grace fellowship church gracedoctrine

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Churchwww.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Pastor / TeacherPastor / TeacherJames H. RickardJames H. Rickard

Thursday, Thursday, May 15, 2008May 15, 2008

Memory VerseMemory Verse 1 John 1:9, 1 John 1:9,

“If we confess our sins, He is “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all our sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness.”unrighteousness.”

The Upper Room The Upper Room DiscourseDiscourse

John 13-16; John 13-16;

John 13:16, John 13:16, Servant-hood, Pt.21Servant-hood, Pt.21

Doctrine of DOULOSDoctrine of DOULOSSlave, ServantSlave, Servant

G. The DOULOS must G. The DOULOS must exercise his spiritual gift.exercise his spiritual gift.

Doctrine of Spiritual GiftsDoctrine of Spiritual Gifts

9. The Permanent 9. The Permanent Spiritual Gifts in Spiritual Gifts in comparison to comparison to

General Service.General Service.

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherEvangelist - Administration Evangelist - Administration

Ministry/ServiceMinistry/ServiceHelps - ExhortationHelps - Exhortation

Giving - MercyGiving - MercyFaith - Word of WisdomFaith - Word of Wisdom

Word of KnowledgeWord of Knowledge

10. Principles regarding 10. Principles regarding Spiritual GiftsSpiritual Gifts..

a. A spiritual gift is not a a. A spiritual gift is not a place of service.place of service.

The gift is the ability, not The gift is the ability, not where that ability is used.where that ability is used.

b. A spiritual gift is not an b. A spiritual gift is not an office. office.

The gift is the ability and The gift is the ability and can be exercised whether can be exercised whether

one holds an office in a local one holds an office in a local church or not. church or not.

c. A spiritual gift is not a c. A spiritual gift is not a particular age group particular age group

ministry. ministry.

There is no gift of youth There is no gift of youth work, or children’s work, work, or children’s work,

etc.etc.

d. A spiritual gift is not a d. A spiritual gift is not a special technique.special technique.

There is no spiritual gift of There is no spiritual gift of writing or Christian writing or Christian education or music.education or music.

e. A spiritual gift is e. A spiritual gift is different from a natural different from a natural

talent. talent.

Your talent may or may not Your talent may or may not serve the body of Christ, serve the body of Christ,

while a spiritual gift does.while a spiritual gift does.

ff. We are all commanded . We are all commanded to use our giftto use our gift, 1 Peter 4:10, , 1 Peter 4:10, therefore learning what your therefore learning what your

gift is will equip you to gift is will equip you to serve in your gift.serve in your gift.

1 Peter 4:10,1 Peter 4:10,“As each one has received a “As each one has received a specialspecial gift, employ it in gift, employ it in

serving one another as good serving one another as good stewards of the manifold stewards of the manifold

grace of God.”grace of God.”

g. The Abuse of Spiritual g. The Abuse of Spiritual Gifts. Gifts.

Reversionism and apostasy Reversionism and apostasy seek to perpetuate temporary seek to perpetuate temporary

spiritual gifts beyond the spiritual gifts beyond the closing of the canon in 96 AD. closing of the canon in 96 AD.

Tongues was removed Tongues was removed according to 1 Cor 13:8-10.according to 1 Cor 13:8-10.

Tongues was removed Tongues was removed according to 1 Cor 13:8-10.according to 1 Cor 13:8-10.

Healing was removed, Healing was removed,

comparing Acts 19:11-12 comparing Acts 19:11-12 with Phil 2:27; 2 Tim 4:20 with Phil 2:27; 2 Tim 4:20

and James 5:14.and James 5:14.

The Corinthians were taking The Corinthians were taking the spiritual gift of tongues the spiritual gift of tongues

and magnifying it out of and magnifying it out of proportion and calling it proportion and calling it

spirituality, that is why Paul spirituality, that is why Paul wrote 1 Cor 12-14. wrote 1 Cor 12-14.

There is nothing in the There is nothing in the Christian life apart from the Christian life apart from the

filling of the Holy Spirit filling of the Holy Spirit producing divine love in the producing divine love in the

life of the believer. life of the believer.

Heb 1:1-2; 2:1-4 tell us the Heb 1:1-2; 2:1-4 tell us the canon is complete as the final canon is complete as the final Word of God for the Church Word of God for the Church Age. Therefore, once written, Age. Therefore, once written,

the need for the early the need for the early communication gifts was no communication gifts was no

longer necessary. longer necessary. Cf. John 17:4, 8; 15:15bCf. John 17:4, 8; 15:15b

1 Cor 13:8-10 compared 1 Cor 13:8-10 compared with James 1:25 tells us the with James 1:25 tells us the

Bible is the “perfect”.Bible is the “perfect”.

James 1:25, James 1:25, “But one who looks intently “But one who looks intently at the at the perfect lawperfect law, the , the lawlaw of of liberty, and abides by it, not liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful having become a forgetful

hearer but an effectual doer, hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in this man will be blessed in

what he does.”what he does.”

Therefore, the temporary Therefore, the temporary gifts were discontinued gifts were discontinued between 70-100 AD.between 70-100 AD.

11. Summary:11. Summary:

a. a. Spiritual GiftSpiritual Gift: A : A supernatural endowment of supernatural endowment of

the Holy Spirit whereby the Holy Spirit whereby every Christian is every Christian is

empowered to perform a empowered to perform a certain function, which certain function, which edifies the Church and edifies the Church and

glorifies God.glorifies God.Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4ffRom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12:4ff

b. b. Specific ServiceSpecific Service: : That unique service / That unique service /

ministry for which each ministry for which each Christian has been gifted Christian has been gifted and to which he or she is and to which he or she is

called. Rom 12:6-8; called. Rom 12:6-8; Col 4:17; 2 Tim 4:5.Col 4:17; 2 Tim 4:5.

c. c. General ServiceGeneral Service: : The commands regarding The commands regarding

the obligations to serve for the obligations to serve for which all Christians are which all Christians are

responsible, regardless of responsible, regardless of gift or calling.gift or calling.

Rom 12:9-15; Gal 6:2-10Rom 12:9-15; Gal 6:2-10

d. Romans chapter 8 gives d. Romans chapter 8 gives great encouragement to the great encouragement to the servant of God to be bold in servant of God to be bold in his discipleship, exercising his discipleship, exercising his spiritual gift, not being his spiritual gift, not being

held under slavery to sin, but held under slavery to sin, but living in the freedom of the living in the freedom of the

Royal Family of God.Royal Family of God.

Grace Fellowship ChurchThursday, May 15, 2008

Tape # 08-035

Servanthood, Part 21 The DOULOS Must Exercise his

Spiritual Gifts, Part 11Upper Room Discourse, Pt 177

John 13:16; 1 Cor 13:8-10; James 1:25; Heb 1:1-2; 2:1-4

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008