Friday, October 04, 2013
Defy Convention
Justin Taylor looks at a book and accompanying interview by Ken Bearding:
So argues Ken Berding in his book, What Are Spiritual Gifts? Rethinking the Conventional View.
The conventional view is that the “spiritual gifts” (Eph. 4:11-12; Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30) are God-given special abilities that Christians are to discover and then use in ministry. Berding’s argument is that the spiritual gifts, understood contextually in Paul’s letters, are actually ministry assignments or roles, that is, the actual ministries themselves.The post then goes on to list 10 reasons why this may be the case. It's all exegetical and translation argument. I think Bearding is on to something here, but my argument would be purely spiritual and psychological.
When you "find your gift" you are focusing on self - when you serve in a job you are focusing outwardly. I don't think it has to be any more complex than that. One view is selfish and one is selfless. Which do you think Gdd would like best?
gifts selflessness
