Spiritual Gifts vs. Natural Gifts

Here's an interesting thought on the idea of spiritual gifts vs. natural gifts. It has been my experience that, in the church, whenever we talk about spiritual gifts we distinguish between them and natural talents. The stuff in I Corinthians 12 and Romans 12 are spiritual gifts, as opposed to natural gifts like the ability to sing, cook, dance, play a sport, play a musical instrument, etc. Of course we always tell people they should use their natural talents to serve the Lord, but our very nomenclature seems to suggest that these natural talents come from within, not from the Lord.

I read Exodus 28:3 this morning and it puts a different spin on this.  In building the wilderness tabernacle it says:

You shall speak to all the skillfull, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill . . . (ESV)

Sooo . . . the skills of the skillfull come from the filling of the spirit. For me, this puts a whole new spin on things and tells me we shouldn't be so quick to distinguish spiritual gifts from natural gifts, as if man has any ability that has not come from God. All gifts, talents and skills are from God and are a means of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Related Tags: Religion, Theology, Christian, Christianity, Gifts, Spiritual Gifts

Comments

[John Hollandsworth]

This whole issue has bugged me for years. Most writers will say that "spiritual" gifts come at the time of conversion and are fundamentally different from "natural" gifts, yet all the "spiritual" gift tests and inventories that I have taken from various ministries all are simply glorified personality tests, which a Muslim could take and score high in various categories the same as me. In the final analysis, I like what Blackaby once said when he concluded that "the Spirit is the gift."

[Foolish Sage]

I think you're on to something, David, in suggesting that spiritual gifts and natural talents may not be as widely separated as we make them, but I don't know if I'd support it from the OT text you cite. My impression from that text is that these workmen were indeed being specially gifted for the task at hand, whether by being given an ability they previously did not have or having that ability enhanced in some way. This does not appear to be a blanket statement that all talents in every person are directly "gifts of the Spirit," especially since the NT is clear that those gifts are given to the church.

That being said, I too have a bad taste in my mouth for "spiritual gifts assessments" that are little more than personality tests, and was very surprised when I was asked to take one as part of a pastoral training class at my very conservative Reformed seminary.

[Hobbes]

You're absolutely right, David. In fact, Exodus 35:30 expands on this, and lists a large range of skills and abilities that they have been "filled" with:

"and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach... He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer."

Computer Science, therefore, can be a Spirit-filled activity!

[dan mcgowan]

I have been "preaching" for years that "skill" is NOT what God wants at the center of what we do - yet so many, particularly those in the christian creative arts, seem completely unwavering from a mindset that assume that the more SKILLED one is, the more WORSHIP-LEADER-EQUIPPED one is and, as these verses point out, nothing could be further from the truth... skill is zilch if it is not from a filling of the Holy Spirit. No amount of skill can be used by God, for His glory, if the skill-user ain't filled with the Spirit. Great post and great reminder!

[Tiffany]

I wholeheartedly believe that our natural gifts come from God as well. He has created us at our very core and I believe that is where natural gifts originate. That's why most people who end up back at what they initially thought was their gift—a writer becomes a dancer and returns, a good organizer and communicator cannot help but be in leadership, a mother or a father have an internal desire, a dedicated student goes on to a PhD, a homeless worker has compassion for people that can often disgust, etc. And, God created everything, right, so our natural gifts have to be from him. Spiritual gifts are attained through prayer and aligning oneself with God's will, reading the Bible, etc., but natural gifts can also be enhanced by the same things. Even natural gifts can be daunting at times and need honing.

Just my thoughts.

[Tiffany]

I wholeheartedly believe that our natural gifts come from God as well. He has created us at our very core and I believe that is where natural gifts originate. That's why most people who end up back at what they initially thought was their gift—a writer becomes a dancer and returns, a good organizer and communicator cannot help but be in leadership, a mother or a father have an internal desire, a dedicated student goes on to a PhD, a homeless worker has compassion for people that can often disgust, etc. And, God created everything, right, so our natural gifts have to be from him. Spiritual gifts are attained through prayer and aligning oneself with God's will, reading the Bible, etc., but natural gifts can also be enhanced by the same things. Even natural gifts can be daunting at times and need honing.

Just my thoughts.

[Zenola Diggs]

First of all, let me say how much I appreciate the intelligence and grace that has been displayed on this blog page. Too often do Christians attempt to chastise and correct in ways that are less than loving and for the edification of the body of Christ.

Now, I tend to wholely agree with Tiffany. God is definitely at the very core of who were are as children of God, created in His own image and confirmed in scripture:

Acts 17:28
"For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

Therefore, I personally find it virtually impossible to seperate the attributes of gifts and talents. I am convinced it is how we utilize what God anoints us with that determines how we will be perceived by those whom we find ourselves spiritually interogated.

Continue to be blessed!