Getting back to our discussion of gifts and ministries, I want to look at the end of 1 Corinthians 12. Starting in verse 27 we read:

“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.” (1 Corinthians 12:27–31)

The word “gifts” in verses 28, 30, and 31 is “charismata,” the word we’ve been looking at. In this chapter, Paul uses the phrase “gifts of healing” three times. I’m guessing that’s to make clear that he wasn’t talking about someone being healed but rather the gift/ministry of healing others. Someone better versed than I in Greek might shed some light here.

Verse 31 then stands apart, with a charge to seek the “higher gifts.” He would seem to be referring to this list, with apostles*, prophets, and teachers heading the list. Can you see how these would refer more to ministries than special abilities? That makes sense to me. Even looking at the list, “gifts” like helping and administrating seem to describe roles more than abilities.

I’m becoming more and more convinced that charisma/charismata in the New Testament refers to a ministry that God has given us to perform rather than special abilities for performing those ministries. That said, there’s a lot of truth in the old saying: “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.”

*Paul generally uses the term “apostle” in a broad sense, referring to those sent out to establish new churches; when he’s talking about the original apostles, he usually says “the twelve.” You can see this clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 where both terms are used