While I absolutely affirm the necessity of being true to
what any and every verse of Scripture says, and keeping everything in every
layer of context, I also believe that the Holy Spirit’s work is to apply
specific truths of Scripture to our hearts each day, expressing whatever the
Father has set out to do in our lives for our good and his glory.[1]
Today’s portion, if you will, revolves around my continued
meditation on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual gifts. I was
reminded of the necessity of keeping our focus on the assurance of our
salvation, not the experience of our spiritual gifts.
One thing I had to examine was the whole area that God gives
grace to each person for whatever he decides is their spiritual gifts. Paul
said that we are to, “think with sober
judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”[2] Instead
of measuring ourselves by whatever God is doing in others, we are to look to “the measure of faith” God has given us
for our specific area of service in the church. Are we doing the good works God
has prepared beforehand for us to do according to the measure of faith he has
given us to do those good works?[3]
Paul then added, “Having
gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them”,[4]
and then gives examples of what that looks like.[5] The
gifts, and the grace to use the gifts, come from God, and we use those gifts as
those who “work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to
work for his good pleasure.”[6]
I cannot compare or contrast my ministry to another man’s
ministry because I cannot discern whether others are being faithful to their
grace and gifting, only whether I am being faithful to my gift of grace and my
spiritual gifts.
In other words, there is no way to discern that one person
is better than another based on the perceived fruitfulness of their ministry. Whether
a pastor of worldwide renown is more faithful than myself cannot be measured by
the numbers of people he influences for the kingdom contrasted with the few
that I influence for the kingdom. Only God knows if that man is keeping in step
with what the Spirit is doing in him, and whether I am keeping in step with
what the Spirit is doing in me. Externals (like numbers), do not tell the story
(although the Spirit’s work may at times be evident by the numbers that respond,
as in 3,000 people added to the church on the Day of Pentecost).[7]
Two pictures then stood side-by-side in horrifying contrast.
The first picture was those Jesus referred to in this way:
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7)
In relation to our home church’s present study regarding
spiritual gifts, the message seems clear, that we cannot look at any
effectiveness, or experience, of spiritual gifts, as proof that we are saved.
We must avoid the temptation to settle our worth to God by how effective we
appear to be in using spiritual gifts.
The second picture was this:
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7)
In this case, a great numberless multitude stands before the
throne of God in full appropriation of their salvation. What stands out is that
they do not cry out with a list of things they did in Jesus’ name, but with a
joyful expression of praise to God for the salvation that belongs to God and to
the Lamb, not to any of the redeemed.
In other words, our assurance of salvation is in our
experience of salvation that is by grace through faith, not of any works
whatsoever, including anything that fits the profile of spiritual gifts.[8]
Here is what stood out as a reminder of the Holy Spirit’s
role in assuring us of our salvation, leading to our freedom to engage with him
in the use and experience of our spiritual gifts:
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8)
Our hope is in the Holy Spirit, not in our spiritual gifts.
The Holy Spirit leads us to Christ, and Christ leads us to the Father, and the
Father applies all the spiritual blessings that were ordained for all believers
from before the foundation of the world.[9]
As I considered this glorious hope that is applied and
assured through the Holy Spirit, one other thing stood out in this passage:
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (I Peter 1)
What stood out was the expression, “are being guarded THROUGH FAITH for a salvation that is ready to be
revealed in the last time.” The work of the Holy Spirit is to guard us by
keeping us living by faith in Jesus Christ. We have already looked at this as a
significant component of our divinely powered spiritual weapons.[10]
We must welcome the ministry of the Spirit to guard us through keeping faith
alive, so to speak, which will also keep us expressing our faith in the use of
spiritual gifts in ministry.
I hope the weaving together of these truths of Scripture
help each of us feel the assurance of our salvation that comes through the Holy
Spirit bearing witness with our spirits that we are the children of God now and
forever. If that is our assurance, we can also set out with confidence to
express whatever gifts of grace the Spirit has administered to us, according to
the measure of faith that matches the calling placed on us through our gifts.
© 2016 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
[1]
This is why we often hear believers say that they suddenly saw something new in
a Scripture they had read many times. That “something new” is the Spirit’s
ministry to us, drawing our attention to a specific color of the spectrum in
that particular expression of light from God’s word. Or, more simply put, it is
the Spirit choosing the lesson for that day that applies to whatever God is
doing in our lives that day.
[2]
Romans 12:3
[3]
Ephesians 2:10
[4]
Romans 12:6
[5]
Romans 12:6-8
[6]
Philippians 2:12-13
[7]
One of my role models in this is Charles Spurgeon who was visibly prominent in
the growth of the kingdom of God during the 1800’s. He has often been hailed as
“the prince of preachers” based on the effectiveness of his ministry. However,
when asked about his exceptional fruitfulness, he directed attention to a room
in the basement of the church-building were a couple of hundred people would be
in prayer while he was doing his ministry. He also had a distinctive ministry
to a host of nameless men who were the “village preachers” in the small
communities that dotted the countryside. He would print out the outlines to his
sermons and distribute them to these men who had to work long and hard hours at
some occupation to earn a living for their families, but also ministered to
their small congregations of people wherever they were located. As I understand
it, Spurgeon saw no difference between himself and them even though the world
continues to read his resources, while not knowing any of the men he considered
his brothers in ministry (this is the way I understood what I was reading about
these things wherever I was reading them!).
[8]
Ephesians 2:8-9
[9]
Ephesians 1:3-14
[10]
II Corinthians 10:4
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