Andrew K. Gabriel, Ph.D.

February 15, 2019March 19, 2019

Two Common Myths about Spiritual Gifts

I may not have made it through Seminary without my friend who had the spiritual gift of encouragement. Encouragement? Yes, that is a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8). Sometimes people believe the myth that spiritual gifts are only things that are dramatic and spectacular, but there is more to spiritual gifts than miracles.

Certainly things like healing can be gifts of the Spirit, but the New Testament describes many different spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6—8; 1 Corinthians 12:8—10, 27—28; 1 Peter 4:8—11; and perhaps Ephesians 4:7—11).

Ordinary Gifts

Giving is also a spiritual gift–anyone can give (and all the pastors said, “Amen”), but the Spirit enables some people to thrive when they are giving. I see the gift of serving present in people who regularly and cheerfully stay behind after a church event to stack chairs and mop the floor. I see people using the gifts of helping, mercy, administration, leadership, and hospitality at the community center my church has started.

None of these gifts sound all that supernatural. In fact, they sound quite normal. But these spiritual gifts are all supernatural in the sense that the Spirit is involved. The Bible affirms, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:11).

Hidden Gifts

Sometimes people aren’t aware of the gifts the Spirit has given them. After all, when people have the gift of administration, or any other less dramatic gift, they don’t start shaking, talking funny, and speaking like the King James Version of the Bible–“thus saith the Lord.” Instead, they just serve with excellence as enabled by the Spirit.

I hope this will be encouraging to some of you who thought you had no spiritual gift just because you don’t have a more noticeable gift, like prophecy or speaking in tongues. Perhaps you thought you didn’t measure up to those whose gifts were more dramatic.

We don’t all have the same gifts, and that is the way it is supposed to be. The Scripture says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (Romans 12:6).

Gifts Galore

You can find a lot of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. There could be even more. Some people from church history have claimed to have the gift of prayer, tears, and visions.^[1]

It is evident from looking at the lists in the Bible that none of the biblical authors intend to provide a list outlining what all the spiritual gifts are. For example, teaching and prophecy appear in three of the passages, whereas encouragement only shows up in Romans 12, and healing only in 1 Corinthians 12.

Instead of providing an exhaustive list of spiritual gifts, the biblical authors simply explain some of the many ways the Holy Spirit works through people. And the Spirit clearly works in both dramatic ways, and in ways that we might even say are ordinary.

Prophecy

In addition to believing the myth that spiritual gifts are only dramatic activities, many people in Pentecostal-Charismatic circles define the spiritual gift of prophecy too narrowly. When they say someone “prophesied over” them, they usually mean that someone told them something about their future. This shows that they belief the myth that prophecy is only about the future.

More than the Future

Prophecy can refer to much more than the future. In fact, when Paul mentions prophecy in his discussions of spiritual gifts in Romans and 1 Corinthians, he doesn’t mention any predictive element.

Furthermore, when we look at the content of prophecy in the Old Testament, we find that prophecies were generally more concerned with contemporary events than with the future. Their message was usually something like, “Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices” (Zechariah 1:4).

Prophecy, then, can also occur when someone speaks up when they see a problem of sin. Moreover, Paul added that prophecy takes place when “the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort” (1 Corinthians 14:3).

Everyday Prophecy

I once had a student sitting in my office, slouched over on a chair. He was feeling worthless and insecure about his abilities as a student, though I could see he was doing good work. I could tell by the marks on his arms that his depression had plagued him previously in life.

As I spoke with him I encouraged him and reminded him of his identity as a child of God and as someone who is made in the image of God. I did not shake or speak in a strange voice, which many people seem to think is a necessary marker of prophecy.

I never told the student I was prophesying. Yet when the student left, I was certain God had used me to prophesy to him. I had a sense of the Spirit’s presence, and I knew the words I shared were not something I had come up with on my own. And my experience fit well with Paul’s description of prophecy occurring spontaneously when “a revelation comes to someone” from God (1 Corinthians 14:30).

Prophecy is not always about the future. And like the other gifts of the Spirit, it might not always appear so dramatic and spectacular. That’s no myth!

*This is an edited excerpt from, Simply Spirit-Filled: Experiencing God in the Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit, by Dr. Andrew K. Gabriel, © 2019 by Emanate Books, an imprint of Thomas Nelson. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson.

[1] Yves Congar, I Believe in the Holy Spirit, vol. 2, He is Lord and Giver of Life, trans. David Smith (New York: Crossroad, 1983), 165, 173.

February 9, 2019February 25, 2019

Two Common Myths about the Spirit-Filled Life

Many Christians believe the myth that ‘Spirit-filled’ or even ‘spiritual’ must indicate something or someone a little strange. Depending on how much exposure people have had to the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, they might associate the words ‘Spirit-filled’ with people who claim to be inspired by the Spirit to bark like dogs, scream, or roll around on the floor. Such people exist–I’ve seen them!

Eccentric Prophets

Some people try to justify their conclusion that it is spiritual to act strange by pointing to the eccentric behavior of prophets in the Old Testament. For example, Isaiah walked around naked (Isaiah 20:1—4)–some scholars say, wearing only an undergarment–and Ezekiel lay on his side for 430 days (Ezekiel 4:4—6). Some also point to Saul, who “changed into a different person” when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he prophesied (1 Samuel 10:6, 10).

These examples, however, don’t prove that one should expect to act strangely if one is to be truly spiritual. First of all, Saul might have just “changed into a different person” in the sense that “God changed Saul’s heart” before he prophesied (v. 9).

The Frantic Prophets of Baal

Furthermore, when you read about the prophets in the Old Testament, you don’t get the sense that the prophets were usually ecstatic and acting strangely. To illustrate the point, when Elijah had his standoff at Mount Carmel, it was the prophets of Baal who “danced around the altar they had made,” shouted, slashed themselves with swords, and engaged in “frantic prophesying,” while they endeavored to get Baal to send fire on their sacrifice (1 Kings 18:26—29). By contrast, when Elijah called on God to send fire on his sacrifice, he merely “stepped forward and prayed” (v. 36).

Strange or out-of-the-ordinary things might happen when people experience the Spirit–like speaking in tongues, dreams, or visions (Joel 2:28)–but such experiences are not the primary indicator of spirituality. That is a myth!

Spirit with Hardships

Another myth some Christians believe is that people who are really Spirit-filled will always experience victory. This belief is a cousin to the idea that if you have enough faith you will always experience health and wealth.

Just as faith doesn’t guarantee a life free of disappointments and hardships, the Spirit-filled life is not a life free of disappointments and hardships. Jesus is the epitome of spirituality, but he never became an earthly king. Instead, “through the eternal Spirit [he] offered himself unblemished to God” so his death might give us life (Hebrews 9:14).

In the Bible, “the one who is victorious” (Revelation 2:11) may suffer and face poverty (v. 9). Their victory is that they resist their culture’s anti-Christian values and are “faithful, even to the point of death” (v. 10). And their “victor’s crown” is eternal life, not achieving success in the eyes of the world around them (vv. 10—11).

Spirit-Filled “Success” and “Failure”

The Spirit’s empowerment may at times lead to great successes, but it doesn’t guarantee them. Barnabas, for example, “was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith” and through his ministry “a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (Acts 11:22—24).

By contrast, Stephen, who was also “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5 and 7:55), was stoned to death when he preached the gospel (7:58). Similarly, Peter and Paul both had their lives threatened and were imprisoned on account of Christ, but they continued to preach the gospel because they had power and boldness from the Holy Spirit. Today the Spirit continues to inspire people to stay committed to Christ in the face of adversity, even to the point of martyrdom.

Spirit of Hope

Aside from the fact that those we minister to can “resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51) and, therefore, our Spirit-empowered ministry is not always well-received, we live in a fallen creation that is yet to “be liberated from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21). As a consequence, even though we “have the firstfruits of the Spirit,” we “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies” (v. 23).

However, as we long with hope, God does not abandon us, for the “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (v. 26). As James Dunn observes, the Spirit is not only present “in the heights of spiritual rapture,” but also “in the depths of human inability to cope.”[1] This means that if we find ourselves outside of some experiences of victory, this is not necessarily a sign of a lack of spirituality–in fact, at those times the Spirit might be particularly active in our lives. And that is no myth.

Click here to read Chapter 1 and order Simply Spirit-Filled.

[1] James D. G. Dunn, Romans 1—8, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 38 (Dallas, TX: Word, 1988), 479.

December 12, 2017May 26, 2018

3 Problems with the Theory of “Generational Curses”

3 Problems with the Theory of â€œGenerational Curses"

We were discussing the doctrine of sin, and one of my students asked me: “What do you think of generational curses?”

This depends on what you mean by a generational curse. If a person means that a person can be socialized to learn sinful habits from parental influence, then the idea makes good sense (although such an idea doesn’t require the label of “generational curse”).

Generational Curses as Spiritual Bondage?

However, it seems when people use the phrase “generational curse,” they generally have in mind the idea that a person is experiencing “spiritual bondage” that involves demonic influence as a result of sin in previous generations.

Where does this idea come from? The main biblical text is:

Exodus 20:5 ~ “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (There are verses others like it that are very close in wording.)

1. Generational Love?

There are many problems with trying to get the “generational curse” theory out of this text. First, while it affirms punishment for numerous generations, it also affirms God’s love for those who obey him.

So what happens if the second generation obeys God? Are they still cursed? To follow the logic behind the “generational curse” theory, then the second generation, and thousands more, would be loved by God regardless of their response to him.

Rather than teaching a logic of generational cursing, this text seems to be contrasting the expansive love of God (to a thousand!) versus the punishment of God (to just a few). Consider also Exodus 34:6-7.

2. The One Thing Missing

The even bigger problem with concluding that this text teaches “generational curses” is that the word “curse” doesn’t occur in the text! Rather, it speaks of punishment, and the punishment doesn’t involve demonic influence (that could hypothetically be denounced, as the generational curse proponents teach); the punishment comes from God.

3. A Curse for No Generations

Of course, there are other biblical texts that might point to the idea of generational curses. Consider, for example,

Deuteronomy 11:26-28~ “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse; the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.” (Again, there are other texts like this.)

However, unlike the text from Exodus above, there is here no sense of generational continuation from the curse.

Furthermore, numerous biblical texts (even in the Old Testament!) make it clear that “The child will not share the guilt of the parent” (Ezekiel 18:20).

Finally

Just to be clear, I am not denying that demons have real influences in this world. I am, however, denying that the Bible teaches that generational curses exist.

More importantly, (and here I agree with those who talk about generational curses), I would certainly affirm that God can (and does!) set people free from all kinds of nasty habits or oppressive thinking. One thing we can proclaim with certainty is that whatever curse there was for not obeying the law in the Old Testament (see above), “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13).

December 6, 2017May 26, 2018

If God is For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?

17 Aspects of Discipleship Beyond Just Reading the Bible

I recently noticed some Christian songs that were encouraging listeners with the refrain “God is not against you,” and “God is for you.” I know that some famous preachers also seem to make this their regular mantra when they appear before their congregations.

Whenever I hear such encouragement, however, I wonder how someone can make such a blanket statement to all people who might be listening.

I think of stories like the Exodus where God was clearly for the Israelites as God led them out of bondage, whereas God was against their Egyptian captors (Psalm 81:5).

Sometimes people have a fairy tale image of God. We can be prone to think of God as there for our well being, as existing to grant our wishes (at least sometimes), and as one who is always nice to us, whose prime goal is to make us comfortable in life, and who would never think of disciplining us.

The fact is, though, that God does discipline. And our sin does affect our relationship with God in this life. It is even possible that God can be against you.

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12).
“Now the hand of the Lord is against you” (Acts 13:11).

Even though God can be against people, there is still a sense that God is for everyone, if by this we mean that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16). We can even say that God wants what is best for us.

At the same time though, sometimes God gives us “tough love” to help us straighten up. For example, Paul warned the Corinthians that if we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner we might be “judged . . . by the Lord” and “disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world” (1 Corinthians 11:32).

I cannot tell everyone that God is not against them. I don’t know about you, but knowing this gives me strong impetus to repent of my sin and ensure that I stay in a good relationship with God.

The good news is, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Praise the Lord!

November 16, 2017November 11, 2017

6 Simple Alternatives to Sharing the Four Spiritual Laws in Evangelism

I am not totally anti-four spiritual laws (although I prefer to call them, “spiritual truths”), especially if they include a call to repentance (and not just “belief” in God—Mark 1:15).

Nevertheless, I am among those who wonder if there is perhaps a better way to approach evangelism than starting with “you’re a sinner” (that sure is “good news!” isn’t it). What might be some other approaches to evangelism?

Invite a friend to talk with God (just wherever you are or perhaps invite them to Church). Basically, if salvation includes a relationship with God, then why not introduce people to God, instead of just teaching people concepts about God.
Related to the above, help a person identify how God has already been at work in or around them. Ask them a question like, do you think God has ever spoken to you? How do you see God in the world?
Pray with people. God will work in their life and they will see it.
Ask people about what matters to them. What do they crave in life (love, a sense of value, adventure, etc.)? And then consider how God might be the answer to those existential needs. From the documentary “Crave,” I gather this is the idea behind Erin McManus’s book Soul Cravings. Some philosophers are also moving in the direction of considering existential reasons for belief in God rather than only rational arguments.
Tell somebody about Jesus. I don’t mean tell them the “spiritual laws.” I just mean, tell them about Jesus. Who is he? What did he do in life? What did he teach? It is interesting that the four “Gospels” (meaning, good news!) talk a lot about Jesus, not just about his death!
Tell people how God has changed your life. What difference has Jesus made for you? Isn’t that good news? (That is, “gospel.”) The 4 Gospels in the Bible were once titled, “The Gospel According to Luke” (John, Matthew, etc.). And the stories in these 4 Gospels include many stories about how Jesus made a difference in people’s lives (for example, John 9:25). If Jesus makes a difference in your life, that is your “Gospel.” You might even call it the “Gospel According to Andrew (or whatever your name is).”

I don’t know about you, but I think in most situations I’d be more comfortable with one of the above approaches to evangelism than starting with, “you’re a sinner,” or even, “do you know where you would go if you died tonight?” And the above approaches definitely fit better with the “relationship evangelism” that many people talk about, which is less a shot-gut approach to evangelism and more so an approach to evangelism that takes place over time.

I don’t think the above approaches are a cop-out. Rather, they are about sharing the Gospel, which is the very essence of evangelism (“evangelism” comes from the Greek euangelizomai, meaning, “I proclaim” and related to the Greek euangelium, meaning, “good news”).

Question: What are some more ways to evangelize other than through sharing the four spiritual laws?

November 10, 2017November 10, 2017

What Jesus Really Says About GREAT FAITH

Jesus didn’t seem to be as concerned about the amount of faith a person has as many people today are. Of course, it’s better to have more faith than less faith. But did you know that the Bible only records two instances when Jesus commends people for their “great faith?”

Great Faith

In one story, a Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his paralyzed servant, who was “suffering terribly” (Matthew 8:6). Jesus asks if he should go to heal him, but the Roman man replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” (verse 8).

Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s response and commends his “great faith.” The other story where Jesus speaks of someone’s “great faith” involves a Canaanite woman, whose daughter Jesus heals (Matthew 15:22-28).

In both of these stories, Jesus does not say that he decided to heal the person because of the amount of faith they had. Rather, he simply observes their “great faith.”

Why the Focus on Great Faith?

Biblical scholars agree that the reason Jesus highlights the faith of these people is that Jesus was commending these non-Jewish people (a Roman centurion and a Canaanite Woman) in order to encourage his Jewish audience to have the same faith in him that these Gentiles had and to challenge the common Jewish belief that God’s grace did not extend to the Gentiles. On account of this, regarding the Roman centurion, Jesus says explicitly, “I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith” (Matthew 8:10). [1]

Little Faith

As with “great faith,” there are not many times that Jesus ever speaks of a person’s “little faith,” and it is never in connection to healing.

Once Jesus said that those who don’t trust God to provide for their basic needs have “little faith,” given that “God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire” (Matthew 6:30).

On another occasion, Jesus remarked regarding the disciples’ “little faith” when they were afraid their boat was going to sink during a “furious storm” (Matthew 8:24-26).

And many sermons have been preached on the story of Peter walking on the water. When he began to sink, Jesus remarked regarding Peter’s “little faith” (Matthew 14:31).

Finally, Jesus observed the “little faith” of the disciples when they were concerned about their lack of bread, even though Jesus had already miraculously provided bread on more than one occasion (Matthew 16:8-10).

Unlimited God!

Note well: In each of these stories Jesus worked miracles despite their little faith. God is not limited by your level of faith! Therefore, Jesus saved the disciples and calmed the stormy sea, even though they had little faith.

Perhaps you can remember Jesus saying something about having faith as small as a mustard seed.

[1] R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007), 589-91.

August 2, 2017January 2, 2018

When God Doesn’t Heal

Why do some people get healed immediately after prayer, but others never get healed, even after praying for a long time?

The short answer is, we don’t know why God chooses to heal some, but not others—at least not for each individual case. Therefore, I’m hesitant to ever answer the question beyond this.

Kingdom Come

While there are many possible answers, the most helpful answer I have found is that the kingdom of God has not fully come yet. On the one hand, the kingdom of God is coming and near.

Matthew 10:7-8~ “As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick”¦”

But on the other hand, the kingdom is still something future (Matt 7:21) and, therefore, we continue to await the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:23~ “We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.”

Future Redemption

We must remember that all of our bodies fail. Even those who are healed now eventually have their bodies fail when they die. But, all believers will eventually be healed at the resurrection with the “redemption of our bodies” (Rom 8:23).

This doesn’t explain why one specific person is healed now instead of another person, but it does temper the expectation that some people have that everyone should be healed today.

Please notice that I have not said anything about faith. God does respond to faith (Matt 9:22), but the amount of faith a person has does not have anything to do with whether or not the person is healed, as least not for Christians. No level of faith assures healing. And one can always pray, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).

God in Suffering

Christians are sometimes too prone to look for God only in the victory of Christ’s resurrection, and by analogy in the victory of our present healings. However, we need to remember that God was also present in the suffering of the cross of Christ, and by analogy in our present sufferings.

In the midst of suffering, we can affirm with Paul that God’s “grace is sufficient” (2 Cor 12:9). Hence, just as we pray (and should pray!) for God to heal people, we can also pray for God’s grace to endure suffering, even though to some that mistakenly seems like a capitulation to our suffering.

December 24, 2016January 3, 2018

The Holy Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Future

The Holy Spirit played an integral role in the birth of Jesus Christ. The Gospels tell us that Mary became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit (Matt 1:18, 20; Luke 1:35).

The significance of the Spirit in Jesus miraculous conception isn’t just that Jesus was born of a Virgin, as true as that may be. As theologian Steve Studebaker explains, the Spirit enables the incarnation as the “Spirit creates, sanctifies, and unites the divine Son with the humanity of Jesus Christ.”

The role of the Spirit in Jesus’ conception is also significant because it also points to the fact that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah.

Anointed by the Spirit

When we read that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit played a dominant role throughout Jesus’ ministry. And this is, in part, what it means for Jesus to be the Messiah.

To be clear, being the incarnate Word of God does not make Jesus the Messiah—the Spirit does.

The Greek word Christ and Hebrew word Messiah both mean “the anointed one.” And in the Old Testament, the Israelites expected that the Messiah would be anointed with the Spirit.

When Jesus started his ministry, he was filled with the Spirit at his baptism. Afterward, he affirms Isaiah’s prophecy that “the Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor” (Luke 4:18).

As the Messiah (the anointed one), Jesus ministered “filled with the Holy Spirit’s power” (Luke 4:14). And long before his public ministry, we are reminded of this fact in Jesus conception.

Jesus Identity and Our Identity

The biblical stories of Jesus birth aren’t there just to tell us about how Jesus happened to come into the world. They are there to remind us of Jesus identity. As the angels told the shepherds, Jesus was not just any baby; he is “the Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

“The Spirit is central to both who Christ is and what he did.” The Spirit enabled the incarnation of the Son of God, and the Spirit-empowered Messiah came to bring redemption to the Israelites, and even for the whole world.

Likewise, the Spirit is central to both Christian identity and action. The Spirit gives believers new life, making them children of God. And the Spirit anoints Christians to continue in the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus.

May we be found faithful as we move forward into 2018.

February 4, 2012February 4, 2018

Theology in Worship and Music

Some people think of theology as dry. However, theology is found in anything that expresses our ideas of God and all things in relation to God. Hence, theology is found not only in textbooks—it is also found in places like art and music.

With respect to worship and music specifically, it is important for us to be thoughtful about the theology that is conveyed in the songs that we sing in church (if worship leaders don’t feel equipped to do this, they might enlist the help of a pastor). People are more likely to remember the latest Chris Tomlin worship song that the church has been repeating for a few weeks than they are to remember the sermon from last Sunday (even if the three points in the sermon did all start with the letter “c”).

The songs that are sung in a church say a lot about the theology of the church, or at least the worship leader. Do they focus on feeling God? Do they focus on the love of God? The majesty of God? So, for example, it should come as no surprise that a church that emphasizes the “prosperity gospel” would sing a song that talks about expecting a “new season ”¦ of power and prosperity” (It’s a New Season, by Israel Houghton).

Some songs can be theologically problematic. While I deeply appreciate most of the lyrics in the song “Eagles Wings” (by Hillsong Church) the song asks God, “abide in me, I pray” and the chorus similarly requests, “come live in me, all my life take over.” However, Scripture makes clear that if you are a believer, then God already dwells within you by the Spirit (1 John 4:13)—even though the Spirit might come in a more intense manner. A little adjustment can easily fix the theologically problematic statement—“you live in me” rather than “come live in me.”

Besides ensuring that the songs we sing are theologically correct, we should also sing a variety of songs that communicate the key teachings of the Church. I don’t mean to imply that a song isn’t worthy of including in a worship service if it doesn’t significantly address a key theological topic—there is a place for some songs that express our feelings to God and songs that are prayers to God can also be very powerful. However, since songs can serve as a means of reinforcing good theology, then over time we should plan to sing songs about various foundational Christian beliefs as well.

It is easy to find hymns about various theologies since most hymnbooks list their songs by topic (check the index and table of contents). And many hymns are still “cool” when “cool” people sing them :) (e.g., This is My Father’s World, as performed by Gungor).