Spiritual Gifts part 292: Suffering produces great advances in the spiritual life.

Spiritual Gifts Part 292:

The greatest advances in the spiritual life are made through suffering.

The Doctrine of Spiritual Gifts

Point 4.
Developing the capacity you need to function effectively in your spiritual gift.

The major passages in the New Testament on the spiritual gifts all talk about how vital it is to develop capacity to exercise your gift effectively: Rom 12, 1Co 12-14, Eph 4, 1Pe 4.

Romans - general audience of the local assembly in all places and times

1 Corinthians - solving problems in the carnal local assembly

Ephesians - the Church writ LARGE: Christ and His Body

1 Peter - the suffering believers

1CO 14:20

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

All of the major New Testament passages on spiritual gifts speak of the importance of discernment and mature thinking.

So consider the eternal weight of glory not so much as a trophy that we will get …

 Rather, it is the fullness of the extent to which we are being made into the image and likeness of Christ.

JOH 17:3

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

Am I growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

The spiritual gifts come in these two flavors - grace (administration, giving, mercy, helps, and service) and truth (Pastor-Teacher, evangelist, exhortation, and teaching).

There is only one fully heroic pursuit in this life, and that is to give your life for growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2PE 3:18
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

2TI 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

ACT 14:22b

“Through many tribulations we [disciples] must enter the kingdom of God.”

The church is always under siege to the extent it participates in growth in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.