I have a question about 1 Cor. 12. You are talking about growing in faith. What about the Spiritual gift of faith spoken of in verse 9? Is that only giving to certain believers as a special gift?

Beverly

Hello Beverly,

Thank you for your question. Many have pondered how this matter, with gifts for some and responsibilities for all, fits together.

The gifts mentioned in various passages cover both service gifts and vocational gifts, speaking gifts and non-speaking gifts. The Holy Spirit gives them as He sees fit to individuals for the edifying of the body. In that sense, only specifically gifted believers possess those gifts. Yet, when a particular gift is mentioned elsewhere in Scripture as something that every believer should apply (something not true of every gift), it shows God’s intention to use specially gifted individuals to inspire those without that gift to trust God in that area as well. This is a key matter to understand.

For example, some have the gift of giving, but every believer should give. The generosity of those with the gift of giving challenges us all. The point is for all of us to give as God leads, not to sit back and let those with the specific gift do all the giving. Others have the gift of mercy, but we should all be merciful. The same is true with faith. Some are gifted, but we all must live by faith. Those with the gift of faith stir us all with the possibilities of faith. Again, the point is for us all to respond to God in faith and not to sit back, letting only those with the gift of faith be the ones to exercise faith.

John

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