Missy is super silly and outgoing
girl. I
loved her from the moment I saw her and was quite excited
when
Shelly agreed to let her come home with me. Missy now
has a Ch daughter in Chantilly.
This gift is mentioned only in I Corinthians 12:8, 13:2(?), 8-10, and 14:6. To
"know" something, of course, means to grasp certain information. The
identification "word of knowledge" reveals this to be a speaking gift, the
speaking forth of that knowledge to others. As explained above, it is revelatory
knowledge that is in view, knowledge received directly from God, not attained by
normal methods of research and learning. In those days before the availability
of Scripture, the church relied upon men to deliver Divine Truth directly from
God; a man gifted with the word of knowledge was such a man. This gift is
similar to the gift of prophecy, differing perhaps in that this gift lacked the
ability to foretell the future as could the prophets. More than likely, as the
name of the gift suggests, to the one with the word of knowledge God also gave
great insight and understanding of truth that had already been revealed. This
knowledge would have been revelatory as well.
The men with the gift of knowledge simply delivered and explained God's truth to
the church. God gave them the knowledge, and they relayed it to the church.
Paul's frequent references to receiving and delivering a divine "mystery"
(secret) serve as good examples of this gift (e.g., Ephesians 3:1-5 and I
Corinthians 15:51). God simply informed him of the otherwise unknowable truth
which he was to deliver to the church.
Many people today are given a great capacity for understanding Divine Truth, but
this understanding is attained only by effort in the normal processes of
learning. This gift of knowledge needed no such effort: the truth was simply
revealed by God.
Word of Wisdom
The difference between the gifts of knowledge and wisdom is slight, with much
overlap. "Knowledge" assumes a certain degree of understanding of certain
information; "wisdom" assumes that plus a little more -- the use or applying of
that information to achieve certain ends. It is not knowledge merely, but
knowledge put to practical use. This gifted person not only understood the Truth
of God but could also insightfully apply that truth to the Christian life. Most
Christians have been blessed to know some wise, discerning Christian who always
seems able to take some great truth of Scripture and relate it to a particular
dilemma, thus making the issue clear. Evidently, God enabled men to do that even
before Scripture was finally given. He gave them knowledge and with it the
ability to use it to the help of his own life and that of others. God still
gives wisdom today and that in varying degrees, but this gift of wisdom was
different by virtue of its revelatory nature. Again, the apostles' frequent
exhortations based on Divine Principles illustrate this gift well.
Discerning of Spirits
Discernment is the ability to evaluate something. The Greek term here literally
means "to judge through." The gift of the discernment of spirits was the ability
to "judge through" or evaluate prophecies, teachings, and/or people,
distinguishing the false from the true. In that day, you remember, God spoke to
the church through men such as the prophets. This gift (as noted in the previous
chapter) served as a check on those who would abuse that and give words and
teachings which were not God-sent (e.g., I Corinthians 12:3, where someone
evidently taught that Jesus was accursed). This person with the gift of the
discernment of spirits could declare the true nature of such a prophecy and
affirm the truth of the genuine.
Peter's insight into the hidden deeds and motives of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts
5:1-11) and Paul's evaluation of the demon-possessed girl (Acts 16:16-18)
illustrate this well. Perhaps the clearest example is found in I Corinthians
14:29 which commands someone other than the prophets to evaluate the prophecy
given. This check was needed when the church had no Standard, no canon of
Scripture, by which to measure the teachings.
