Spiritual Gifts
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true prophesying on that point must recognize his visible coming from
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heaven. Why did not Jesus say, reject all prophesying at that time, for
there will be no true prophets then?
Ephesians 4:11-13
. “And He gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
We learn from a previous verse that when Christ ascended up on
high, he gave gifts unto men. Of these gifts are enumerated apostles,
prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. The object for which they
were given was the perfecting of the saints in unity and knowledge.
Some, who profess to be pastors and teachers, at the present day, hold
that these gifts fully accomplished their object some eighteen hundred
years ago, and consequently ceased. Why not then throw aside their
titles of pastors and teachers? If the office of prophet is limited by this
text to the primitive church, so is that of evangelist and all the rest; for
there is no distinction made.
Now let us reason a moment upon this point. All these gifts were
given for the perfecting of the saints in unity, knowledge and spirit.
Under their influence the primitive church enjoyed for a time that unity.
“The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one
soul.” And it seems a natural consequence of this state of unity, that
“with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the
Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”
Acts 4:31-33
. How
desirable such a state of things now! But apostasy with its dividing and
blighting influence marred the beauty of the fair church, and clothed
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her in sackcloth. Division and disorder have been the result. Never
was there so great a diversity of faith in Christendom as at the present
day. If the gifts were necessary for the unity of the primitive church,
how much more so to restore unity now! And that it is the purpose of
God to restore the unity of the church in the last days, is abundantly
evident from the prophecies. We are assured that the watchmen shall
see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Also, that in the
time of the end the wise shall understand. When this is fulfilled, there
will be unity of faith with all that God accounts wise; for those that
do in reality understand aright, must, necessarily, understand alike.