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Here below is chapter 7 of a small book regarding spiritual gifts and callings. We encourage our readers to ponder this information with a mind as to how to utilize it for spiritual warfare unto the glory of our heavenly Father.
The book was written by a British-Israel minister, Rev. Rupert Thomas, in 1938.
We have not edited the material except for style—such as breaking up large paragraphs for legibility purposes on the two-inch screens of our modern electronic devices.
We have left the English spellings as written by the British author, such as in the word “energises.” The boldface and underlined portions indicate my emphases. Likewise, all comments in [brackets] are mine. However, italics are by the author, whether as found in the KJV or he himself added the italics for emphasis. QUOTE:
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are diversities of administrations, but the same Lord. There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; To another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. To another faith by the same Spirit; To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; To another prophecy; To another discerning of spirits; To another divers kinds of tongues; To another the interpretation of tongues; But to all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11.
There is a vital relationship between the exercise of the gifts of office and the gifts of the Spirit. Of a like supernatural nature, they have been arranged so that their combined exercise shall provide the greatest amount of ultimate blessing to and through the Church.
Not only are these gifts linked together in the latter part of 1 Corinthians 12: 28, but there is a clearly defined plan indicated in verses 4-6 of the same chapter.
There are diversities of gifts.
There are diversities of administrations.
There are diversities of operations.
God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, are each and all engaged in a responsibility for these branches of operation, for the fulfilment of the Divine purpose, in and through the Church.
The operations are the energisings of all in all, by God.
The ministries are the channels of administration, endowed by the reigning Lord. The gifts are the bounty of the energising Spirit, to enrich and equip all. God over all energises and works in and through all. The Lord, even Christ the Head of the Body, the Church, legislates through the offices. The Holy Ghost bestows, both upon those endowed with the gifts of office and upon the laity, from the least to the greatest, supernatural gifts.
Although for the sake of distinction the term “gifts of office” and “gifts of the Spirit” have been used, all of the gifts are by the operation of the Spirit of God.
While God is working in all that He may be all in all, the Son administers His Church and Kingdom through supernatural gifts of office, enhanced and supplemented by supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The one is not to substitute or supplant the other, but each to co-operate with the other for the edifying of the body of Christ, and the permeation of the nation with life.
With this in mind, let us now turn to a detailed definition of the individual gifts, and seek to understand their varied purposes.
(a) The Word of Wisdom
“To one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom.”
Defined, this gift provides the ability to receive a supernatural revelation upon the mind. The revelation will be concerning the person and character of God and His purposes toward mankind. It is the reception of wisdom which has not been gained by natural research.
Paul definitely repudiates the wisdom of this age (verse 2), yet in verse 6 he claims to speak in a wisdom that is enjoyed and understood by those who are spiritually full-grown or perfected. [We suggest this statement must be understood as relative “perfection,” for none of us can ever obtain full perfection until the resurrection into incorruptibility and immortality.]
It is the wisdom of God, says verse 7, a mystery, hidden wisdom, that existed and was ordained in the purpose of God before the world. It is a wisdom that none of the princes of learning of this world knew; it is a wisdom that reveals what eye hath not seen, what ear hath not heard; and that the heart of man could not discern.
“And I, brethren, when I came to you not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Which none of the princes of this world knew; for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he shall instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16.
In other words, it is a wisdom which could not have been obtained by human research. It is wisdom which, says verse 10, God hath revealed by the Spirit. It is a wisdom that is supernaturally revealed to the mind of man concerning the things of God.
The natural faculties of man can receive it only by a revelation of the Spirit of God, if those natural faculties come under the control, and are held in subjection to the Spirit of God.
The unique and outstanding example of the operation of this gift is seen in the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in His perfect humanity. That Paul and the other Apostles also received the gift appears from the Epistles in the New Testament.
(b) The Word of Knowledge
“To another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit”.
The word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation of facts not apparent to the human faculties at the time of the revelation. It is distinct from the word of Wisdom. Knowledge is the possession of facts. Wisdom is that which comes from the possession of facts.
To use a much-abused term, the “Word of Knowledge” is a gift which, at the time of its operation, imparts to its possessor a true and spiritual clairvoyance: [a real “woo woo” word in this era which almost wholly associated with pagan and/or “new age” practices, yet here we have explained that there is a genuine Christian clairvoyance.] the ability, by supernatural revelation, to know things that have or are taking place, when those things could not be perceived by the natural senses, either by reason of geographical distance, physical obstruction or time.
Thus, for example, the Lord demonstrated the gift in the case of Nathaniel in John 1:
“Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile,” said Jesus, and Nathaniel, surprised, asks, “whence knowest Thou me?” John 1: 47-48.
Jesus by His omniscience, through the gift of the word of knowledge, knew the thoughts and the intents of the heart of Nathaniel.
In the incident of John 4, this gift is seen to be similarly in operation. In that case, it disclosed facts concerning the past and the then present relationship of the woman of Samaria, so that, stranger though He was to the woman, to the town and to the district, He nevertheless could acquaint her with a correct statement concerning her five husbands.
Likewise in John 11, the Lord Jesus, though at a considerable distance from Bethany, knew exactly when Lazarus had died. (Verses 13-14.)
When the Temple tax was needed, He knew that just at the moment Peter should cast the hook into the sea there would be a fish there to take the bait; and that that particular fish had in its mouth the coin of sufficient value to pay the tax. Matthew 17: 24-27.
Again, as the Lord would have preparation made for His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the exercise of this gift is suggested by the wording of Matthew 21: 2. In a village into which He had not entered, and into which His disciples had not as yet entered, He knew, through the revelation bestowed by this gift and not through eyes or ears, that there in that village would be found an ass and the colt of an ass.
Yet again, when He would have the Passover prepared for Him, He sent ahead two of His disciples, saying to them:
“Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat. And they said unto Him, where wilt Thou that we prepare? And He said unto them, behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the good man of the house, the Master saith unto thee, where is the guest-chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished.” Luke 22: 8-12.
And His disciples went forth and came into the city and found even as He had said unto them. How did He know that, at that moment on that particular day, in that particular part of the city, there would be a man carrying a pitcher of water, met by His disciples?
How did He know that it would be that man and not another? How did He know that, being that man, the house to which he would lead would possess a large upper room? And yet again, that the good man of the house would receive Him and His disciples?
Is it not obvious that here was a supernatural knowledge of facts, and a mental vision of just what would take place when the disciples arrived.
[While the author’s use of this passage as an example of supernatural knowledge is a possibility, we would caution here that we believe there could be another explanation—wholly non-supernatural—which is simply not explained by the gospel writer. If memory serves, we suggested that non-supernatural explanation in one of our lectures, but we have not the time to look for it now.]
Peter, by the operation of the same gift of the word of knowledge, knew the facts pertaining to the deceit of Ananias and Sapphira. Again, Peter praying upon the housetop, knew by the Spirit that there were two men standing outside the gate.
It is not suggested that the nature of the knowledge revealed in the circumstances quoted is the only kind of knowledge revealed, but it is typical of the operation of this gift of the word of knowledge.
These instances go a long way to show that, by supernatural means, or by the possession of this supernatural gift, men had revealed to them both the conditions of the hearts of men, and also the actions of people in places and circumstances that could not be known by the exercise of their natural senses at the time.
(c) Dreams and Visions
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” Acts 2: 16-18. Joel 2: 28-32.
If careful consideration is given to the foregoing definitions of the “Word of Wisdom” and the “Word of Knowledge,” it will be seen that supernatural phenomena operating in dreams and their interpretation is an undefined combination of both the gifts of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge.
This undoubtedly seems to be the case in the experience of Joseph. The gift of the word of knowledge provided the supernatural revelation of the famine and its consequences. The gift of the word of wisdom provided, by supernatural revelation, such wisdom as made Joseph capable beyond others of dealing with the situation.
The simple history is just this: a king, through the channel of a dream, has a revelation of coming events. Here it might be asked: why a “dream”? A little digression to consider the possible reason of this may help.
If there is one thing more difficult than another with which God has to contend, when seeking to convey His mind to the average man and woman, it is the persistent and continual distraction of current events which occupy our conscious mind.
Thus, when the conscious mind is at rest, and is no longer subjected to the impressions of outward things, because the channels of the senses of the body are partially dormant, it is at such a time that God, by His Spirit, can make such impressions as He desires upon the subconscious mind, the vividness of which remains upon return to consciousness of outward things.
It is the vividness and completeness of such impressions, given by God, that establish them as distinct from those hazy muddled nightmares of the mind which so often go under the name of dreams and are largely due to psychological or physiological conditions.
Now let us return to the case in point. A man of God was discovered, one in whom the Spirit of God dwelt, and it was found that he was supernaturally possessed of that which, he repeatedly declared, only belonged to God. Genesis 40: 8; 41: 16. This man, Joseph, apprised of the dreams, had revealed to him, in a perfectly straightforward way, an interpretation of the symbolism of the king’s dreams, which interpretation involved a foreknowledge of coming events that would affect the kingdom of the king to whom the dream was given.
Moreover, subsequent upon the revelation of coming events and the difficulties which would be incurred by them, a supernatural wisdom was given to Joseph so to provide against them, that the wisdom displayed was unhesitatingly declared to be from God.
What is true of Joseph is equally true of Daniel and like characters, who displayed a power to reveal secret things which are alone in the hand of God. It should be obvious from this that dreams are a combination of both the gift of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge.
The prophecy of Joel concerning Israel in the days so imminently upon us, which had partial fulfilment at Pentecost, should in this connection be remembered.
“. . . I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. END QUOTE
(To be continued.)
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