What is a "spiritual gift?"
"Gift"- charisma- "a supernatural endowment that has been graciously bestowed on those in Christ for the benefit of building up other believers."
This may be more properly understood as "grace gifts."
What We Have Learned About Spiritual Gifts So Far (1 Peter 4:10-11)
1. Each believer has received a gift (v.10a)
2. This gift is for serving other believers (v.10b)
3. We are to be good stewards of this gift (v.10c)
4. Spiritual gifts demonstrate the manifold grace of God among the Church (v.10d)
5. The first category of spiritual gifts is "speaking" (v.11a)
6. Those with "speaking" gifts are to use them as "speaking the utterances of God" (v.11b)
7. The second category of spiritual gifts is "serving" (v.11c)
8. Those with "serving" gifts are to use them as "serving by the strength that God supplies" (v.11d)
* #6 & #8 show that spiritual gifts must be done by faith, not by flesh.
9. God is glorified through our use of spiritual gifts that He has given us when they are used His way (v.11e)
What are the Implications of 1 Peter 4:10-11
1. Every believer has a gift; therefore every believer can serve!
2. By giving gifts, this means that God has plans for us- His will/good works- Eph 2:10
3. By giving gifts, His will/good works can only be accomplished by what He supplies. It's His way, done with His Word, and done in His power. We are simply the tools that He chooses to work through.
4. We are to be good stewards of these gifts- meaning that we must handle them well. Handling God's gifts God's way will be a major factor at the Judgment Seat of Christ -2 Cor 5:10.