Spiritual Gifts, Temporary

Temporary spiritual gifts were necessary to get the Church started without a completed Canon of Scripture. Temporary spiritual gifts functioned in place of the yet-to-be completed written New Testament Canon of Scripture. Most were spectacular in order to draw attention to the message given by the person with the gift. They were very evident in a public way, so that people would see how unusual and supernatural they were and so they could draw a crowd.

Temporary spiritual gifts functioned only during the Pre-Canon period of the Church Age from 30 to 96 AD. The permanent spiritual gifts function during both the Pre-Canon period of the Church Age and through the entire Post-Canon period of the Church Age. After 96 A.D., all of the temporary spiritual gifts had ceased to function because their purpose had been fulfilled according to the Word of God. Temporary spiritual gifts were removed by God between 70 to 96 AD while the Canon was being circulated throughout the Roman world. None of the temporary gifts function legitimately today. For those that claim that temporary spiritual gifts still function, they are not from God – they are a satanic operation.

The importance of the temporary spiritual gifts was based on the authority and responsibility given to the communicator with the gift and their effect on the building up and edification of believers in the Body of Christ. Below is a list of the temporary spiritual gifts. The gifts of apostleship and prophesy are listed first as they are the primary communication gifts for the Pre-Canon period of the Church Age. They came with great responsibility and significant effect on the building up of the Body of Christ. 1 Cor. 12:8-10; 1 Cor. 12:28.

Temporary Spiritual Gifts

1. Apostleship

2. Prophesy

3. Miracles

4. Healing

5. Tongues

6. Interpretation of Tongues

7. Knowledge

8. Word of Wisdom

9. Discerning Spirits

"For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, NASB)

"And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:28, NASB)

All of the spiritual gifts are the work of the Holy Spirit and that He gives them just as He sovereignly determines. We also see spiritual gifts portrayed as analogous to the human body. Although the body is one unit, it is made up of many parts that each have a unique, but important function. This is how it is with the Body of Christ which has many believers with different spiritual gifts and different spiritual lives all functioning to improve and expand the Body of Christ. 1 Cor. 12:11-13.

"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:11-13, NASB)

Apostleship

The gift of Apostleship had the highest authority ever delegated by God in the Church Age. Many of those given this gift by the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost are the authors of the New Testament epistles who taught and wrote the mystery doctrines that were not revealed in the Old Testament Scripture. All writers of the New Testament were either apostles or someone closely associated with an apostle such as Mark and Luke. These apostles wrote in the New Testament prophecy details of the future dispensations which will follow the Church Age, both the Tribulation and the Millennium. Rom. 16:25; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:11.

"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past," (Romans 16:25, NASB)

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers," (Ephesians 4:11, NASB)

"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." (1 Corinthians 12:11, NASB)

The word “apostle” is derived from the Attic Greek word ἀπόστολος (apostolos) and means admiral, supreme commander, or one who has the highest rank. The spiritual gift of apostleship was designed for two purposes. One was the formation of the Canon of Scripture, the New Testament. The other purpose was leadership in the Pre-Canon period of the Church Age. This leadership involved training of pastors, establishing local churches, and teaching the mystery doctrines of the Church Age until the Canon was completed. See category on Apostleship, Spiritual Gift.

Prophecy

The gift of Prophecy enabled the possessor of the gift to foretell events pertaining to the Church Age not in the Canon of Scripture at the time that the gift of prophecy was given. Such prophecies included the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Second Advent, the Millennium and eternity. Although there was mention of the Second Advent, the Tribulation and the Eternal State in the Old Testament, there was information given to New Testament prophets not yet in the Canon of Scripture. That information was given under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and was included in the New Testament Canon.

This was a temporary spiritual gift. The gift of prophecy faded out of existence. The partial, in the Pre-Canon period, were the temporary spiritual gifts including prophecy, which would be done away with once the written Canon of Scripture (the perfect) was completed and circulated in 96-100 A.D. 1 Cor.13:8-10.

"Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away." (1 Corinthians 13:8-10, NASB)

The gift of prophecy included foretelling which was predicting future events as well as forthtelling, which is simply giving the message from the Lord. Today, the pastor-teacher is the minister of the local church and forthtells the message from the Word of God. It applies to anyone who is giving forth a message from the Lord. For instance, whenever you give the Gospel, you are forthtelling. Forthtelling is having divine viewpoint from the Word of God in your soul and sharing it with someone else. When you give forth a message or a viewpoint or a principle from the Word of God, you are forthtelling. See category on Prophecy, Spiritual Gift.

Miracles

The temporary spiritual gift of Miracles was the ability to perform a miracle at will. This was the sign that he was from God. Faith of the person who had the gift of performing miracles was not required. It didn't depend on how strong or weak his personal faith was. It depended upon God the Holy Spirit to get the job done. God the Holy Spirit performed the miracles through the one who had the gift of miracles. 1 Cor. 12:28. See category on Miracles, Spiritual Gift.

Healing

The temporary spiritual gift of Healing was the ability to heal at will. The purpose of the gift of healing was not just to alleviate human suffering. It was their credentials in establishing their authority of the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The apostles and many of their close associates had the gift of healing. It was the ability to heal people with all kinds of diseases to provide a highly visible platform of recognition of their authority from God and communication of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 12:9. See category on Healing, Spiritual Gift.

"to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit," (1 Corinthians 12:9, NASB)

Tongues

The spiritual gift of Tongues was the ability of a person to speak eloquently in a language without ever having learned that language. When speaking in tongues, there was a great flow of words in the mind of the speaker, but the vocabulary that came from their mouth was in a language they had never learned to speak. The content of the gift of tongues was always the Gospel. This gift was the ability to share the Gospel in a foreign language.

Tongues was not emotional gibberish or drunken speech or an angelic language. It was a spiritual gift that functioned only under certain circumstances and involved the Holy Spirit controlling the vocal cords so that the speaker uttered a foreign language not previously known by the communicator, but known to some unbeliever nearby who was listening. The use of the gift was a warning to the Jews of the impending fifth cycle of discipline. The fifth cycle of discipline for Israel transpired in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem. See category on Tongues, Spiritual Gift.

Interpretation of Tongues

The temporary spiritual gift of the Interpretation or Translation of Tongues was the ability to translate accurately what was being said to the foreign unbelievers present, making sure that the one giving the message in a foreign tongue was giving accurate Gospel information. The gift of tongues never functioned without the gift of interpretation of tongues also functioning. This was not simply being well educated in numerous languages. The ones who had this gift would not even know the languages that they were translating! Those that had the gift of giving the Gospel to an unbeliever in their own language (tongues), a language they themselves did not understand, never had the gift of interpretation of tongues. This was so that people in the congregation would believe in the accuracy of the message and that those speaking in foreign languages were not just cranking out gibberish. God had a very special way to make sure that everything was done in decency and order. 1 Cor. 12:10; 1 Cor. 12:30. See category on Interpretation of Tongues, Spiritual Gift.

"and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:10, NASB)

"All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?" (1 Corinthians 12:30, NASB)

Knowledge

The temporary spiritual gift of Knowledge was knowing what would be included in the completed Canon of Scripture while the New Testament Scripture had not yet been written. This gift functioned only prior to the completion of the Canon of Scripture in 96 AD. For example, the doctrines of Positional Truth and the Filling of the Holy Spirit, etc., were taught before all the Epistles were written.

With this temporary gift, they had instant epignosis knowledge of mystery Church Age doctrine. This was a spiritual gift whereby you knew a Church Age doctrine without studying it, for there was as yet no New Testament Canon in writing to study. This knowledge was provided directly by God the Holy Spirit who inserted previously unknown doctrinal information into a person’s right lobe as epignosis. In other words, the gift of knowledge functioned totally apart from the function of the grace apparatus for perception. 1 Cor 12:8. See category on Knowledge, Spiritual Gift.

"For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;" (1 Corinthians 12:8, NASB)

Word of Wisdom

The temporary spiritual gift of the Word of Wisdom accompanied the temporary spiritual gift of Knowledge and was the ability to explain and apply the mystery doctrine of the Church Age taught by the gift of Knowledge. Some taught the mystery doctrines while others taught the application of those doctrines. Today, divine wisdom comes to any growing believer based on their consistent intake and application of Bible doctrine. 1 Cor. 12:8. See category on Word of Wisdom, Spiritual Gift.

"For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;" (1 Corinthians 12:8, NASB)

Discerning Spirits

The temporary spiritual gift of Discerning Spirits was the gift of detecting heresy in the early church or the gift of distinguishing true from false doctrine and to recognize false teachers. If the message was not correct, the one with the gift would say the message was not correct to those near him. They would tell others that they should not listen to what was being said. With the completion of the Canon of Scripture in 96 AD, this gift was no longer necessary, since the New Testament contains true doctrine and thereby exposes false doctrine. 1 Cor 12:10. See category on Discerning Spirits, Spiritual Gift.

The Cessation of Temporary Spiritual Gifts

The temporary spiritual gifts functioned only during the Pre-Canon period, from approximately 30 to 100 AD. Most of them were highly supernatural and very spectacular during that time. These gifts were necessary to get the Church started without a completed Bible. These temporary gifts ceased in function because their purpose was completed as stated in 1 Corinthians 13:8. In contrast, the permanent spiritual gifts continued to function throughout the Post-Canon period of the Church Age, right down to the Rapture or Exit Resurrection of the Church.

"Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away." (1 Corinthians 13:8, NASB)

In 1 Corinthians 13:8, “Love” refers to the filling of the Holy Spirit producing unconditional love in the believer. The verb “never fails” is the present active indicative of πίπτω (piptō) and means it never comes to a stop, it never is destroyed or collapses. The thing that really counts is the Spirit-controlled life, not the gift of tongues. This verse sets up a contrast where the filling of the Holy Spirit remains the same through the Church Age, but the temporary gifts will cease.

The phrase “gifts of prophecy, they will be done away” is the future passive indicative of καταργέω (katargeō) and means to cause to put an end to, to do away with, to annul, to abolish. They will fade out of the picture and finally be abolished. Where there are prophecies, they will be done away or they will fade out. This is the part (Pre-canon) moving toward the whole (completed Canon). When the Canon of Scripture was completed, there would be no further need for prophecy.

The same is mentioned for tongues. “They will cease” is the future middle indicative of παύω (pauō) and means to stop, to cease at a set time. The temporary gift of tongues ceased at 70 AD after 40 years. Its purpose was completed. These miraculous gifts were being disseminated in Jerusalem to evangelize the Jews to fulfill the prophecy of tongues. The gift of tongues didn’t fade out, but ceased right at a definite time. The gift of tongues was stilled in 70 AD.

1 Corinthians 13:9 uses the phrase “in part” is μέρος (meros) and means one of the constituent parts of a whole. The whole refers to the completed written canon of Scripture. At the time this was written, the New Testament was not yet complete, thus the use of “in part.”

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part;" (1 Corinthians 13:9, NASB)

In 1 Corinthians 13:10, “the perfect” refers to the completed written canon of Scripture. The “partial” refers to the written Bible at the time Paul wrote 1 Corinthians. The New Testament containing the mystery doctrines of the Church Age was not yet completed and circulated. In comparing the Greek construction here with James 1:25, they both use τέλειος (teleios) and means that which is perfect, wanting nothing necessary to completeness.

"but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away." (1 Corinthians 13:10, NASB)

"But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:25, NASB)

The gift of knowledge also faded out. In 1 Corinthians 13:8, “Knowledge, it will be done away” is the future passive indicative of καταργέω (katargeō) and means to cause to put an end to, do away with, to annul, to abolish. As more books were added to the Canon, the more the temporary gifts of prophecy and knowledge faded. The King James says they vanished. This is a good description.

The gift of healing was also withdrawn. For example, Paul’s gift of healing was withdrawn once his authority was established among the local churches. An illustration of this is Timothy's illness. Paul told him to take a little wine for his stomach's sake in 1 Timothy 5:23. Paul couldn't heal this problem, so he told Timothy to drink a little wine. Paul's authority in the local churches was established and his gift of healing was taken away.

"No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments." (1 Timothy 5:23, NASB)

Understand that God still heals today, but the gift of healing does not function today. Healing is the sovereign decision of the Lord. God can heal medically and He can heal divinely. However, there is another category of healing that comes directly from Satan. Satan can and does induce illnesses and also induces cures from demonism. It’s clear that our Lord healed to establish His authority so that the Jews would know He was the Messiah of God and the Savior of the world. The apostle's gift of healing was to establish their authority as apostles and representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

The temporary spiritual gifts functioned in place of the completed Canon. This is the partial moving toward the whole. The phrase “For we know in part” refers to the Pre-Canon period. The “perfect” is the completed Canon of Scripture because in the Greek, it is in the neuter gender, not the masculine gender which would refer to Jesus Christ. It refers to the Canon.

The Holy Spirit withdrew these temporary gifts in the Post-canon period to focus our attention on the written Word of God. Everything we need is in the written Canon of Scripture. God the Holy Spirit reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:10 that we have something more powerful and more important now. We have the completed Canon of Scripture - the perfect Word of God.

"but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away." (1 Corinthians 13:10, NASB)