Spiritual gift facts for kids
In Christianity, spiritual gifts are special abilities or talents given to Christians. These gifts come from God and are meant to help people serve others and build up the Christian community. Every Christian is believed to have at least one of these gifts. They are described in the Bible, especially in the New Testament books of First Corinthians (chapter 12), Romans (chapter 12), and Ephesians (chapter 4). Some people believe these gifts were only active in the early days of Christianity, while others believe they are still present today.
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What Are Spiritual Gifts?
Spiritual gifts are like special tools or abilities that God gives to people who follow Jesus. They are not the same as natural talents, like being good at sports or music. Instead, they are supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit. These gifts are meant to help Christians do God's work on Earth.
Where Do We Learn About Them?
The main places in the Bible where spiritual gifts are discussed are:
- 1 Corinthians 12: This chapter explains that there are many different gifts, but they all come from the same Holy Spirit. It compares the church to a body, where each part (person with a gift) is important.
- Romans 12: This part of the Bible encourages Christians to use their gifts humbly and for the good of others.
- Ephesians 4: This section talks about how gifts help the church grow and become stronger, like a team working together.
Why Are Spiritual Gifts Given?
Spiritual gifts are given for several important reasons:
- To build up the church: They help the Christian community grow stronger and work together better.
- To serve others: Gifts are meant to be used to help and support other people, not just for personal benefit.
- To show God's love: When people use their gifts, it can show others how much God cares for them.
- To spread the Christian message: Some gifts help people share their faith more effectively.
Examples of Spiritual Gifts
The Bible lists many different spiritual gifts. They can often be grouped into categories based on how they are used.
Gifts of Speaking
These gifts involve communicating God's message or truth to others.
- Prophecy: This is the ability to speak God's message, often to encourage, comfort, or challenge people. It's not always about predicting the future.
- Teaching: The ability to explain the Bible clearly and help others understand Christian beliefs.
- Exhortation: This gift involves encouraging and motivating others to live out their faith.
- Tongues: The ability to speak in a language unknown to the speaker, often for prayer or worship.
- Interpretation of Tongues: The ability to understand and explain what is being said when someone speaks in tongues.
Gifts of Serving
These gifts involve practical help and support for others.
- Service/Helps: The ability to practically assist others, often behind the scenes, to meet their needs.
- Giving: The ability to share resources generously and cheerfully to support God's work and help others.
- Leadership/Administration: The ability to organize, guide, and motivate groups of people towards a common goal.
- Mercy: The ability to show deep compassion and kindness to those who are suffering or in need.
Gifts of Knowing
These gifts involve special understanding or insight.
- Wisdom: The ability to apply knowledge and understanding in a practical way, especially in difficult situations.
- Knowledge: The ability to understand and explain spiritual truths or facts.
- Discernment of Spirits: The ability to tell the difference between true and false spiritual messages or influences.
- Faith: An extraordinary trust in God, allowing someone to believe for things that seem impossible.
Gifts of Healing and Miracles
These gifts involve supernatural power.
- Healing: The ability to be used by God to restore health to people who are sick.
- Miracles: The ability to perform supernatural acts that go beyond natural laws.
Do Spiritual Gifts Still Exist Today?
There are different ideas among Christians about whether all these spiritual gifts are still active today.
- Some believe that certain gifts, like speaking in tongues, healing, and miracles, were mainly for the early church to help Christianity spread quickly. They think these "sign gifts" are not common anymore.
- Others believe that all spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible are still available and active today. They see these gifts as important for the church in every generation.
Many Christians agree that gifts like teaching, service, and leadership are definitely still present and important for the church today.
