One Body: It's Life And Service
DAY 4
Gifts in the Body
Read Romans 12:1-8 and 1 Peter 1:13-16.
When you became a Christian, God gave you one or more spiritual gifts to enable you to do the things He wanted you to begin doing immediately as a member of the body of Christ. Some of the gifts God gives are listed in the passage from Romans that you just read. Others are listed in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-18,28-30. What an impressive list! And we probably shouldn’t consider this a complete list by any means.
You’ve already studied most of these verses since you began Survival Kit. Take time to review Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-18,28-30 now. As you do, list gifts God may have given you at the time you became a Christian.
How many of those gifts did you list? Did you notice giving and serving in the lists of gifts you reviewed? I think you could probably add both of these to the list you made if you haven’t already listed them. I wouldn’t definitely say that you received these two gifts. But I think it would be reasonable for God to give every new Christian the ability to give and serve in some way.
Your most effective use of the gifts God gives you depends on your understanding several important truths about spiritual gifts. Let’s look at those truths now.
GOD HAS GIVEN YOU SPIRITUAL GIFTS. We examined this truth in yesterday’s study.
GOD ADDS GIFTS AS YOU MATURE SPIRITUALLY. Although you received spiritual gifts at the moment you became a Christian, you didn’t receive every gift that God would ever give you. Because some gifts require a higher level of spiritual maturity, they aren’t given until you reach that level.
If you’re a new Christian, you shouldn’t be concerned because you don’t have gifts you see in other Christians. You should concentrate on your Christian growth and spiritual maturity. Be patient, trust God’s wisdom, and in due time He will give you the additional gifts you need to function in the body as He wishes.
Here’s the way it works. If you’ve been a Christian for several years, you’ll probably recognize this as a description of your own experience.
• You continue growing as a Christian and maturing spiritually.
• Your spiritual growth brings you to a level of spiritual maturity where you can assume more responsibility in the body of Christ and perform more difficult tasks.
• God leads you to assume the responsibility or undertake the task, and He gives you the additional gifts as you need them.
If you’ve been a Christian for several years, you should probably be able to identify additional gifts God has given you as you matured spiritually and were able to assume additional responsibilities in the body.
If you can identify gifts God has given you in addition to the ones He gave you when you became a Christian, list two or more of them here.
A SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY TO RECEIVING GIFTS.
Read Romans 12:1-3 again to understand what obedience requires. Here are five key words or phrases from those verses. Look for them as you read.
1. “Transformed”
2. “Conformed”
3. “Sacrifice”
4. “Think of himself more highly”
5. “Will of God”
In the passage you read, two of the five key words or phrases are used to state what you must not do if you’re obedient to your Lord. The other three state what you must do.
Briefly record those five statements, using the five key words or phrases.
What you must not do:
What you must do:
Now use this example to check what you’ve recorded.
What you must not do:
• Be conformed to this world.
• Think of yourself too highly.
What you must do:
• Give yourself as a living sacrifice.
• Be transformed by the indwelling Christ.
• Do the will of God.
First Peter 1:13-16 also speaks of obedience. Read those verses now. In verse 14 what does obedience call you to turn from?
I am called to turn from my __________
, which are caused by my former state of __________
.
You may have recorded “lusts” or “desires” or “passions,” depending on what Bible translation you’re using. All of these, according to verse 14, were caused by your former state of ignorance.
Now you’re no longer ignorant. The indwelling Christ helps you know the will of God. As a member of the one body of Christ, the church, you’re learning more and more of what Christ wants you to be and do.
The same key word appears four times in 1 Peter 1:15-16. Locate that key word and record it here.
Why would holy living be important to someone who has been entrusted with spiritual gifts?
Can you imagine how terrible it would be if someone tried to pervert God’s gifts by using them in unholy ways?
As a part of your quiet time today, meditate on Romans 12:1-3.
Remember, you can find my suggestions for meditating on Scripture here. As you meditate, focus on areas of your life in which you’re struggling to obediently conform to God’s will. Can you list reasons you’re struggling?
Is God’s call to obedience challenging some of your values or priorities? If so, list them here.
Now it’s time to check up. Today is the ninth day you’ve studied your Survival Kit. Write the number of days in those two weeks when you’ve had a quiet time, including prayer and Bible study.
Tomorrow you’ll conclude your study of “One Body” by looking at the body of Christ from a slightly different viewpoint.
Gifts in the Body
Read Romans 12:1-8 and 1 Peter 1:13-16.
When you became a Christian, God gave you one or more spiritual gifts to enable you to do the things He wanted you to begin doing immediately as a member of the body of Christ. Some of the gifts God gives are listed in the passage from Romans that you just read. Others are listed in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-18,28-30. What an impressive list! And we probably shouldn’t consider this a complete list by any means.
You’ve already studied most of these verses since you began Survival Kit. Take time to review Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-18,28-30 now. As you do, list gifts God may have given you at the time you became a Christian.
How many of those gifts did you list? Did you notice giving and serving in the lists of gifts you reviewed? I think you could probably add both of these to the list you made if you haven’t already listed them. I wouldn’t definitely say that you received these two gifts. But I think it would be reasonable for God to give every new Christian the ability to give and serve in some way.
Your most effective use of the gifts God gives you depends on your understanding several important truths about spiritual gifts. Let’s look at those truths now.
GOD HAS GIVEN YOU SPIRITUAL GIFTS. We examined this truth in yesterday’s study.
GOD ADDS GIFTS AS YOU MATURE SPIRITUALLY. Although you received spiritual gifts at the moment you became a Christian, you didn’t receive every gift that God would ever give you. Because some gifts require a higher level of spiritual maturity, they aren’t given until you reach that level.
If you’re a new Christian, you shouldn’t be concerned because you don’t have gifts you see in other Christians. You should concentrate on your Christian growth and spiritual maturity. Be patient, trust God’s wisdom, and in due time He will give you the additional gifts you need to function in the body as He wishes.
Here’s the way it works. If you’ve been a Christian for several years, you’ll probably recognize this as a description of your own experience.
• You continue growing as a Christian and maturing spiritually.
• Your spiritual growth brings you to a level of spiritual maturity where you can assume more responsibility in the body of Christ and perform more difficult tasks.
• God leads you to assume the responsibility or undertake the task, and He gives you the additional gifts as you need them.
If you’ve been a Christian for several years, you should probably be able to identify additional gifts God has given you as you matured spiritually and were able to assume additional responsibilities in the body.
If you can identify gifts God has given you in addition to the ones He gave you when you became a Christian, list two or more of them here.
A SPIRIT OF OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY TO RECEIVING GIFTS.
Read Romans 12:1-3 again to understand what obedience requires. Here are five key words or phrases from those verses. Look for them as you read.
1. “Transformed”
2. “Conformed”
3. “Sacrifice”
4. “Think of himself more highly”
5. “Will of God”
In the passage you read, two of the five key words or phrases are used to state what you must not do if you’re obedient to your Lord. The other three state what you must do.
Briefly record those five statements, using the five key words or phrases.
What you must not do:
What you must do:
Now use this example to check what you’ve recorded.
What you must not do:
• Be conformed to this world.
• Think of yourself too highly.
What you must do:
• Give yourself as a living sacrifice.
• Be transformed by the indwelling Christ.
• Do the will of God.
First Peter 1:13-16 also speaks of obedience. Read those verses now. In verse 14 what does obedience call you to turn from?
I am called to turn from my __________
, which are caused by my former state of __________
.
You may have recorded “lusts” or “desires” or “passions,” depending on what Bible translation you’re using. All of these, according to verse 14, were caused by your former state of ignorance.
Now you’re no longer ignorant. The indwelling Christ helps you know the will of God. As a member of the one body of Christ, the church, you’re learning more and more of what Christ wants you to be and do.
The same key word appears four times in 1 Peter 1:15-16. Locate that key word and record it here.
Why would holy living be important to someone who has been entrusted with spiritual gifts?
Can you imagine how terrible it would be if someone tried to pervert God’s gifts by using them in unholy ways?
As a part of your quiet time today, meditate on Romans 12:1-3.
Remember, you can find my suggestions for meditating on Scripture here. As you meditate, focus on areas of your life in which you’re struggling to obediently conform to God’s will. Can you list reasons you’re struggling?
Is God’s call to obedience challenging some of your values or priorities? If so, list them here.
Now it’s time to check up. Today is the ninth day you’ve studied your Survival Kit. Write the number of days in those two weeks when you’ve had a quiet time, including prayer and Bible study.
Tomorrow you’ll conclude your study of “One Body” by looking at the body of Christ from a slightly different viewpoint.