Can the natural abilities of someone give an indication of what spiritual gifts they might receive?
Can the natural abilities of someone give an indication of what spiritual gifts they might receive?
Summary:
Spiritual gifts can be described as being given to those who are in Christ.
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List of spiritual gifts:
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Can the NATURAL ABILITIES of someone give an INDICATION of what SPIRITUAL GIFTS they might receive? Yes.
There is evidence that:
1) Spiritual gifts are given ACCORDING TO EACH PERSON'S OWN ABILITY.
2) People CAN be described as being set apart FROM THEIR MOTHER'S WOMB to be given later certain spiritual gifts. This may also imply having a NATURAL DISPOSITION to be able to carry a certain gift later.
3) It is possible for people to be described as BEING spiritual gifts, implying that THEIR NATURAL DISPOSITION WOULD BE INCLUDED.
4) People CAN be described as having DIFFERENT DEGREES OF ABILITIES in their spiritual gifts PROPORTIONAL TO THEIR NATURAL PREDISPOSITION.
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1) Spiritual gifts given according to their ability:
Spiritual gifts are given ACCORDING TO EACH PERSON'S OWN ABILITY.
There is evidence that people are expected to STEWARD their spiritual gifts.
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Spiritual gifts are expected to be stewarded:
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In a parable describing stewardship, Jesus said that what is given to the stewards is given according to their ability, as it is written: "he-gave five talents (to) one, and two (to) another, and one (to) another, (TO) EACH ACCORDING-TO (HIS) OWN ABILITY" (Matthew 25:15).
➔ Each servant's "OWN ABILITY" (Matthew 25:15) precedes in existence the giving of the gifts. This may imply that the master evaluates pre-existing intrinsic capacity before assigning the gifts.
2) Being set apart from the mother's womb to be given later certain spiritual gifts:
People CAN be described as being set apart FROM THEIR MOTHER'S WOMB to be given later certain spiritual gifts. This may also imply having a NATURAL DISPOSITION to be able to carry a certain gift later.
2) A) Jeremiah:
It is written about Jeremiah: "And the Word of YHWH was to me, saying, [...] EVEN BEFORE YOU CAME OUT OF THE WOMB, I consecrated you. I gave you to be a PROPHET to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:4-5). That is, ALREADY IN THE WOMB OF HIS MOTHER, Jeremiah was consecrated to become a prophet.
➔ Because a child is FORMED IN THE WOMB, this may also imply that THE FORMATION OF THAT CHILD'S ABILITIES may have been taken into account when consecrating him to become a prophet, such that the child may also have a NATURAL PREDISPOSITION to be given such a spiritual gift later.
2) B) Paul:
Paul wrote: "God, THE (ONE) HAVING-SEPARATED ME FROM MY MOTHER’S WOMB and having-called (me) through His grace, was-well-pleased to-reveal His Son in me IN-ORDER-THAT I-MIGHT-BE-ANNOUNCING HIM AS GOOD NEWS AMONG THE GENTILES" (Galatians 1:15-16). That is, ALREADY IN THE WOMB OF HIS MOTHER, Paul was separated to become an apostle who is announcing Jesus as good news among the Gentiles.
➔ Paul may have been formed as a child in the womb of his mother such that he also may have had a NATURAL PREDISPOSITION to be given such a spiritual gift later.
3) It is possible for people to be described as being spiritual gifts:
It is possible for people to be described as BEING spiritual gifts.
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Some people can be described as being spiritual gifts (apostles, prophets...):
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This may imply that THEIR NATURAL DISPOSITION WOULD BE INCLUDED, such that being that gift fits who they are.
4) Having different degrees of abilities in their spiritual gifts proportional to their natural predisposition:
People CAN be described as having DIFFERENT DEGREES OF ABILITIES in their spiritual gifts PROPORTIONAL TO THEIR NATURAL PREDISPOSITION.
For example, PETER probably had the spiritual gift of being a TEACHER.
Paul had the spiritual gift of being a "TEACHER" (1 Timothy 2:7), however Peter himself described that what Paul wrote contained things difficult to understand, implying a different degree in the ability to teach, as Peter wrote: "And be-regarding the patience (of) our Lord (to be) salvation, just-as also our beloved brother PAUL wrote (to) you ACCORDING-TO THE WISDOM HAVING-BEEN-GIVEN (TO) HIM, as also (he writes) in all (his) letters, speaking in them concerning these (things), in which (letters) are some (things) (HARD-)TO-UNDERSTAND" (2 Peter 3:15-16).
Paul himself said that before He was in Christ he was someone "HAVING-BEEN-TRAINED AT THE FEET (OF) GAMALIEL in-accordance-with (the) STRICTNESS (of) the Law (of my) ancestor" (Acts 22:3). Gamaliel was naturally a high level teacher, and Paul found himself to be trained by him. Also Paul had been finding himself to acquire knowledge in Greek literature, rhetorical devices and logical training. These were all a reflection of his natural abilities prior to coming to Christ, showing a NATURAL PREDISPOSITION for certain degree of teaching.
Peter had been a fisherman by trade, and had not been finding himself to function in a similar environment as Paul, as even the Jews recognized that: "observing the boldness (of) PETER and John, and having-understood that THEY-WERE UNEDUCATED AND UNTRAINED MEN, they-were-marveling. And they-were-recognizing them, that they-had-been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13). They did recognize his spiritual gift of teacher, as "they-were-marveling" (Acts 4:13) after he spoke, however they also recognized that prior to being given this spiritual gift Peter had been "UNEDUCATED AND UNTRAINED" (Acts 4:13), in contrast with Paul whom Peter himself recognized a certain wisdom had been given to Paul with things hard to understand, implying that there might have been degrees of abilities in their spiritual gifts PROPORTIONAL TO THEIR NATURAL PREDISPOSITION.
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