The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
A Sermon on Spiritual Gifts
Originally preached Oct. 29, 1954
Scripture
Sermon Description
What are spiritual gifts and how does a Christian determine their spiritual gift? In this sermon on spiritual gifts, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones takes the listener through this topic as he preaches on Scripture’s teachings regarding spiritual gifts. These are extraordinary powers that separate Christians from one another and enable them to serve effectively in different ways across the church. Spiritual gifts are not a blessing that some Christians receive— they are promised to all believers. One myth is that the ability of one’s gift is related to its possessor’s spiritual maturity. Dr. Lloyd-Jones takes great pains to dispel this myth and to show that not only do the gifts differ widely from each other, but that they are not determined by the level of one’s spirituality. Theologians for centuries have argued over which gifts were only for the early church, which gifts exist in the church across its existence, and even if any spiritual gifts are still in existence today. Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides a helpful commentary and discussion on these questions, showing the difference between natural gifts and supernatural gifts. What about the unforgivable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit? Listen carefully as he unwraps this and more in this sermon on the Holy Spirit and His spiritual gifts to the church.
Sermon Breakdown
- Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit and are distinct from natural gifts. They are not a heightening of natural gifts.
- Spiritual gifts are given sovereignly by the Holy Spirit according to His will. He decides who receives which gifts and when.
- Every Christian is given at least one spiritual gift.
- Spiritual gifts differ in value. Some are more important than others.
- All spiritual gifts must be used in love. Gifts alone do not determine a person's spirituality.
- No one gift must be possessed by all Christians or is evidence of the Holy Spirit.
- Some spiritual gifts like apostleship, prophecy, healing, miracles, discerning spirits, and tongues were temporary for the early church.
- The early church lost these temporary gifts after the apostles died. This was not due to decreased spirituality. Spirituality and gifts do not always correspond.
- God can still work miracles and answer prayer supernaturally even without the temporary gifts.
- The gift of apostleship was foundational and not meant to continue. Apostles are not repeated.
- The gift of prophecy provided revelation before the New Testament was written. It is no longer needed now that Scripture is complete.
- The gift of healing allowed people to directly heal others instantly. This gift ended with the apostles though God still heals in answer to prayer.
- The gift of miracles allowed people to perform miracles directly. This gift ended with the apostles though God still performs miracles.
- The gift of discerning spirits allowed people to discern the spirits influencing others. This gift ended with the apostles.
- The gift of tongues allowed people to speak in unlearned human languages or in ecstatic utterance. This gift ended with the apostles. Not all Christians spoke in tongues. Tongues were meant to be interpreted and used orderly.
- Permanent spiritual gifts include wisdom, knowledge, teaching, serving, administration, evangelism, pastoring, exhortation, and faith.
- The gift of faith is a special ability to trust God in extraordinary ways, as seen in George Muller and Hudson Taylor. It is not the same as saving faith which all Christians have.
- Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is attributing the work of the Spirit to Satan and rejecting Christ with no desire for repentance. Those worried they have committed this sin clearly have not.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers about Spiritual Gifts According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
What is the difference between natural gifts and spiritual gifts according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, spiritual gifts are entirely different from natural gifts. He emphasizes that spiritual gifts are "something separate from and distinct from natural gifts." They are not simply a "heightening of a natural gift" that a person already possesses. Rather, they are "something new and special and different which is given to us by the Holy Spirit directly." These gifts (charismata) are bestowed directly by the Holy Spirit in a sovereign manner and are not extensions of our natural abilities.
How does the Holy Spirit distribute spiritual gifts according to the sermon?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones stresses that spiritual gifts are bestowed by the Holy Spirit in a sovereign manner. He points to 1 Corinthians 12:11, which states that the Spirit works "dividing to every man severally, as he will." This means the Holy Spirit decides: - To whom to give the gifts - What particular gift to give to each person - When to give particular gifts
The sovereignty of the Spirit in this distribution is a key principle in understanding spiritual gifts, as it is entirely the Spirit's prerogative, not ours.
Does every Christian receive a spiritual gift according to Lloyd-Jones?
Yes, Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that each Christian is given and has some gift. He bases this on 1 Corinthians 12:7: "But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal." He also points to the apostle's analogy of the church as a human body, where every member has a specific function, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Lloyd-Jones concludes that "every true member of the body of Christ, every true Christian who has been baptized into the body of Christ by this one spirit, has some particular spiritual gift."
According to the sermon, do all spiritual gifts have equal value?
No, Dr. Lloyd-Jones clearly states that "the gifts that are given differ in value." He references how Paul ranks the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:28: "And God has set some in the church. First apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers. After that, miracles..." He also points to 1 Corinthians 14:5 which states that "greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues," and how Paul would rather speak five intelligible words than 10,000 in an unknown tongue. Lloyd-Jones notes that the positions assigned to various gifts in Paul's lists are intentional and indicate their relative importance.
What does Lloyd-Jones teach about the relationship between spiritual gifts and love?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that "all gifts or any gifts, must always be used in love." Referencing 1 Corinthians 13, he notes that even the most impressive spiritual gifts are worthless without love. He makes the important point that "you should never estimate or judge a man's spirituality solely in terms of the gifts that he possesses" because "a man may have a remarkable gift, and yet he may be failing in certain respects." Ultimately, gifts are "of no value to us, and we shall not profit by them unless we do use them in love."
Which spiritual gifts does Lloyd-Jones consider temporary and which ones permanent?
According to Lloyd-Jones, temporary gifts include: - Apostleship - Prophecy (both foretelling and forth-telling) - Gift of healing (direct, immediate healing) - Gift of miracles - Discerning spirits - Gift of tongues
Permanent gifts include: - Word of wisdom - Word of knowledge - Gift of teaching - Gift of ministering and helps - Gift of administrations and governments - Gift of evangelism - Gift for the pastorate - Gift of exhortation - Special gift of faith (like that of George Müller)
What is Lloyd-Jones' view on the gift of tongues?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones sees the gift of tongues as a temporary gift that was especially relevant in the apostolic era. He discusses the debate about whether the tongues in Acts (chapters 2, 10, and 19) are the same as those in 1 Corinthians 12-14. While some believe Acts describes actual foreign languages and Corinthians describes ecstatic utterances, Lloyd-Jones is inclined to see them as essentially the same phenomenon, with the difference being in their perfection and interpretation.
He emphasizes that the gift of tongues is: - Not meant for all believers (as Paul asks, "Do all speak with tongues?") - Always placed last in Paul's lists of gifts - Must be controlled and orderly, as "God is not the author of confusion"
What does Lloyd-Jones teach about the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost?
While not strictly part of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, Lloyd-Jones addresses this concern for those troubled by it. He explains that the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost involves: - Deliberately rejecting Christ - Glorying in that rejection - Possibly attributing Christ's powers to the devil (as the Pharisees did)
He offers this reassurance: "If you are troubled about it, you can be absolutely certain that you're not guilty of it." The very desire to be right with God proves one has not committed this sin, as those who have committed it are "happy... gloating in it... glorying in it... proud of their rejection."
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.