Talents
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of Christ. “When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men.”
Ephesians 4:8
. “Unto every one of us
is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ,” the
Spirit “dividing to every man severally as He will.”
Ephesians 4:7
;
1
Corinthians 12:11
. The gifts are already ours in Christ, but their actual
possession depends upon our reception of the Spirit of God.
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The promise of the Spirit is not appreciated as it should be. Its ful-
fillment is not realized as it might be. It is the absence of the Spirit that
makes the gospel ministry so powerless. Learning, talents, eloquence,
every natural or acquired endowment, may be possessed; but without
the presence of the Spirit of God, no heart will be touched, no sinner
be won to Christ. On the other hand, if they are connected with Christ,
if the gifts of the Spirit are theirs, the poorest and most ignorant of His
disciples will have a power that will tell upon hearts. God makes them
the channel for the outworking of the highest influence in the universe.
Other Talents
The special gifts of the Spirit are not the only talents represented
in the parable. It includes all gifts and endowments, whether original
or acquired, natural or spiritual. All are to be employed in Christ’s
service. In becoming His disciples, we surrender ourselves to Him
with all that we are and have. These gifts He returns to us purified and
ennobled, to be used for His glory in blessing our fellow men.
To every man God has given “according to his several ability.” The
talents are not apportioned capriciously. He who has ability to use
five talents receives five. He who can improve but two, receives two.
He who can wisely use only one, receives one. None need lament
that they have not received larger gifts; for He who has apportioned
to every man is equally honored by the improvement of each trust,
whether it be great or small. The one to whom five talents have been
committed is to render the improvement of five; he who has but one,
the improvement of one. God expects returns “according to that a man
hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
2 Corinthians 8:12
.
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In the parable he that had “received the five talents went and traded
with the same, and made them other five talents; and likewise he that
had received two, he also gained other two.”