Spiritual gifts such as prophets, teachers... are distinct from offices like overseers, deacons

Summary:

1) The Bible describes that apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers ARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 

2) The Bible mentions overseers and deacons and describes them in terms that can be attributed to OFFICES. 

3) There is evidence that spiritual gifts such as prophets, teachers... can be DISTINCT from offices like overseers, deacons. For example:

3) A) The spiritual gifts such as prophets, teachers... CAN BE DESCRIBED GRAMMATICALLY AS DISTINCT in several passages from overseers, deacons. 

3) B) The spiritual gifts are for a GLOBAL audience, the offices are for a LOCAL audience.

3) C) The spiritual gifts are given BY GRACE IN A SOVEREIGN MANNER, the offices are APPOINTED BASED ON A CHECKLIST AND DESIRE.

3) D) The spiritual gifts can be described as BEING TESTED SYSTEMATICALLY, while the offices are only TESTED BEFORE STARTING THE OFFICE. 

You can find more details below:

1) Apostles, prophets... are spiritual gifts:

The Bible describes that apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers ARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS. 

For more information:

List of spiritual gifts:
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Those spiritual gifts can even be LISTED AMONG OTHER SPIRITUAL GIFTS.

For more information:

Some people can be described as being spiritual gifts (apostles, prophets...):
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2) Overseers and deacons as offices:

The Bible mentions overseers and deacons and describes them in terms that can be attributed to OFFICES. 

Paul in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 detail STANDARDIZED MORAL, FAMILY, AND SOCIAL CRITERIA for an OVERSEER, suggesting the description of an OFFICE. 

3) Prophets, teachers... as distinct from overseers, deacons:

There is evidence that spiritual gifts such as prophets, teachers... can be DISTINCT from offices like overseers, deacons. 

For example:

3) A) Described grammatically as distinct:

The spiritual gifts such as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers CAN BE DESCRIBED GRAMMATICALLY AS DISTINCT in several passages from overseers, deacons. 

It is written: "PAUL AND TIMOTHY, slaves (of) Christ Jesus, (to) all the holy (ones) in Christ Jesus being in Philippi, TOGETHER-WITH (THE) OVERSEERS [episkopos 1985 in Greek] AND DEACONS [diakonos 1249 in Greek]" (Philippians 1:1).

➔ Here Paul (and apostle) and Timothy are described as DISTINCT from overseers and deacons as they are described as being "TOGETHER-WITH" (Philippians 1:1) the overseers and deacons. Paul and Timothy are WITH them, they are not them. 

It is written about Christ that He is "the SHEPHERD AND OVERSEER [episkopos 1985 in Greek] (of) your souls." (1 Peter 2:25). 

➔ Here the word shepherd [pastor] is distinct from the word overseer as they are separated by the conjunction "AND" (1 Peter 2:25). Even though one person can be both, the two words remain distinct. 

Similarly, Jesus is also called for example "the APOSTLE AND HIGH-PRIEST (of) our confession, Jesus" (Hebrews 3:1). An apostle is distinct from a high priest, even though one person can be both. 

3) B) Spiritual gifts as global, offices as local:

The spiritual gifts are for a GLOBAL audience, the offices are for a LOCAL audience.

Offices: local:

Paul wrote to Titus to "appoint elders IN EACH CITY as I directed you" (Titus 1:5), interchangeably calling such an overseer, as it is written: "appoint elders in each city as I directed you, if one is unaccused, (a) man (of) one woman, having believing children (who are) not under (an) accusation (of) wild-living or rebellious (ones). FOR the OVERSEER [episkopos 1985 in Greek] must be unaccused as God’s steward" (Titus 1:7). 

➔ Here overseers are appointed "IN EACH CITY" (Titus 1:5), for a LOCAL audience. 

Paul wrote: "(to) all the holy (ones) in Christ Jesus BEING IN PHILIPPI, together-with (THE) OVERSEERS [episkopos 1985 in Greek] AND DEACONS [diakonos 1249 in Greek]" (Philippians 1:1).

➔ Here overseers and deacons are in a particular city, BEING IN PHILIPPI" (Philippians 1:1), for a LOCAL audience. 

Spiritual gifts: global:

Paul wrote that Christ "gave some APOSTLES, and some PROPHETS, and some EVANGELISTS, and some SHEPHERDS and TEACHERS, for the completeness (of) the holy (ones), for (the) work (of) ministry, FOR (THE) BUILDING-UP (OF) THE BODY (OF) CHRIST" (Ephesians 4:11-12). 

➔ Here apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers are described to be given "FOR (THE) BUILDING-UP (OF) THE BODY (OF) CHRIST" (Ephesians 4:12). This would be the GLOBAL body of Christ. 

In the book of Acts we see that these spiritual gifts can be described as explicitly traveling (being itinerant or trans-local). 

For example, it is written: "PROPHETS CAME-DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO ANTIOCH" (Acts 11:27).

Or Paul and Barnabas as apostles traveling to build up the global body ot Christ. 

3) C) Spiritual gifts given sovereignly by grace, offices appointed based on a checklist:

The spiritual gifts are given BY GRACE IN A SOVEREIGN MANNER, the offices are APPOINTED BASED ON A CHECKLIST AND DESIRE.

Offices: appointed based on a checklist:

Paul wrote to Titus that HE must "APPOINT elders in each city AS I DIRECTED YOU" (Titus 1:5),

How was Titus DIRECTED to APPOINT those? The next verses indicate that it was BASED ON A CHECKLIST, as it is written: "appoint elders in each city as I directed you, IF one is unaccused, (a) man (of) one woman, having believing children (who are) not under (an) accusation (of) wild-living or rebellious (ones). For the OVERSEER [episkopos 1985 in Greek] must be unaccused as God’s steward, not self-pleasure(-seeking), not quick-tempered, not (a) drunken (one), not (a) brawler, not fond-of-shameful-gain, but hospitable, (a) lover-of-good, sound-minded, just, holy, inner-mighted, holding-on-to the faithful word in-accordance-with the teaching, so-that he-may-be able both to-exhort with healthy teaching and refute the (ones) contradicting." (Titus 1:5-9). 

Paul wrote something similar again for an overseer in 1 Timothy 3:1:7. 

Paul also added to appoint deacons BASED ON A CHECKLIST, as he wrote: "DEACONS [diakonos 1249 in Greek] similarly (must be) honorable, not double-tongued, not paying-attention-to much wine, not fond-of-shameful-gain, holding the mystery (of) the faith with (a) clean conscience." (1 Timothy 3:8-9). 

Paul also added that someone can ASPIRE to be an overseer and that it is DESIRING a good WORK, as he wrote: "if anyone ASPIRES-TO (the) OVERSEERSHIP [episkopé 1984 in Greek], HE-DESIRES (a) good WORK" (1 Timothy 3:1).

Spiritual gifts: by grace in a sovereign manner:

Paul wrote about "having different GIFTS ACCORDING-TO THE GRACE HAVING-BEEN-GIVEN (TO) US" (Romans 12:6). 

Paul wrote that Christ "GAVE some APOSTLES, and some PROPHETS, and some EVANGELISTS, and some SHEPHERDS and TEACHERS" (Ephesians 4:11). Those are gifts GIVEN by grace. 

Someone does not have to necessarily aspire or desire to be given as such, as for example "Jonah the PROPHET" (Matthew 12:39) was clearly not desiring when initially called to even be a prophet. 

3) D) Spiritual gifts as tested systematically, offices only tested before starting the office:

The spiritual gifts can be described as BEING TESTED SYSTEMATICALLY, while the offices are only TESTED BEFORE STARTING THE OFFICE. 

Offices: tested before starting the office:

Paul wrote to Timothy about "DEACONS [diakonos 1249 in Greek]" (1 Timothy 3:8) to "LET THESE ALSO FIRST BE-TESTED, THEN LET-THEM-BE-SERVING, being unaccused" (1 Timothy 3:10). 

➔ Here deacons have to "FIRST BE-TESTED" (1 Timothy 3:10) before they can "THEN" (1 Timothy 3:10) become deacons and serve as such. 

There are no explicit descriptions that deacons must then also be tested in the church systematically after that. 

There are also no explicit mention of "false deacons" or "true deacons". 

Spiritual gifts: tested systematically:

It is written to "the church in Ephesus" (Revelation 2:1) that "YOU-TESTED THE (ONES) CALLING THEMSELVES APOSTLES, and they-are not, and you-found them (to be) FALSE" (Revelation 2:2). 

➔ Here the church is systematically testing apostles, to know if they are true or "FALSE" (Revelation 2:2). 

Jesus said: "Beware of the FALSE-PROPHETS, who come to you in (the) clothing (of) sheep, but inside are ravenous wolves. YOU-WILL-KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS" (Matthew 7:15-16). 

➔ Here Jesus expected his followers to test when a prophet is coming to them to know if such is a true prophet or among the "FALSE-PROPHETS" (Matthew 7:15-16). 

There are explicit mention in the Bible of apostles, prophets, teachers... as being TRUE or FALSE. 

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