The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

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“Talents have to do with techniques and methods: gifts have to do with spiritual
abilities. Talents depend on natural power, gifts on spiritual endowment. Speaking
of gifts, Peter urges, ‘If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any
man minister, let him do it as of the ability which god giveth’” (I Pet. 4:11).
Talents instruct, inspire, or entertain on a natural level. Gifts relate to the building
up of the saints (or to evangelization). Something supernatural happens in the one
who is ministering when a gift is exercised. Nothing supernatural happens in one
who is performing when a talent is displayed.
Many old writers suggest that gifts are frequently distributed according to the
‘conformation which each one has received by nature.’ Gifts often build on a natural
foundation. A person who is by nature a man of vision may be given the gift of faith.
A natural-born teacher may be given the gift of teaching. Luke, in addition to his
natural abilities in Greek, keen observation, and historical accuracy, was given,
among others, the gift of teaching, which utilized these natural aptitudes. Our natural
facilities may well point the direction in which our gifts will be used. The Holy Spirit
may well express Himself through a man’s natural powers.” 6
The Lord shaped Jeremiah for his ministry, saying to him, “before I formed you in the womb I
knew you.” John the Baptist was “filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb”
(Lk. 1:15); the apostle Paul spoke of Him “who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb,
and called me through His grace” (Gal. 1:15).
In view of all this, there seems no reason why the Lord our Creator should not give to His
servants natural aptitudes which subsequently become enriched by spiritual gifts. While we
must agree that we cannot succeed in spiritual work merely by relying upon natural aptitudes, the
sovereign God may well give to His servants from their mother’s womb natural abilities which,
when surrendered, sanctified and transfigured by spiritual blessings, can be effectively used to
God’s glory.
The Lord is both God of Creation and of Redemption. The God who chose us before the
foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-5) and who prepared beforehand good works for us to walk in
(Eph. 2:10) is also the God of Redemption who pours His grace upon us and endued us with
spiritual gifts (Eph. 4:7,11).
In view of what has been written above about the God of nature and of grace, is it not unlikely
that God will give a spiritual gift of teaching to a believer who in preconversion days could not
teach at all or a spiritual gift of encouragement to a brother or sister who by temperament is
unsympathetic and unfriendly? While it would not be impossible to God, would it not be more in