The Christian Bible lists a variety of gifts the Holy Spirit bestows upon Christians. These are unique skills and abilities that enable them to serve God in ways that benefit others.
The gifts are described in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and other places throughout the New Testament. These blessings are meant to build up the Church until Christ’s return.
Apostles
The Bible describes the apostles as bearers of Jesus’ teachings, sent out to preach the gospel message and spread it throughout the world.
The term “apostel” comes from Greek apostolos, meaning “sent one.” It’s commonly used to refer to Jesus’ twelve original disciples whom He selected. But the term can also refer to an entire group of Christian teachers, evangelists and prophets.
In the first century, apostles were called upon to carry on Jesus’ ministry. Their task was to proclaim God’s intervention into creation to save humanity from their sin and offer forgiveness and reconciliation.
They were to accomplish this mission by preaching the gospel to everyone on earth (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:47-49; John 20:21-22; Acts 1:8-9). The apostles were sent into every corner of the globe to spread their message, and were equipped with special gifts to aid in their task.
These special gifts included direct revelation and healings, which served to confirm their authority as Christ’s representatives to the world. Some believe that these manifestations ceased once the canon of the New Testament was complete, the church established itself, and all of Christ’s apostles had passed away. The special gifts given to the twelve apostles were for the purpose of confirming their authority. The canon of Scripture is complete, there is no new revelation, therefore no need for direct revelation as a spiritual gift. Healing is a little less clear. To be certain, God still heals miraculously, whether men have the power to heal today is subject to some debate among theologians.
Peter, Paul, James and John are among the most renowned apostles in history. According to the New Testament writers, these men were eyewitnesses to Jesus Christ’s life, death and resurrection.
These writers penned many books and letters which became part of the Bible, a collection of ancient writings Christians believe was written by God and fully trustworthy. It has profoundly shaped our world and continues to inspire millions today.
Prophets
In the Bible, God designated certain individuals to be prophets. Their mission was to spread God’s Word and speak out against injustice, idolatry, and empty rituals. Additionally, prophets could predict events before they occurred and often encouraged people to repentance.
The Bible describes prophets as individuals with the Spirit of God within them and are able to speak God’s words. Some major prophets in the Bible include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel; all sharing a common role in interpreting God’s word and foretelling important events.
Many people mistakenly assume prophets possess some sort of supernatural powers and the ability to foretell the future. But this is not entirely accurate nor does the Bible view them this way.
One popular view of prophets is that they are great moral guides. This idea has been drawn from the Old Testament prophets, who often provided strong moral leadership on behalf of Israel.
But this does not fully capture the role of the Holy Spirit in prophecy. A prophet’s role is not to exert moral leadership; rather, they warn people about wrongdoing and urge them back into obedience to God’s Word.
Paul cautions Christians in the New Testament against false prophets who may use prophecy for spreading rumors or false teachings. He instructs them to test the spirits to see whether they come from God, as many false prophets have gone out into the world. Therefore, believers must test each individual who claims to be a prophet to confirm they truly speak from God’s Spirit.
Evangelists
Evangelism is the ability to spread the good news of Jesus Christ with others. This spiritual gift is listed in Scripture (Ephesians 4:11-12) as a blessing from the Holy Spirit.
An evangelist is a person who has been baptized and is gifted to spread the good news of Jesus to others. They often travel around the country, sharing the gospel message to those who have never heard it before.
The mission of an evangelist is to preach the gospel, urge repentance from sin, and urge those who have accepted Christ as their Savior to live according to His teachings. Additionally, they should appoint others who will work alongside them in spreading this knowledge among those yet unaware.
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, evangelism is one of the most essential and integral to Christian faith. Paul emphasizes this in his letter to the church at Ephesus, outlining both why evangelism is essential and how believers are equipped for it.
In iconography, Evangelists are typically depicted as tetramorphs – four winged creatures. These come from the four Cherubim that surround Christ’s throne in Ezekiel and appear in Revelation’s Apocalyptic vision. The shapes of these cherubim vary; some resemble men, lions, calfs and eagles (fig.1).
These four Cherubim are often associated with the authors of the Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Irenaeus bestowed upon these human authors the title of evangelists, which spread throughout early church teachings until its canonization in the fourth century.
Pastors (Shepherds)
The Bible often speaks of shepherds in various contexts. Aside from tending flocks of sheep, they serve as mentors and guides to others. Think about those in your life who serve as such shepherds – providing guidance and mentoring on appropriate actions in specific circumstances. They serve as examples for what to do next.
Sheep are often lost or found, so it’s essential for a responsible shepherd to keep them close by pastures or other safe locations. Additionally, regular watering of the sheep must be ensured; the best way to do this is by finding streams or other sources of running water or digging wells in wilderness areas where it will be easy for them to drink.
Shepherds must protect their flock from predators such as lions and bears. These animals can be cunning and elusive, so a wise shepherd will devise an effective strategy for safeguarding his herd from these dangers.
A wise shepherd must also watch out for wolves. Wolves are cunning creatures that can easily snare and devour a lamb or young sheep, so it’s important to stay alert at all times.
They can be incredibly dangerous, as they may attack from any direction and sneak up on the sheep. A wise shepherd will have a strategy for avoiding this from happening and remain alert at all times when there is potential risk present.
In the Old Testament, Israel’s leaders were not particularly good shepherds. This is one major reason why prophets looked forward to Jesus Christ returning as the true Shepherd – He will one day take His place as arch-shepherd over all God’s people.
Teachers
Teaching is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit which Christians can utilize. Biblical examples include Jesus and his apostles (Matthew 28:19; Acts 20:30).
A teacher is someone who instructs and guides others through God’s word. They may also assist students in understanding how to interpret and apply Scripture for themselves.
Teachers can be found in both religious institutions and secular workplaces. Many hold bachelor’s degrees related to education or a related field, while others possess master’s degrees.
The Bible commands Christians to impart what they have learned about God to their fellow man or woman. This responsibility comes with great privilege, but requires great humility and patience on the part of the teacher.
It also requires an intense commitment to study in order to become qualified to teach. It is common for Christians to assume the role of teacher without first investing significant effort into understanding their Bible so as to accurately and effectively convey its contents.
As a teacher, it is your role to serve as an example both for yourself and the students in your class or group. You can do this by affirming their experiences with God through candles or icons or searching the Scriptures for service challenges they might take up.
The Bible warns us of false teachers who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, deceiving believers and ultimately leading them to ruin. These individuals are commonly referred to as “false prophets” or “prophets of deception,” and the Bible strongly cautions us against them.
