Q: #640. What "gifts" have been given to us by God?
A: There are two kinds of “gifts” mentioned in the Bible as coming from God: “spiritual” and “universal.” What I mean by “universal” is that every human (and creature to some degree: i.e. Ps 147:9, Mt 6:26) receives “gifts” from God by virtue of being alive on this planet. The Bible tells us this in a few places:
(James 1:17) “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights…”
(Acts 17:25) “Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.”
(1 Tim 6:17) “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”
Every single thing on this planet has been created by God (Jesus) (Col 1:16)(Heb 1:10)(Jn 1:3), and belongs to Him (Deut 10:14)(1 Chr 29:11)(Ps 24:1). God is sovereign, and either causes, or allows all that happens on this planet (or anywhere). Tying this to “gifts” from God, there are many, many “universal” gifts that are “given” by God to every person on this planet, whether they acknowledge that fact or not (and many don’t)…
For example, (Prov 10:22)(Ecc 5:19)(1 Sam 2:7)(Deut 8:18) tell us that riches and wealth are God-given gifts, but most who have “riches and wealth” don’t acknowledge the “God-factor.” Here are a “few” of the many other “universal gifts” like this mentioned in the Bible: life / breath (Acts 17:25)(Isa 42:5), children (Ps 127:3), the sun and the rain (Mt 5:45)(Jer 5:24)(Jer 31:35), food (Ps 136:25)(Ps 145:15)(Ps 146:7), grass (Ps 147:8), snow (Ps 147:16), wind to blow / waters to flow (Ps 147:18).
(Lk 6:35) … for He (God) is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”
(Ps 145:9) “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”
However, the GREATEST gift (whether accepted or not) given to ALL men (“universally”) is Jesus Christ.!
(Jn 3:16) “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
(Jn 4:10)(NKJV) “Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.””
(Jn 6:32-33)(NKJV) “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. (33) For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”” (Also see: Jn 6:51, Rom 5:15-18)
Jesus gave His life to pay for the sin of ALL men. (Rom 6:23) “For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ out Lord.” As is obvious, a gift must be accepted by the one to whom it is given. God desires that ALL would accept this “gift” of salvation (1 Tim 2:3-4)(2 Pet 3:9), however, many choose not to (this is called “free-will”).
(Rom 5:18)(NKJV) says this, “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.”
One of the key words tied to “gift” in the New Testament is “grace” (Gr. “charis“). This word fills the New Testament, being used 131 times! I have written a big study on “grace,” which you can find here. But, in short, for the purpose of this study, here are two definitions of the word “grace:”
“Grace is God’s free, unmerited, undeserved favor being bestowed upon sinners who are not worthy to receive it.”
“Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines Him to bestow benefits on the undeserving.” – A.W. Tozer
In other words, we can do NOTHING to “earn” our salvation! It is a “gift” given by God to those who don’t deserve it.
(Eph 2:8-9) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the GIFT of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
How do we “receive” this “gift?” By faith (also see: Rom 5:1-2, Rom 4:16). And again, this gift of God is offered to “all” men: (Titus 2:11) “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.”
I pause here to ask: Have you accepted this gift? Will you? You can do so here.
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Once we accept Jesus’ payment for our sins, it is then that we receive God’s “spiritual gifts.” The first of these is that God comes to live inside of the new believer in the form of the Holy Spirit. He is the guarantee of our salvation (Eph 1:13-14)(Eph 4:30)(2 Cor 5:5)(2 Cor 1:22). The Bible refers to “receiving” the Holy Spirit as a “gift” in a number of places.
(Acts 2:38) “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
(Acts 10:45) “And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
(Acts 11:16-17)(NKJV) “Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ (17) If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” (Also see: Acts 8:19-20)
When the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us, He “gives” us help in many areas of our lives. Here are a few:
Teaches us (Jn 14:26)
Helps us to witness (Jn 15:26-27)
Guides us to truth (Jn 16:13)
Comforts us (Jn 14:16,18)
I share a list of 17 amazing ways Holy Spirit helps us here.
In addition, the Holy Spirit gives each believer what are actually called “spiritual gifts.” One or more of these are given to each believer so that they can edify others and the church, as well as to glorify God. These gifts are mentioned throughout the New Testament. Here are some found in (Rom 12:4-8):
(Rom 12:4-8)(NKJV) “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, (5) so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (6) Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; (7) or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; (8) he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
You can find all 22 “spiritual gifts” mentioned in the New Testament here.
When you look at the Old Testament, you find very few mentions of the word “gift” being tied to something that God gave to man (a few found in Num Ch. 18). As I mentioned above, many things in the OT are said to be “given” to man by God, and in a sense, these are certainly a “gift,” but very few are actually called a “gift.” It isn’t until we get to the New Testament that we see the word “gift” specifically being used for what God has given to man, and virtually all of these are tied to Jesus and salvation. You will receive NO better gifts than the gifts you receive from God!
(2 Cor 9:15) “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”