The term "spiritual gifts" comes from two words in the original Greek language of the New Testament: charismata and pneumatika (these are the plural forms of charisma and pneumatikon.) In the Bible, the apostle Paul uses these words more than anyone. In fact, in the New Testament, these words do not appear anywhere else except for 1 Peter 2:5 and 4:10. While other New Testament writers mention abilities that God gives to believers, Paul provides the most complete teaching about spiritual gifts.
Origin of the Term
These Greek words come from simpler Greek words. The word charisma comes from charis (which means grace). The word pneumatikon comes from pneuma (which means spirit). Both words describe similar things: charisma means "an expression of grace," while pneumatikon means "an expression of Spirit." However, these words can be used in slightly different ways.
Charisma
Charisma explains how God saves in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:15–16). It also is the gift of eternal life (6:23). In Romans 11:29, charisma describes God's special acts of kindness toward Israel, which confirmed God's choice of Israel as His people (see also 2 Peter 1:10). In 2 Corinthians 1:11, the term seems to refer to a particular action of God. God delivered Paul from a life-threatening danger.
Most often, it describes special abilities that God gives to individual believers. Paul lists examples of these abilities, such as speaking God's message and serving others (Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:8–10). Other passages that talk about these gifts include Romans 1:11; 1 Corinthians 1:7; 7:7; 12:4–11, 28–30; and 1 Peter 4:10.
Pneumatikon
Paul uses pneumatikon in a broader sense. It is more proper to translate it as an adjective. So, it describes various things and people as “spiritual.” Paul uses this word:
To describe specific acts or words given by the Spirit (Romans 1:11)
To describe God's law as spiritual (7:14)
To describe several things from Israel's history in the wilderness as spiritual:
The special food (manna) God provided
The water from the rock
The rock itself that provided water (1 Corinthians 10:3–4)
To describe the new body believers will receive in the resurrection (15:44–46).
To describe various spiritual blessings:
Blessings in heaven (Ephesians 1:3)
Understanding God's will (Colossians 1:9)
Songs used in worship (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
When used as a plural noun, pneumatika can refer to:
People who are spiritual (Galatians 6:1)
Things that are spiritual (Romans 15:27; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 9:11; 12:1; 14:1)
Powers in heaven that are spiritual (Ephesians 6:12)
What Are Spiritual Gifts?
From this short study, we can give a more precise definition of “spiritual gifts.” There are three main ways to describe them:
Spiritual gifts are whatever tools or abilities the Holy Spirit uses.
Spiritual gifts are whatever show the Holy Spirit's work.
Spiritual gifts are whatever expresses the Holy Spirit's presence.
So then, whatever event, word, or action is a clear expression of grace is a spiritual gift (charisma). Or, it is anything that helps people receive God's grace. Pneumatikon is the more general word, and so it is less precise. Charisma is more specific. Also, chose to use the word charisma more often (Romans 1:11; 12:6; 1 Corinthians 7:7; 12:4). The people who disagreed with Paul in the city of Corinth preferred to use the word pneumatikon instead (1 Corinthians 2:13–3:4; 14:37; 15:44–46).
In the rest of our discussion, we will focus on the word charisma. Paul sometimes uses this word to describe God's direct actions in general (Romans 5:15, 16; 6:23; 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:11). However, we will look more closely at the places where Paul uses the word in a specific way. In these passages, "spiritual gifts" are specific ways that God's grace becomes visible. These gifts work through one person to help other people.
The Bible gives us clear lists of spiritual gifts (charismata) in several places (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4). These lists help us understand what Paul meant by spiritual gifts. Paul, who first defined the idea of spiritual gifts in the church, explained them in a simple way. A spiritual gift is an ability that God's Spirit gives to a person. When someone uses this gift, it shows God's kindness in action, either through words or actions, to help other people.
A spiritual gift is something God does through a person, but God is always the one doing it. It is never the person themselves. This means people can only show these gifts when they stay open to God and depend on him.
Paul sometimes writes about people "having" or "possessing" spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 7:7; 12:3). But, this is another way of saying they depend on grace of God. They rely on God all the time to show his grace through them in different ways. Paul does not suggest that the spiritual gift is a power the gifted person commands. Nor is this what it means to "have the Spirit” (Romans 8:9, 23). But, it is true that in 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6, this basic meaning starts to change a bit.
A spiritual gift is any event, word, or action that shows the grace of God in action. In this way, sacraments (sacred practices like the Lord's Supper and baptism) can be “means of grace” (even though they are never called this in the New Testament). Many other words and actions can also show God's grace. This helps us understand that when the Bible lists spiritual gifts (for example, Romans 12:6–8; 1 Corinthians 12:8–10), these lists are not complete or final. Instead, they show common examples of how God's Spirit works. Or they address specific situations where people need guidance.
The fact that these different lists share some of the same gifts shows that Paul was not trying to make a perfect, complete list. Instead, he chose examples of activities and words through which he saw God's grace working in his churches.
Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
Paul believed all Christians could show spiritual gifts. Anyone who is open to God's Spirit and follows God's leading will naturally show God's kindness in some way (Romans 8:9–14).These people should also be ready for God's power to work through their words and actions when they are with other believers.
Paul explained that the church is "the body of Christ." Spiritual gifts demonstrate how the body functions (Romans 12:4–6; 1 Corinthians 12:14–30). If someone is not using their spiritual gifts, they are not working as part of Christ's body. These gifts are how Christ's body stays active and alive. Just as a body needs many different parts working together, the church grows stronger when people use their different gifts to help each other.
So then, a spiritual gift is mainly given to help the whole church community. The gift is “for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). This is why it is wrong to selfishly want spiritual gifts or use them without love (13:1–3). A person cannot use their spiritual gift however they want for their own benefit. (Speaking in tongues [called glossolalia in Greek] might be an exception, but this is why Paul says it is less important than other gifts.)
God chooses to act through one person for the benefit of others. In other words, one person receives the gift for the community. The person with the gift only benefits when the whole community benefits. The spiritual health of each person is closely connected to the health of the whole church community (1 Corinthians 12:14–26; Ephesians 4:16).