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The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit gives different spiritual gifts to believers for serving one another and building up the church, with love as the foundation that gives them true value.
The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to believers, each person receiving different abilities for building up the body of Christ. These gifts—including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, teaching, and service—are given according to God's will and grace, not for personal pride but for serving others with love. Using gifts faithfully, with humility and love, glorifies God and advances the church toward spiritual maturity and unity.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were heathen, you were led away to those mute idols, however you might be led. Therefore I make known to you that no man speaking by God’s Spirit says, “Jesus is accursed.” No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” but by the Holy Spirit. Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the
1 Corinthians 12:27-31
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
Romans 12:3-8
For I say, through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith. For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don’t have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with generosity; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Peter 4:10-11
As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Ephesians 4:11-13
He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
1 Thessalonians 5:19-20
Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t despise prophesies.
2 Timothy 1:6-7
For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Follow after love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in another language speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands; but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up.
Proverbs 19:20
Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter end.
Identify and use your own spiritual gifts—whether teaching, serving, giving, or encouraging—to strengthen others in your faith community rather than for self-promotion. Pursue these abilities with humility and love, remembering that all gifts ultimately serve to glorify God and build up the church together.
The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit gives different spiritual gifts to believers for serving one another and building up the church, with love as the foundation that gives them true value.
The Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to believers, each person receiving different abilities for building up the body of Christ. These gifts—including wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, prophecy, teaching, and service—are given according to God's will and grace, not for personal pride but for serving others with love. Using gifts faithfully, with humility and love, glorifies God and advances the church toward spiritual maturity and unity.
Identify and use your own spiritual gifts—whether teaching, serving, giving, or encouraging—to strengthen others in your faith community rather than for self-promotion. Pursue these abilities with humility and love, remembering that all gifts ultimately serve to glorify God and build up the church together.
Each believer receives different spiritual gifts from the same Spirit, manifested for the profit and building up of all, not for personal exaltation.
Gifts are meaningless without love, and believers must think humbly of themselves and use their gifts to serve and edify others rather than seeking personal glory.
God appoints apostles, prophets, teachers, and others to perfect believers and build up the body of Christ until the church reaches spiritual maturity and unified knowledge of Christ.
Believers are urged to earnestly desire gifts, stir them up, and employ them actively in serving one another as faithful stewards of God's grace.
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