The Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Church

God Distributes the Gifts

However, the fruit of the Spirit is the heritage of every true believer in Jesus, but the gifts of the Spirit are different. It is true, the fruit is begotten in our hearts by the Holy Spirit; such does not develop from any effort of our own. Such fruit belongs to every Christian; every child of God must reveal in his heart and life the fruit of righteousness and joy in the Holy Ghost. This is begotten by the indwelling of the Spirit of God. “For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. BSPC 92.2

The gifts of the Spirit come also from God, but in this case He distributes them according to His own good will and pleasure. He may choose a person to whom He gives one or more gifts, but to another individual in the church He may give other and different gifts. Not all have the same gifts. We may pray earnestly for specific gifts, but it is God who decides what gifts will be bestowed upon His waiting children. BSPC 92.3

This is made plain in the Scriptures of truth. Emphasis is laid on the fact that “God bath set some in the church” (1 Corinthians 12:28); that God bath “set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (verse 18); and that the Spirit divides “to every man severally as he will” (verse 11). Observe also the prepositions in the following verse: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit.” Verse 8. BSPC 92.4

We read that Christ, after He ascended to heaven, “gave gifts unto men.” (Ephesians 4:8.) Note the words of the apostle: BSPC 92.5

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” Verse 11. BSPC 92.6

“God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.” Hebrews 2:4. BSPC 92.7

In the Old Testament days also God sought to bring home to the hearts and minds of His servants that these special bestowments were His prerogative; hence, He called the prophets “my prophets.” (Psalm 105:15.) Furthermore, the Spirit that came upon these servants of the Most High was the “Spirit of Christ” (1 Peter 1:11); it was the “spirit of the Lord” (2 Samuel 23:2); it was the “Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). When the prophets testified, they did so because of “thy spirit” (Nehemiah 9:30), and God declared that it was “my spirit” (Isaiah 59:21) that was in them. BSPC 92.8