When He Is Come - Media Sabda Org

upbuilding of the body of Christ. Gifts help us to save others. Grace might be likened to wheat, and
gifts to tools with which to raise more wheat. Gifts do not make us any better, but they make us more
useful. The farmer who is equipped with a full line of tools will accomplish much more than the man
who has a limited supply of tools. A man might be given a shovel, a hoe, and a rake. With these he
might spade a small patch of ground and pulverize it, which prepares it for sowing. Another man
might be given a tractor with a gang plow, a harrow, and a drill. He would accomplish much more
in a day without working any harder than the man with a shovel. The reason he accomplished more
is not that he has worked harder, or possessed a greater goodness than the other man, but the reason
lies in the fact that he had better implements with which to work. Again, a man might be given a
sickle to harvest wheat, a rake, and a flail with which to thresh it. He works hard all day, yet reaps
very little grain. Another man might be given a tractor with a combine and reap a thousand bushels
in a day, yet he has not worked harder than the man with the sickle. The reason he reaped more grain
was that he was equipped with better implements. Gifts are tools with which to work for the benefit
of others, but grace is subjective and for our personal salvation.
Grace is dispensed and gifts are distributed. Grace comes as the gift of God's love; gifts come as
gifts from the wisdom of God. Grace is for all, but special gifts are only for some. Grace is dispensed
without respect of persons, to help each one through life and to enter heaven, but gifts are not
conferred equally.
Every converted and Spirit-filled person evidently possesses a gift along some line. Certainly God
has designed that every member of the body of Christ shall be endued for Christian service along
some line. In this connection we read that "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man," for
the profit of all, "to every man severally as he wills."
III. Gifts Which Are the Grant of Christ
There is a vast difference between the gifts of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The gifts
which are the grant of Christ are listed in Eph. 4:8-11: "Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up
on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men... and he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." Christ became a Man to redeem
men. He became a Man in order to take man's place, fight man's battles, overcome man's enemy, and
atone for man's sins. We read that when He ascended on high, He gave gifts to men. The gifts which
He gave unto men were men, holy men, consecrated men. They were apostles (preachers),
evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They were consecrated men who were fully yielded to Christ,
having given themselves to Christ, and were accepted by Christ, then by Christ given back to the
church. Paul always speaks of himself as "an apostle of Jesus Christ, or as a servant of Christ," and
that his commission was from Christ and not from the Spirit. It is not any church board,
denominational board, or seminary that is authorized to determine the ministry of the church. Christ,
the great Head of the church, alone has retained that right as His special prerogative. No person has
a right to any of these positions apart from the appointments by the Son of God, and who are not
thoroughly consecrated and fully yielded to the Lord. The church should be thankful for men -- holy
men -- consecrated men -- men like Paul, Peter, John, John Wesley, Martin Luther, Finney, Moody,
Spurgeon, and all others who have yielded their lives, and time, with their all to the Lord, having
been accepted by Christ, Who has taken these men and given them back to the church. Their ministry