Power of Diversity

Power of Diversity

Words of Faith 3-4-2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

www.faithfellowshipweb.com

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Ephesians 4

 [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.   [8] This is why it says:  "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." [9] (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?   [10] He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)  

      There is unity in the Body and Spirit of Christ.  But there is also diversity in gifting.  There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called.  But to each one of us, grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

       Now don’t misunderstand.  This is not the grace that saves us; it is the grace that empowers us and gifts us.  There are different ways that we experience the grace of God.  There is saving grace, and that is not an apportioned grace.  It is a grace that is equal to the sum total of man’s sin. There is also sustaining grace, which is grace equal to each person’s need in getting us through the most difficult of times (2 Cor. 12:9). Paul is talking about another grace-- God’s enabling grace.

       God’s enabling grace is apportioned to us as God chooses for the purpose of empowering His Church.  God’s enabling grace is apportioned to believers in order to gift them for specific ministries.  These gifts are called charismata in Greek.  There are diverse charismata or gifts given to the Body through each believer.  This is through God’s enabling grace. 

       God’s plan is that each believer is to function in Christ’s Body by God’s enablement, proportionate to the gift or spiritual ability bestowed on him.  There are gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in Romans 12-- Prophecy, serving, teaching, encouragement, giving, leading, showing mercy.  1 Corinthians 12 mentions wisdom, knowledge, discerning spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, faith, healing, working miracles, apostleship, administration, helps.

       Christ alone has this right to give these gifts.  They are by grace and are not earned or deserved, taught or bestowed.  They are in some cases recognized and affirmed by the Body as leaders discern the particular gifting in a person.

       In Verses 8-10, Paul quoted a summary of Psalm 68, which is a hymn of military victory.  Christ, as the Victor over sin and death, has the right to bestow gifts to believers.  He alone has that right. 

       How do we respond to this?  Our task is not to pick out a job or task or gifting that we "like" or think we might be interested in and then try to develop that.  In fact, I have often found that when a person wants to do a certain job, it may be a sign that they are not the one gifted for that task. 

      We cannot even make assumptions based upon our talents.  A talented musician is not necessarily apportioned God’s grace to be a worship leader.  A wonderful school teacher may not be gifted at all to teach the Word of God.  A gifted speaker may argue well in court or on stage but this does not mean that they are anointed to preach or teach.

       Our task is to seek God and ask Him to reveal in us the grace that He has apportioned to us and then seek to walk in that gifting.

     Father God, I give thanks for all of Your grace.  I thank You for the grace that has saved me and is saving me.  I thank You for the grace that sustains me.  I thank You for the grace apportioned to Your Body that creates strength from diversity.  Make it clear to me the gifting You have for me and the gifts You desire me to operate in.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2010, 2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.