Spiritual gift

==Biblical and theological overview==
The New Testament contains several lists of spiritual gifts, most in the [[Pauline epistles]]. While each list is unique, there is overlap.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! [[Romans 12]]:6–8
! 1 Corinthians 12:8–10
! 1 Corinthians 12:28–30
! [[Ephesians 4:11]]
! 1 Peter 4:11
|-
|style="vertical-align: top"|
# Prophecy
# Serving
# Teaching
# Exhortation
# Giving
# Leadership
# Mercy
|style="vertical-align: top"|
# Word of wisdom
# Word of knowledge
# Faith
# Gifts of healings
# Miracles
# Prophecy
# Distinguishing between spirits
# Tongues
# Interpretation of tongues
|style="vertical-align: top"|
# Apostle
# Prophet
# Teacher
# Miracles
# Kinds of healings
# Helps
# Administration
# Tongues
|style="vertical-align: top"|
# Apostle
# Prophet
# Evangelist
# Pastor
# Teacher
|style="vertical-align: top"|
# Whoever speaks
# Whoever renders service<ref name="GrudemSysTheo1020">Wayne Grudem, ''Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine'' (Zondervan, 1994): 1020.</ref>
|}

Christians believe that the ''charismata'' were foretold in the [[Book of Joel]] ({{bibleverse-nb|Joel|2:28|KJV}}) and promised by [[Christ]] ([[Gospel of Mark]] {{bibleverse-nb|Mark|16:17–18|KJV}}). This promise was fulfilled on the [[Day of Pentecost]] and elsewhere as the church spread. In order to correct abuses concerning the spiritual gifts at [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]], Paul devoted much attention to spiritual gifts in his [[First Epistle to the Corinthians]] ([[1 Corinthians 12|chapters 12]]–[[1 Corinthians 14|14]]).<ref name="cathen"/>

In 1 Corinthians 12, two Greek terms are translated as "spiritual gifts". In verse 1, the word ''pneumatika'' ("spirituals" or "things of the Spirit") is used. In verse 4, ''[[charisma]]'' is used. This word is derived from the word ''charis'', which means "[[Grace in Christianity|grace]]". In verses 5 and 6, the words ''diakonia'' (translated "administrations", "ministries", or "service") and ''energemata'' ("operations" or "inworkings") are used in describing the nature of the spiritual gifts. In verse 7, the term "manifestation (''phanerosis'') of the Spirit" is used.<ref name=foundations332-333>Guy P. Duffield and Nathaniel M. Van Cleave, ''Foundations of Pentecostal Theology'', 1983, (Los Angeles: Foursquare Media, 2008), pp. 332–33.</ref>

From these scriptural passages, Christians understand the spiritual gifts to be enablements or capacities that are divinely bestowed upon individuals. Because they are freely given by God, these cannot be earned or merited.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Spiritual Gifts, Natural Talents Abilities, Fruit of Spirit|url=https://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-talents-fruit.htm|access-date=2021-01-25|website=mintools.com|archive-date=2021-01-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120102825/https://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-talents-fruit.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Though worked through individuals, these are operations or manifestations of the Holy Spirit—not of the gifted person. They are to be used for the benefit of others, and in a sense they are granted to the church as a whole more than they are given to individuals. There is diversity in their distribution—an individual will not possess all of the gifts.<ref name=foundations332-333/> The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to edify (build up), exhort (encourage), and comfort the church.<ref name=foundations334>Duffield and Van Cleave, ''Foundations of Pentecostal Theology'', p. 334.</ref>

It is generally acknowledged{{by whom|date=March 2020}} that Paul did not list all of the gifts of the Spirit,<ref name="cathen"/> and many{{quantify|date=March 2020}} believe that there are as many gifts as there are needs in the [[body of Christ]].<ref name=foundations335>Duffield and Van Cleave, ''Foundations of Pentecostal Theology'', p. 335.</ref> The gifts have at times been organized into distinct categories based on their similarities and differences to other gifts. Some divide them into three categories using [[Old Testament]] offices. "Prophetic" gifts include any gift involving teaching, encouraging, or rebuking others. "Priestly" gifts include showing mercy and care for the needy or involve intercession before God. "Kingly" gifts are those involving church administration or government.<ref name=Grudem1021>Grudem, ''Systematic Theology'', p. 1021.</ref> Others categorize them into "gifts of knowledge" (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, distinguishing between spirits), "gifts of speech" (tongues, interpretation, prophecy), and "gifts of power" (faith, healing, miracles).<ref>Sumrall, Lester "The Gifts of the Holy Spirit" p. 25 Aug 2000</ref> The gifts have also been categorized as those that promote the inner growth of the church (apostle, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, teaching, word of wisdom/knowledge, helps, and administration) and those that promote the church's outer development (faith, miracles, healing, tongues, interpretation of tongues).<ref name="cathen"/>

Proponents of cessationism distinguish between the "extraordinary", "miraculous", or "sign" gifts (such as prophecy, tongues, and healing) and the other gifts.<ref name=Easton>Easton, Matthew George. [http://www.ccel.org/e/easton/ebd/ebd/T0001400.html#T0001484 "Gifts, spiritual"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111117193612/http://www.ccel.org/e/easton/ebd/ebd/T0001400.html#T0001484 |date=2011-11-17 }}. ''[[Easton's Bible Dictionary]]''. 1897. Accessed June 22, 2011.</ref> Cessationism is held by some Protestants, especially from the [[Calvinist]] tradition, who believe that miraculous gifts and their operations were limited to [[early Christianity]] and "ceased" afterward.<ref name=Ruthven3,7>Ruthven, Jon. [http://www.jon-ruthven.org/cessation.pdf ''On the Cessation of the Charismata: The Protestant Polemic on Post-Biblical Miracles''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319122559/http://www.jon-ruthven.org/Cessation.pdf |date=2009-03-19 }}. Deo Press, 1993, rev. 2008. pp. 3, 7. Accessed June 27, 2011.</ref> Other Protestants, including [[Lutheran]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.peacelutherankgva.org/gifts.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905181241/http://www.peacelutherankgva.org/gifts.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 September 2012|title=Spiritual Gifts Survey|publisher=Peace Lutheran Church|access-date=11 March 2017}}</ref> [[Methodist]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/spiritual-gifts|title=Spiritual Gifts|publisher=The United Methodist Church|language=en|access-date=11 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303212115/http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/spiritual-gifts|archive-date=3 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Pentecostals]] and [[Charismatic movement|charismatics]], adhere to the continuationist position, believing that all the spiritual gifts are distributed among Christians by the Holy Spirit and that they are normative in contemporary [[Christendom]]. In addition, [[Roman Catholicism]]<ref name=RCCCatechism799-800>
[http://old.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p2.shtml Catechism of the Catholic Church 799–800] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111019145746/http://old.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p2.shtml |date=2011-10-19 }}.
</ref>
and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] also continue to believe in and make use of all of the spiritual gifts.