Gifts
This time of the year people are looking for gifts, but they already have available to
them the best gift of all. This gift is an everlasting gift, good for today and also for
the future. This gift is the gift of Jesus Christ which God the Father made available
to all. You see God doesn’t want any to perish, but that all would come to the
knowledge of the truth. A gift is only good when it is received. Some people get
gifts and put them into a drawer or closet and never use them.
Gifts – the act of bestowing a favor or an item on another person without expecting
anything in return. The purpose of a gift may be to honor (Daniel 2:48) “then the
king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts and made him ruler
over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men
of Babylon”. Or simply to bestow favor or help (Esther 9:22), the Jews were so
happy that the plan of Mordecai was spoiled that they made a feast and sent gifts
one to another, and gifts to the poor.
God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:5,17), Matthew 7:9-11
explains if we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more
shall our heavenly Father give good gifts to them that ask. We all know John 3:16
“for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life”. God’s plan of
redemption is for all men, whosoever will except Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Savior (John 1:12) “but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name”. When we think that God
gave us this gift even while we were still sinner (Ephesians 2:5) “even when we were
dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved)” and
verse 8-9 says “for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it
is the gift of God, not of works, less any man should boast”. Our salvation is based
only on the finished work of Christ. When the Bible says “God so loved” He loved us
so much, and not wanting any to perish, put all the obligations upon Jesus to
redeem mankind. That gift is the only perfect gift, that could be given. After giving
this perfect gift, God still gives us many gifts Romans 8:32 says “He that spared not
His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely
give us all things”. II Corinthians 9:15 “thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift”.
The Bible tells us in Ephesians 1:3 “blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ”, again in Psalms 37:4-5 “trust in the Lord Yahweh, and do good, so shall you
dwell in the land, and verily you shall be fed. Delight yourself also in the Lord
Yahweh and He shall give you the desires of your heart”. God warns the Israelites
“But you shall remember the Lord Yahweh your God for it is He that gives you power
to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swear to your fathers, as
it is this day. And it shall be, if you do at all forget the Lord Yahweh your God and
walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them. I testify against you this
day that you shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord Yahweh destroys
before your face, so shall you perish, because you would not be obedient to the
voice of the Lord Yahweh your God” (Deuteronomy 8:18-20).
Spiritual gifts are special gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon Christians for the
purpose of building up the church. The list of spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12:8-19
includes wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits,
speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Similar lists appear in
Ephesians 4:7-13 and Romans 12:3-8. The service of each Christian should be in
proportion to the gifts that person possesses. Since these gifts are gifts of grace
according to Paul, their use must be controlled by the principle of love, the greatest
of all spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 13). The Christian’s gifts to God should not be
bribes to obtain His favor, but grateful responses to what He has done in our lives.
We are to give (Luke 6:30,38), “for God’s loves a cheerful giver” (II Corinthians 9:
27). Giving itself can be thought of as a gift from God. “having then gifts differing
according to the grace that’s given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophecy
according to the proportion of faith. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering or he
that teaches on teaching. Or he that exhorts, on exhortation, he that gives, let him
do it with simplicity, he that rules, with diligence, he that shows mercy with
cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cling to
that which is good” (Romans 12:6-9).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: December 12, 2006