For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
— 1 Corinthians 4:7
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
— James 1:17
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
— Ephesians 4:7
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
— 1 Corinthians 14:12
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
— James 4:6
The Differences Between Spiritual Gifts and Saving Grace, by John Owen. The following contains an excerpt from Chapter Two of Book Ten of his work, “A Discourse Concerning Spiritual Gifts.”
Their nature in general, which is the next thing I will inquire into, will be greatly uncovered in the consideration of those things in which these gifts agree with saving graces, and in which they differ from them.
Firstly, there are four things in which spiritual gifts and saving graces agree —
1. They are, both sorts of them, the purchase of Christ for his church, the special fruit of his mediation. I am not speaking of such gifts or endowments of men’s minds that consist merely in the improvement of their natural faculties: such are wisdom, learning, skill in arts and sciences ; which they may abound and excel in who are utter strangers to the church of Christ; and frequently they do, to their own exaltation and contempt of others. Nor am I referring to abilities for actions moral, civil, or political, such as fortitude, skill in government or rule, and such like. For although these are gifts in the power of the Spirit of God, yet they belong to those operations which he exercises in upholding or ruling the world, or the old creation as such, of which I have written before. But I intend those alone that are conversant with the gospel, the things and duties of it, the administration of its ordinances, the propagation of its doctrine, and profession of its ways. And here also I differentiate between them and all those gifts of the Spirit in sacred things which any of the people of God enjoyed under the Old Testament; for we speak only of those which are “powers of the world to come.” (Heb. 6:5) Those others were suited to the economy of the old covenant, and confined with the light which God was then pleased to communicate to his church. Unto the gospel state, they were not suited, nor would they be useful in it. Hence, the prophets, who had the most prominent gifts, came short of them like John the Baptist, because they had not, by virtue of their gifts, an acquaintance with the Person of Christ, and insight into his work of mediation; and yet also they came short of him who is “least in the kingdom of heaven” (Mat. 5:19, 11:11; Lk. 7:28), because their gifts were not purely evangelical.
Wherefore, those gifts of which I speak are those that belong to the kingdom of God, erected in a special way by Jesus Christ after his ascension into heaven; for he was exalted that he might fill all things (Eph. 4:10), that is, the whole church, with these effects of his power and grace. The power, therefore, of communicating these gifts was granted to the Lord Christ as mediator by the Father, for the foundation and edification of his church, as it is expressed in Acts 2:33; and by them was his kingdom both set up and propagated, and is preserved in the world. These were the weapons of warfare which he provided his disciples with, when he gave them commission to go out and subdue the world to the obedience of the gospel (Acts 1:4, 8); and mighty were they through God for that purpose. (2 Cor. 10:3-6) In the use and exercise of them was the gospel run, and was glorified, to the ruin of the kingdom of Satan and darkness in the world. And that he was ever able to erect it again, under another form than that of Gentilism, as he did in the anti-Christian apostasy of the visible church, we find a neglect and contempt of these gifts, which would normally, in their proper use, bring improvement.
When men began to neglect the attaining of these spiritual gifts, and the exercise of them, in praying, and in preaching, in interpreting the Scriptures, in all the administrations and whole worship of the church, making themselves wholly responsible by their own abilities and inventions, accommodated to their ease and secular interest, it was an easy thing for Satan to erect again his kingdom, though not in the old way, because of the light of Scripture, which made an impression on the minds of men, which he could not obliterate. Wherefore, he never attempted openly any more to set up Heathenism or Paganism, with the gods of the old world and their worship; but he carefully raised another kingdom, which pretended some likeness to, and compliance with, the letter of the Word, though it came at last to be shown in all things expressly contrary to the gospel church. This was his kingdom of apostasy and darkness, under papal anti-Christianity and woeful degeneracy of other Christians in the world; for when men, who pretend themselves to be entrusted with the preservation of the kingdom of Christ , wilfully cast away those weapons of their warfare with which the world was subdued to him, and ought to have been kept in subjection by them, what else could come of it?
By these gifts, I say, the Lord Christ demonstrated his power and exercised his rule. External force and worldly weapons were far from his thoughts, as unbecoming to his absolute sovereignty over the souls of men, and his infinite power and holiness. Neither did anyone ever take himself to them in the affairs of Christ’s kingdom, but either, when he had utterly lost and abandoned these spiritual weapons, or did not believe that they were sufficient to maintain the interest of the gospel, though originally they tried to introduce and fix it in the world — that is, that although the gifts of the Holy Spirit were sufficient and effective to bring in the truth and doctrine of the gospel against all opposition, yet they are not enough to maintain it; which they may well do once more to consider. Here, therefore, they agree with saving graces; for that they are uniquely from Jesus Christ the mediator, confessed by all, unless it is by such as by whom all real internal grace is denied. But the sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit, with their regard to the Lord Christ as mediator, I have earlier sufficiently confirmed.
There is an agreement between saving graces and spiritual gifts with regard to their immediate efficient cause. They are, both sorts of them, wrought by the power of the Holy Spirit. As to what concerns the former (or saving grace), I have already dealt with at large; nor will any deny that the Holy Spirit is the author of these graces but those that deny that there are any such things. That these gifts are so wrought by him is expressly declared wherever mention is made of them, in general or in particular. Wherefore, when they acknowledge that there are such gifts, all confess him to be their author. By whom he is denied so to be, it is only because they deny the continuing of any such gifts in the church of God. But this is something I will disprove.
It is here also that they agree, that both sorts are designed for the good, benefit, ornament, and glory of the church. The church is the proper seat and subject of them; to her they are granted, and in her they reside; for Christ has been given to be the “head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.” (Eph. 1:22-23)
But this “church” falls under a double consideration — firstly, as in believing; secondly, as in professing. In the first respect absolutely, it is invisible, and, as such, is the particular subject of saving grace. This is that church which “Christ loved and gave himself for, that he might sanctify and cleanse it, and present it unto himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:26-27)
This is the work of saving grace; and by a participation in it, men become members of this church, and not otherwise. And here is the professing church, quickened and enabled to make a profession in an acceptable way; for the elect receive grace for this end in this world, that they may glorify Christ and the gospel in the exercise of it. (Col. 1:6; Jn. 15:8) But gifts are bestowed on the professing church to make it visible in such a way that by it God is glorified. Grace gives an invisible life to the church, but gifts give it a visible profession; for in this, the church becomes organic, and is disposed to that order which is beautiful and comely. Where any church is organised merely by outward rules, perhaps of their own devising, and makes profession only in attendance to outward order, not following the leading of the Spirit in the communication of his gifts, both as to order and discharge of the duties of their profession, it is but the image of a church, lacking an animating principle and form. That profession which makes a church visible according to the mind of Christ, is the orderly exercise of the spiritual gifts bestowed on it, with a lifestyle as evidence of the invisible principle of saving grace. Now, these gifts are conferred on the church for “the edification of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16), as also for the propagation of its profession in the world, as I shall declare later. Wherefore, both of these sorts have, in general, the same end, or are given by Christ for the same purpose — namely, the good and benefit of the church, as they are respectively suited to promote them.
4. It may also be added that they agree here, in that they both have the same respect towards the bounty of Christ. Hence, every grace is a gift, what is given and freely bestowed on those that possess it. (Mat. 13:11; Phil. 1:29) And although, on the other hand, every gift is not a grace, yet, proceed from gracious favour and bounty, they are so called. (Rom. 12:6; Eph. 4:7) How, in their due exercise, they are mutually helpful and assistant to each other, I will later declare.
Secondly , I consider where the difference lies, or consists, which is between these spiritual gifts and sanctifying graces: and this may be seen in several instances.
Such as —
1.Saving graces are the “fruit” or fruits “of the Spirit”. (Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9; Phil. 1:11) Now, fruits proceed from an abiding root and stock, from whose nature they partake. There must be a “good tree” to produce “good fruit”. (Mat. 12:33) No external watering, or application to the earth, will cause it to produce useful fruits unless there are roots from which they spring and are fed. The Holy Spirit is like the root for these fruits, the root that bears them, or does not bear them. (Rom. 11:18) Therefore, like the order of nature, he is given to men before the production of any of the fruits. There they are, engrafted into the olive, and made such branches in Christ, the true vine, that derive vital sap, nourishment, and fructifying virtue from him, that is, by the Spirit. So he is “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (Jn. 4:14) He is a spring in believers; and all saving graces are like waters rising from that living, overflowing spring. From him, as a root or spring, as an eternal virtue, power, or principle, all these fruits come. To this end, he dwells in them and abides with them, according to the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jn. 14:17; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 3:16); by whom the Lord Christ effects his purpose in “ordaining his disciples to bring forth fruit” that should “remain”. (Jn. 15:16) In the place of his holy residence, he works these effects freely, according to his own will. And there is nothing that has the true nature of saving grace but what is a fruit of the Spirit. We have not at first these graces, and then, by virtue of them receiving the Spirit, (for where can we produce them from ourselves?) the Spirit bestows on us and works them in us, and gives them a spiritual, divine nature, like his own.
With gifts, singly considered, it is otherwise. They are indeed works and effects, but not properly fruits of the Spirit, nor are they anywhere so called. They are effects of his operation upon men, not fruits of his working in them; and, then, many receive these gifts who never received the Spirit as to the main end for which he is promised. They received him not to sanctify and make them temples for God; though metonymically as a figure of speech with regard to his external effects, they may be said to be made partakers of him. This gives them a different nature and kind from saving graces; for whereas there is an agreement and coincidence between them in the aspects I mentioned earlier, and whereas the seat and subject of them — that is, of gifts absolutely, and mainly of graces also — is the mind, the difference of their nature proceeds from the different way they are communicated by the Holy Spirit.
2. Saving grace comes from, or is the effect and fruit of, electing love. This I have proved before in our inquiry into the nature of holiness. You find this directly asserted in Eph. 1:3-4; 2 Thess. 2:13; Acts 2:47, 13:48. Whom God graciously chooses and designates for eternal life, those he prepares for it by the communication of the means that are necessary for that end. (Rom. 8:28-30) Here, sanctification, or the communication of saving grace, is comprehensive, for we are “chosen to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit” (2 Thess. 2:13), for this is that by which we are “made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.” (Col. 1:12) The purpose of God in election is the sonship and salvation of the elect — “to the praise of the glory of his grace” (Eph.1:5-6); and this cannot be so unless his image is renewed in them in holiness or saving grace. These, therefore, he works in them, in pursuit of his eternal purpose. But gifts, on the other hand, which are no more than that, and where they are solitary or alone, are only the effects of a temporary election. Thus God chooses some for some office in the church, or for some work in the world. As this includes preferring them before or above others, or using them when others are not used, we call it election; and, in itself, it is their fitting for, and separation for, their office or work. And this temporary election is the cause and rule of the dispensing of gifts. So he chose Saul to be king over his people, and gave him “another heart” (1 Sam. 10:9), or gifts fitting him for rule and government. So our Lord Jesus Christ chose and called at first twelve to be his apostles, and gave to them all alike miraculous gifts. His temporary choice of them was the ground for his communication of gifts to them. By virtue of this, no saving graces were communicated to them, for one of them never came to a participation of them. “Have not I”, says our Saviour to them, “chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (Jn. 6:70)
He chose them for their office, and endowed them with extraordinary gifts for its discharge; but one of them, not being “chosen unto salvation before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4), and not being ordained to eternal life, was, on the other hand, the “son of perdition” (Jn. 17:12), or one certainly appointed to destruction, or “before of old ordained unto that condemnation” (Jude verse 4), he continued devoid of all sanctifying graces, so as to make him accepted by God; he was in no better condition than the devil himself, whose work he was doing. Yet, he was, by virtue of this choice to the office of apostleship for a season, endowed with the same spiritual gifts that the others were. And this distinction our Saviour himself clearly laid down; for whereas he says in Jn. 6:70 — “Have not I chosen you twelve” — that is, with a temporary choice of office for Judas (Jn. 13:18) — he says, “I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen”, and excludes Judas from that number, as is afterward expressly declared: for the election which he means here is that which is accompanied by an infallible ordination to abiding fruit-bearing (Jn. 15:16), that is, eternal election, in which Judas played no part.
And so it is in general, and in other instances. When God chooses anyone to eternal life, he will, in pursuit of his purpose, communicate saving grace to him. And although all believers have gifts sufficient to enable them to discharge their duty in their station or condition in the church, yet they do not depend on the decree of election. And where God calls anyone, or chooses anyone, to an office, charge, or work in the church, he always furnishes him with gifts suitable to that end.
Objection by John Owen, rather than his critics
“He does not do this, indeed, for all who take up an office by themselves; but he does so for all whom he calls to it. Yes, his call is not otherwise known but by the gifts he communicates for the discharge of the work or office to which any are called. In common use, I confess, all things run contrary to this. Most greatly insist on the need for an outward call to the office of the ministry; and so far, no doubt, they do well, for God is the God of order — that is, in his own way: but they limit this external call of theirs to certain people, ways, modes, and ceremonies of their own, without which they will not allow anyone to be rightly called into the ministry, but contend with, and oppress, the consciences of others with their power and their inventions. But their most pernicious mistake yet remains. So that people have, or receive, an external call by their method and way — which, what it has of a call in it I don’t know — they are not too bothered whether they are called by God or not: for they continually admit them on the basis of their external call, those on whom God has bestowed no spiritual gifts to fit them for their office. From which it is as evident as if were written with the beams of sunshine, that he never called them. They are as watchful as they are able, to make sure that God himself shall not impose on them except according to their way and order, or their call; for let a man be furnished with ministerial gifts ever so excellent, yet if he does not come up to his call, he will do whatever lies in himself forever to shut him out of the ministry. But they impose on God without his call every day; for if they ordain anyone in their way to an office, though he has no more spiritual gifts than Balaam’s ass, yet (if you can believe them) Christ must accept him as a minister, whether he will or not. But let men arrange things as they please, and as it seems good to them, Christ has no other order in this matter, but “as every one hath received the gift, so let them minister, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1 Pet. 4:10; Rom. 12:6-8)”
Answer
It is true that no one should take to himself the office of the ministry but he that is, and until he is, solemnly called and set apart for the task by the church; but it is no less true that no church has either rule or right to call or set apart anyone in the ministry whom Christ has not previously called by the communication of spiritual gifts necessary for the discharge of his office. And these things I must largely present later.
https://takeupcross.com
takeupcross
Take Up the Cross 