Are spiritual gifts for the edification of the church or for my benefit?
Answer:
Every spiritual gift a believer possesses is given by God to be used in service of others for the edification of the body of Christ (1Peter 4:10-11). We will be held accountable by God for the use of spiritual gifts in edifying his church. Gifts of teaching, prophesy, evangelism, tongues with interpretation, pastor, etc require congregational worship before it can be exercised. Our service to God should be seen as a means of grace from God to us. It is a privilege to be included in the kingdom of God by his grace. Our service to God are not good works that gain us merit before God. As a matter of fact, Acts 17:24-25 makes it clear that God is not served by human hands. “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything”.
As believers, we should also be careful not to use the busyness of church service as a measure of one’s spiritual maturity. We should not confuse Christian piety with spiritual maturity. Having said that, it is highly questionable if a person can truly be converted and not have any desire whatsoever to serve God. One of the marks of a believer who has been converted is that God places in that person a heart that no longer desires the things of this world, but now seek after heavenly things. He is like the merchant who sells away all his assets to purchase a pearl of great value. (Matt 13:46) He has a new passion – a heart that longs to worship God and serve his fellow brother/sisters in the faith. Gathering as a church, then, is something the believer looks forward to. Out of the overflow of his heart, he will seek to serve God and man with joy rather than see “church” as a chore that needs to “be done” every week in order to “stay right with God”.
To read more on how various aspects of Christian living can only be lived out when a believer is in the midst of a local body of believers, refer to these related questions:
- Why do we have to go to church? What is the purpose behind this?
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