Definition
The gifts of the Spirit (charismata; Gr. χαρίσματα; 1Cor. 12) are special capacities that the Holy Spirit distributes according to His will to believers for the building up of the Body of Christ. Classically distinguished are: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1Cor. 12:8-10). Over their continuation after the apostolic period (cessationism vs. continuationism), their rank relative to the fruit of the Spirit, and their relationship to the indwelling of Christ, there exist substantive differences in the corpus.
Usage in the Corpus
Watchman Nee & Witness Lee
Nee/Lee assign the gifts a serving but precarious position: they are given for the economy of God (the indwelling of Christ) but can be pursued at the expense of the inner life. “Many gifted persons pay too much attention to their gifts and neglect, more or less, the indwelling Christ. The indwelling Christ is the hallmark of God’s economy, and all the gifts are for this purpose.” As evidence that gifts do not lead to spiritual maturity: “The Corinthian believers had all the gifts and lacked none (1Cor. 1:7). Yet, although the Corinthians had all the gifts, their spiritual condition was described as fleshly and immature (1Cor. 3:1).” Tongues are not denied but relativized: “Although Paul surpassed others in tongues, he would rather speak five understandable words in the assemblies than ten thousand words in tongues (1Cor. 14:18-19).” [Nee/Lee, The Economy of God, Ch. 4]
George Warnock
Warnock positions the gifts as temporary and subservient to the eschatological ripening of the fruit. “All else that pertains to the realm of spiritual manifestation must give way to the fulness of LOVE, as the first rays of dawn give way to the rising of the sun. ‘When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.‘” The gifts are early-rain phenomena — they belong to the germination phase of the Pentecostal age. The latter rain does not bring more gifts but the ripe fruit of love. [Warnock, Evening and Morning, Chs. 2-3]
E.W. Bullinger
Bullinger identifies the spiritual ear as the specific gift enabling the believer to understand the things of the Spirit — a gift qualitatively above all sensory capacities: “Not everyone has this special (musical) ‘ear.’ And no one has by nature that ear which can discern the things of God. The spiritual ear is the direct gift and endowment of God.” It is the Lord who gives the hearing ear (Prov. 20:12), who awakens the ear to hear (Isa. 50:4), and who opens the ear (Isa. 50:5). The natural ear hears no spiritual sounds; it cannot discern them (Isa. 64:4 and 1Cor. 2:9). [Bullinger, Number in Scripture, Pt. I, Ch. I]
Stephen Jones
Jones connects the gifts of the Spirit to the Pentecostal experience as earnest: the charismata are the operations of the arrabon (the down payment of the Spirit). They are real and salvific, but not the fullness. The eschatological goal is not more gifts but the complete indwelling of the Spirit also in the body at the Feast of Tabernacles. [Jones, The Laws of the Second Coming, Ch. 10]
Cees and Anneke Noordzij
Noordzij links the gift of effective speech to the anointing: speaking under the anointing of the Holy Spirit is itself a gift — it is “living and powerful for those who have ‘ears’ to hear.” The spiritual ear (similarly described as a gift by Bullinger) is the receptive capacity for the anointed word. Without anointing, without a spiritual ear, the gifts do not function as intended. [Noordzij, The Word of God and Scripture]