Sarah Jo Austin

Faith: spiritual gifts & otherwise

July 3rd, 2006

Primary question: How is the faith God provides to every believer different from the spiritual gift of faith?

Faith: A belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving a commitment to his will for one’s life. Mere intellectual agreement is not merit for salvation (James 2.19–the demons believe in God). Genuine saving faith is a personal attachment to Christ: commitment to him and reliance on him.

1 Tim. 1.12: Because we know who we’ve put our faith in, we are able to remain faithful and obedient.
Eph. 2.8-9: We are saved by faith, not by works.
Gal. 2:16: We are not justified through the law but through faith in Christ.
Jude 3: We should fight for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Pistis (Greek: faith)

Rom. 12.3-8 talks more about “the proportion of faith.” Do we all get different amounts according to our spiritual gifts? Do those of us with the spiritual gift of faith just get a higher dosage? It seems that there should be a difference in these faiths. Maybe it’s just easier for us to know where God wants us and to hear his leading and to act on his leading.

How much are spiritual gifts aligned with someone’s personality? Do those with faith have an easier time discerning what is trustworthy and what isn’t? Do they have an easier time trusting people? Are they more cynical? Does having faith just make placing faith in God easier? What is the role of this gift within the church? What does it look like?

My pastor’s thoughts on spiritual gifts from Sunday:
Spiritual gift inventories can be dangerous because they can prevent us from meeting the needs in the church that fall outside of our gifts. They prevent us from stepping outside of our comfort zones. Spiritual gifts are not to esteem ourselves, but we often use them to do so. Instead, we are to use them to esteem God. Spiritual gifts can change as we grow spiritually.

Ideally, we need counsel from other godly people to help see our spiritual gifts. No matter what, we must offer ourselves to God and trust him with our lives, our gifts, and our talents.

Entry Filed under: jesus