Spiritual gift

Not to be confused with Chrism.
For the gifts listed in Isaiah 11:2–3, see Seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. For how Mormonism looks at spiritual gifts, see Gifts of the Spirit in Mormonism.
The term charism denotes any good gift that flows from God's benevolent love.[1]

A spiritual gift or charism (plural: charisms or charismata; in Greek singular: χάρισμα charisma, plural: χαρίσματα charismata) is an extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit.[2][3] These are believed by followers to be supernatural graces that individual Christians need to fulfill the mission of the Church.[4][5] In the narrowest sense, it is a theological term for the extraordinary graces given to individual Christians for the good of others and is distinguished from the graces given for personal sanctification, such as the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.[1]

These abilities, often termed "charismatic gifts", are the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, and speaking in tongues. To these are added the gifts of apostles, prophets, teachers, helps (connected to service of the poor and sick), and governments (or leadership ability) which are connected with certain offices in the Church. These gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to individuals, but their purpose is to build up the entire Church.[1] They are described in the New Testament, primarily in 1 Corinthians 12,[6] 13 and 14, Romans 12,[7] and Ephesians 4.[8] 1 Peter 4[9] also touches on the spiritual gifts.[2]

The gifts are related to both seemingly "natural" abilities and seemingly more "miraculous" abilities, empowered by the Holy Spirit.[5] The two major opposing theological positions on their nature are that they ceased long ago or that they continue, which is the dispute of cessationism versus continuationism.

  1. ^ a b c Wilhelm, Joseph (1908). "Charismata". The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. III. Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Spiritual gifts". A Dictionary of the Bible by W. R. F. Browning. Oxford University Press Inc. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed 22 June 2011.
  3. ^ "charisma". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (5th ed.). HarperCollins.
  4. ^ "Charismata". The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Ed F. L. Cross and E. A. Livingstone. Oxford University Press Inc. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed 22 June 2011.
  5. ^ a b Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Zondervan, 1994): 1016–17.
  6. ^ "Bible Gateway passage: 1 Corinthians 12 – New International Version". Bible Gateway. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  7. ^ "Bible Gateway passage: Romans 12 – New International Version". Bible Gateway. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  8. ^ "Bible Gateway passage: Ephesians 4 – New International Version". Bible Gateway. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  9. ^ "Bible Gateway passage: 1 Peter 4 – New International Version". Bible Gateway. Archived from the original on 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2023-03-07.