying is different than merely taking a portion of God’s written word and expounding upon it because prophesying doesn’t necessarily depend upon anything that has already been said or written. It can be fresh, new information that is coming straight from God. Oftentimes (but not always) it involves the foretelling of future events.
  15. showing mercy (Romans 12:8): This gift is the special ability to extend mercy to those who might not even deserve it. Christians with this gift are uncommonly tenderhearted and compassionate. They are slow to condemn and quick to grant another chance.
  16. speaking in tongues, speaking in different kinds of languages, the ability to speak in unknown languages (1 Corinthians 12:10,30): This gift is the special ability to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak in a foreign language you have never learned. Christians with this gift won’t merely speak strange gibberish or incoherent babble. They will instead speak a known language while under the control of the Holy Spirit. A group of approximately 120 of Christ’s followers displayed this gift in the streets of Jerusalem when they proclaimed the gospel to thousands of foreign Jews who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish holiday known as Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13).
  17. the interpretation of tongues, the interpretation of languages (1 Corinthians 12:10,30): This gift is the special ability to be empowered by the Holy Spirit in interpret a foreign language you have never learned. Christians with this gift will be able to interpret what is being said when another person speaks in a language that is foreign to the setting.
  18. leading, ruling (Romans 12:8): This gift is the special ability to take charge of a body of people and lead it. Christians with this gift feel very comfortable in assuming leadership positions, even being burdened to do so. They are uncommonly clear minded and direction oriented. They quickly recognize problems and provide workable solutions. They don’t necessarily crave the spotlight, but they don’t mind standing in it.
  19. helps, helping, the ability to help others (1 Corinthians 12:28): This gift is the special ability to effectively perform simplistic acts of service that others might consider trivial. Christians with this gift notice little things that need to be done and enjoy doing them without recognition. Typically, they are unsung heroes.
  20. administrations, administrating, governments, managing, the ability to direct things (1 Corinthians 12:28): This gift is the special ability to excel in administrative matters. Christians with this gift are great at planning, scheduling, and organizing. They understand how to create the “nuts and bolts” that make any endeavor hum along efficiently.

Okay, there you have it, a listing of the 20 spiritual gifts the Bible specifically names. Now we need to turn our attention to asking and answering a very important question. That question is: “Does the Holy Spirit still impart all 20 of the spiritual gifts today?” And in my next post I’ll provide my answer. So, until then please stay tuned….

Posted in Discernment, Evangelism, Faith, Giving, God's Work, Individuality, Leadership, Mercy, Ministry, Pastors, Preaching, Sanctification, Seeking Advice, Series: "Spiritual Gifts", Service, Speaking in Tongues, Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Warfare, Teaching, The Holy Spirit | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments