Essay About Spiritual Gifts And Fruit Of The Spirit

Pneumatology: Spiritual Gifts
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While on Facebook the other night I received a message from a friend
I hadnt seen since high school. He said he notices that one of my
interests is systematic theology. He asks me what I think about spiritual
gifts, especially the issue of speaking in tongues that is being debated in
his home church. I tell him sure then I go into it.
Spiritual Gifts are gifts that are given to believers by
God that enable them to complete the jobs that He has called them to
perform. Spiritual gifts differ from the Fruit of the Spirit in that
everyone can possesses each Fruit of the Spirit but God gives Spiritual
Gifts according to your service in the church and in the body of Christ.
You need to possess specific Spiritual Gifts in order to operate in
specific ministries. Spiritual Gifts reflect your maturity level in the
things of Christ. Spiritual gifts are not without purpose. Spiritual gifts
are divinely given by God to Christians (those who already have the
indwelling of the Spirit within them) to bring about edification. They are
also a corroborating force to the claims made by the Apostles and Christ
Himself (Elewell, 2001).
The gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit are both bestowed by
God, yet they are distinct in their purpose and presentation. The gifts of
the Spirit have a specific purpose; to prove a claim and to offer evidence
of the Holy Spirits presence. The fruits of the Spirit are not for proof,
but rather are evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God in the
believer. The fruits of the Spirit are reflective of the character of God;
the gifts are reflective of the power and presence of God. Both of these
ultimately provide the same outcome, they are for edification and the
glory of God.