Introduction⤒🔗

You may have seen caricatures of self-proclaimed prophets, eccentrics, pacing back and forth on a crowded city street; dressed in little more than a tunic and sandals; wearing a somber, expressionless face and a long scraggly beard; and carrying a placard that reads, “Repent! The End is near!”

Now here we find the Apostle Peter saying the same thing! “The End is near!” James likewise declares that The End is near: “be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is at hand” (Jas. 5:8).

Yet, as we all know, nearly two thousand years have passed since these words were written by the apostles. Were they mistaken? Certainly not! But how are we to understand these words, “The end is near”?

Actually, the translation, “The end of all things is at hand,” is a bit misleading. But a more accurate rendering of these words proves to be very awkward when translated into English: “The end of all things is in the state of approaching;” or, “The end of all things is in the approaching mode.” (The Greek verb, εγγιζω, “to be near,” or, “to be approaching,” is found in the perfect tense, the tense that indicates a present state of affairs or state of being that has resulted from a past action.) By way of illustration, we can apply this phrase to a spacecraft that is ready for take-off, all systems are go, it is on the launching pad—it is in the “take-off mode.”

Another way of expressing the truth of these words would be to say that we have entered the last chapter of world history. Regardless of how men may choose to divide history, God, the sovereign Creator and Lord of history, has chosen to divide it into two great periods. In Hebrews 1:1-2, we read, “In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the world.” “The past” refers to the days of history prior to the coming of Jesus the Messiah. “These last days” refers to the time from Christ’s advent until His return in glory. Hebrews 9:26 refers to this time period as “the end of the ages.” 1 Peter 1:20 refers to this time period as “these last times.”

Scripture indicates that the only thing that prolongs this last chapter of history is the patience of God:\

The Lord is not negligent with regard to the promise, as some consider negligence; on the contrary, he is exhibiting great patience toward you. He does not desire anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance. 2 Pet. 3:9

But the patience of God will not last forever; “The End” will surely come:

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day, the heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 2 Pet. 3:10

It means to be aware of the fact that Christ’s return will be of monumental and eternal consequence, again, as our Lord Himself warns:

Seeing that we are living in the last chapter of history, how should we prepare for “The End”? The Apostle Peter tells us that the best way to prepare for “The End” is to live a healthy and consistent Christian life.

Prepare Yourself for “The End” by Maintaining a Sober Mind←⤒🔗

Because we do find ourselves living in “the last chapter” of history, Peter exhorts us, “let your mind be alert and be [spiritually] sober for prayer” (vs. 7). What does Peter mean when he gives this exhortation?

In chapter one, verse thirteen, he instructed us, “focus your mind [literally, “gird up the loins of your mind”] and be [spiritually] sober.” The imagery is that of binding up the loose-flowing robe at the waist with a belt so as to be ready for physical activity, such as working or walking. The meaning is that we must prepare our minds for action; we must have our minds spiritually alert, as opposed to their being spiritually disengaged.

We as Christians must not allow ourselves to be spiritual drifters. A spiritual drifter is a person who lacks well-developed moral faculties; he lacks a mind and heart that know the Word of God and are committed to it. A spiritual drifter is a person who does not trouble himself to pause and evaluate the various alternatives and choices that confront him, or the ultimate consequences of those choices. A spiritual drifter is a person who, in matters of moral conduct, seldom looks beyond the immediate present. A spiritual drifter is a person who is easily driven by his impulses and passions with little concern or resistance. A spiritual drifter is a person who has no strong moral convictions and whose life is not governed by any strong commitment to the divine moral standard. A spiritual drifter is a person who is not hardened in the depths of sin, but neither is he committed to Christ and His Word.

We as Christians must not allow ourselves to become preoccupied with the things of this present world and this present earthly existence, ignoring the great issues of eternity. We need to take a spiritual inventory, asking ourselves such questions as, “Is my life revolving around Christ, or around someone or something else?” “Am I growing in Christ, or am I drifting away from Him?” “Is the Word of God having a life-changing impact on me, or am I shutting it out, numbing my conscience to its convicting warnings and its righteous demands?”

This, then, is what it means to “let your mind be alert and be [spiritually] sober.” It means to be aware of the fact that Christ will return, as the angels assured the disciples at the time of our Lord’s ascension into heaven:

[The disciples] were looking intently up into the heavens as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹Men of Galilee, they said, why do you stand here looking into the heavens? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:10-11

It means to be aware of the fact that Christ’s return will catch the world off guard, as our Lord Himself warns:

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ³⁹and they were unaware, until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Matt. 24:37-39

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Matt. 25:31-33

It means to be aware of the fact that we are living a life that sooner or later is going to culminate in a personal, face to face encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle Paul informs us:

...we make it our goal, whether at home [in the body] or absent [from the body], to be well-pleasing to him; ¹⁰because all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ; so that each one may receive the just reward for the deeds done while living in this [earthly] body. Each one will be rewarded for what he has done, according to whether it was good or bad. 2 Cor. 5:9-10

Peter instructs us to be “[spiritually] sober for prayer.” What does this mean? It means that as Christians, we are to consciously live in God’s presence and live in fellowship with Him. One form and result of such communion is a life of prayer. To be out of touch with God, to live in disregard of God, is to be out of touch with reality: it is the spiritual equivalent of being drunk.

Let us prepare ourselves for “The End” by maintaining an alert and spiritual mind. As Peter exhorts us in the opening chapter of this epistle: “Therefore, focusing your mind and being [spiritually] sober, set your hope squarely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13).

Prepare Yourself for “The End” by Practicing Brotherly Love←⤒🔗

“Above all else,” Peter continues, “maintain a fervent love for each other” (vs. 8). The thing that is of greatest importance is the practice of Christian love. We are to maintain such love, guarding it and not allowing it to lapse among us; where it has been neglected, we must make the necessary repairs.

Let us again bear in mind Peter’s earlier exhortation: “Since you have, by obedience to the truth, purified your souls for a sincere love of your brothers, earnestly love one another from the heart, ²³having been born again” (1 Pet. 1:22-23a). We must recognize that one of the great purposes of our redemption is Christian love: we have been saved in order to love God, to love our Christian brethren, and to love our neighbor.

Regeneration (the spiritual new birth) is what creates the spiritual affinity between Christians, and what gives us the ability to express brotherly love towards fellow believers. With these great facts as the foundation, namely, the purpose of our salvation being to express the divine attribute of love and regeneration giving us the new nature that makes it possible for us to do so, we are commanded to practice brotherly love in our relationships with one another. Christian love, brotherly love, must not remain a mere potential; it must be a divine reality in our lives and in our relationships with one another as Christians.

How is brotherly love to be expressed? We practice brotherly love when we seek to avoid offending our brethren:

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with all men. Rom. 12:18

[Love] is not rude; it is not self-seeking. 1 Cor. 13:5a

Let us not become conceited, provoking each other, envying each other.Gal. 5:26

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but with a humble mind let each one consider others as occupying a higher position than himself. Phil. 2:3

We practice brotherly love when we admit our wrongs and seek reconciliation. The Book of Proverbs tells us, “A contrite answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). “A contrite answer” is an answer that humbly acknowledges whatever wrongdoing we have committed and asks for forgiveness, when we have been the cause of offense and alienation between ourselves and our brother or sister.

We practice brotherly love when we extend forgiveness to one another and exercise forbearance:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col. 3:12-14

We practice brotherly love when we show concern for the welfare of fellow Christians:

Let each one be concerned not only about his own interests, but also about the interests of others. Phil. 2:4

Bear one another’s burdens, and by doing so you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal. 6:2

Another expression of Christian love, brotherly love, one specifically presented in this passage by the Apostle Peter, is the practice of hospitality. Hospitality is a means of building up Christian fellowship, and combating the view that we are each independent and isolated individuals in our relationship with God, a view that is repudiated by the Apostle John: “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” (1 Jn. 1:3). We as Christians, must not practice “elevator Christianity.” Just as the glass elevator ascends up the building, enclosing only a handful of people in its cell, so some Christians focus only on their personal relationship with God (the vertical dimension of Christianity), to the exclusion of any genuine spiritual interaction with fellow believers.

During the first century, hospitality was not merely a matter of entertaining guests; it was primarily a means of ministering to one another. Will you open your heart and home to minister to a Christian brother or sister who may be lonely, who may need encouragement, who may be undergoing a severe trial, who may even need a home?

Peter makes the stipulation that Christian hospitality be offered “without complaining.” We must not be selfish about the possessions and blessings the Lord has seen fit to bestow upon us and entrust to us; rather, may we follow the example of Lydia, who invited Paul and Silas into her home, saying to them, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house” (Acts 16:15). As Christians, we must cultivate the attitude described in Ephesians 4:28, “He who has been stealing must no longer steal; rather, let him labor, doing honorable work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with the one who is in need.” Whereas the thief is self-centered, thinking only of how he can take advantage of others, the Christian must be Christ-like, thinking of how he can minister to those in need.

Furthermore, Christian hospitality must be offered “without whispering.” The word Peter uses (γογγυσµοs) has both the meaning of “complaining” and “whispering.” With regard to its second meaning, Peter is informing us that hospitality is not intended to be an occasion for gossiping about other Christians. The purpose of hospitality is to build one another up, not tear one another down.

Let us prepare ourselves for “The End” by practicing brotherly love. The Apostle Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonian church should be our prayer for ourselves as well: “May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you” (1 Thess. 3:12).

Prepare Yourself for “The End” by Using Your Spiritual Gifts←⤒🔗

It is a common view that it is the pastor who is the one who does the ministering, and the laymen are the ones who receive the ministering; but this is not the biblical view! Consider the biblical view of how the Christian life is to be lived within the church:

[Christ] gave...the pastors and teachers ¹²to prepare the saints for the work of ministry for the purpose of building up the body of Christ, ¹³until we all attain the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, until we become a mature man, until we attain the level of the stature of having the fullness of Christ. Eph. 4:11-13

In the light of the message of 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, printed below, each Christian must inquire as to what is his spiritual gift:

Now there is a variety of gifts, but it is the same Spirit [who gives all of them]. ⁵And there is a variety of ministries, but it is the same Lord [who appoints all of them]. ⁶And there is a variety of works, but it is the same God who performs all things in all ways. ⁷Now the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the common good.

How does a Christian discover his spiritual gift(s)? First, by acquainting yourself with the various gifts listed in Scripture. Here in 1 Peter 4:11a, the Apostle Peter lists several: “If anyone speaks, let him do so as one who speaks the words of God, if anyone serves, let him do so as one who serves by the strength that God supplies” (1 Pet. 4:11a). Peter’s reference to “speaking” would pertain to such gifts as teaching, exhorting, and encouraging, and making sure that all such “speaking” is in conformity with the Word of God: a true and faithful explanation and application of the Word of God.

Second, a Christian should ask the Lord to make known what gift(s) He has bestowed upon him. He may pursue the answer to his prayer by asking himself, as he considers the various spiritual gifts listed in Scripture, “What do I enjoy doing? What am I good at doing? What do I naturally find myself doing?” In his endeavor to ascertain his spiritual gift(s), the Christian should by all means listen to other Christians when they point out to him his areas of ability, and inability. Note: See the Appendix that accompanies this study for a discussion of the various lists of spiritual gifts found in other passages of the New Testament.

How are we to use our spiritual gifts? In verses ten and eleven, Peter counsels us as to how we are to do so: “Just as each one has received a [spiritual] gift, so use it, ministering to each other as good stewards of the manifold grace of God...so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

We are to use our gifts in ministry to one another. We are to use our spiritual gifts to serve and build up the body of Christ, first ministering to those Christians with whom God has brought us into immediate contact and then further expanding our ministry as God sees fit to open doors of greater usefulness and opportunity.

Furthermore, we are to use our spiritual gifts as good stewards of the grace of God. We must recognize that our spiritual gift(s) are entrusted to us by God. We must recognize that the particular gift entrusted to us is a part of God’s multifaceted grace. We must recognize that when we use our gift(s) we are actually ministering the very grace of God to one another. We must always be aware that we are to use our spiritual gifts for the glory of God.

Let us prepare ourselves for “The End” by using our spiritual gifts. In this regard, let us carefully consider and take to heart Jesus’ parable of the Talents:

¹⁴...a man going on a journey...called his servants and entrusted his property to them... ¹⁹After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. Master, he said, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more. ²¹His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master’s joy!... ²⁴Then the man who had received the one talent came. Master, he said, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. ²⁶His master replied, You wicked, lazy servant!...you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed! Matt. 25:14,19-21,24-26

Conclusion←⤒🔗

“The End” is at hand, we are living in “the last days,” (as the New Testament defines this present age between the time of Christ’s first coming and His return in glory), and so we must be prepared. How do we prepare ourselves for “The End”? We do so, not by conducting a continual prayer vigil in the church, not by forming a Christian commune on the top of some mountain, not by re-locating in the land of Israel.

The Apostle Peter tells us that the best way to prepare ourselves for ‘The End” is to be found living a healthy and consistent Christian life, as it is defined for us in this passage of Scripture: 1) cultivate and maintain an alert spiritual mind; 2) practice brotherly love; and, 3) use your spiritual gift(s).

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. What does the Apostle Peter tell these Christian people about “the end of all things”? See 1 Pet. 4:7a. How does the Scriptures view history, into what two great epochs does it divide history? See Heb. 1:1-2; 9:26. Since God divides all of human history into two great epochs, what should be the Christian’s frame of mind? See 1 Pet. 4:7b; cp. Mk. 13:33. Are these things characteristic of your Christian life?

The end of all things is near; so then, let your mind be alert and be [spiritually] sober for prayer. 1 Pet. 4:14

In the past, God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ²but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the world. Heb. 1:1-2

...but now, once at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb. 9:26

God divides all of human history into two great epochs—the time prior to the coming of Jesus the Messiah (“the past”) and the time following the completion of the Messiah’s work (“these last day,” or, “the end of the ages.”)

Beware, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.Mk. 13:33

2. Since the Messiah’s work of redemption has been accomplished (cf. Jn. 19:30), and our salvation is “ready to be revealed” (cf. 1 Pet. 1:5), what presently restrains our Lord’s return in glory? See 2 Pet. 3:9. But will God’s long-suffering with regard to sinful man continue forever? See 2 Pet. 3:10,

The Lord is not negligent with regard to the promise, as some consider negligence; on the contrary, he is exhibiting great patience toward you. He does not desire anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance. 2 Pet. 3:9

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day, the heavens will disappear with a loud noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, and the earth together with the works that are in it will be burned up. 2 Pet. 3:10

3. In addition to being spiritually alert and engaging in prayer for the coming of the kingdom, “above all else,” what must we as Christians be careful to be found doing? See 1 Pet. 4:8. What does it mean that “love covers a multitude of sins”? Does it mean that we are to ignore the sins perpetrated against us, or excuse them, or pretend that they do not matter? But if we merely seek to minimize the sins committed against us, will note resentment fester in our hearts? What, then, does it mean that “love covers sins”? Note Psl. 32:1; 85:2; Cp. Col. 3:13,

Above all else, maintain a fervent love for each other, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Pet. 4:8

Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Psl. 32:1

You have forgiven the iniquity of your people; you have covered all their sin. Psl. 85:2

...bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so also must you do. Col. 3:13

4. What does Proverbs 17:9 teach us about the corollary to “covering an offense” (i.e. extending forgiveness to the offender)? Is the latter part of the proverb speaking about the abuse of forgiveness: The offender fails to repent; he continues to practice the same offense? Does not reconciliation require both the extending of forgiveness by the offended party and repentance by the offending party? In your relationship with any fellow believer, or anyone else, do you need to address either the one or the other part of the equation that equals true reconciliation?

He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends. Prov. 17:9

5. In what other way do we make ourselves ready to meet our Lord at His sure but unannounced appearing? See 1 Pet. 4:10. How can you determine what gift(s) the Lord has given you? Pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Familiarize yourself with the various lists of gifts presented in the Scriptures, such as 1 Cor. 12:8-10 and Rom. 12:6-8, (consult the appendix found attached to this present lesson). Which gifts match up with your natural inclinations and interests; which match up with your natural God-given abilities? What gifts have other Christians seen in you?

Just as each one has received a [spiritual] gift, so use it, ministering to each other as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1 Pet. 4:10

Appendix: The Various N.T. Lists of Spiritual Gifts←⤒🔗

⁸...to one there is given by the Spirit a word of wisdom, and to another [there is given] a word of knowledge through the same Spirit; ⁹to yet another [there is given the gift of] faith by the same Spirit, to another [there is given] gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰to another [there is given the ability to perform] works of power, to another [there is given the gift of] prophecy, to another [there is given the ability] to distinguish between spirits, to another [there is given the ability to speak in different] tongues, to another [there is given the ability] to interpret tongues.1 Cor. 12:8-10

Note: The Greek word translated “tongues,” in verse ten, is the usual word for “languages.” Although this spiritual phenomenon is commonly referred to as “speaking in tongues,” based on such a passage as Acts 2:4-13, this gift is the miraculous ability to speak in unlearned foreign languages. In Acts 2:11, we hear the various proselytes who have come to Jerusalem to observe the Passover, exclaim, “we hear [the apostles] speaking in our tongues [i.e. languages] the mighty works of God.”

⁶Having 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; ⁷or ministry, [let us use it] in ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; ⁸he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who governs, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Rom. 12:6-8

The Gifts Listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10←⤒🔗

• “a word of wisdom;” the ability to perceive how the Word of God applies to a given situation; the ability to give practical biblical counsel to a Christian confronted with a perplexing situation
   
• “a word of knowledge;” the ability to understand the meaning of Scripture and convey that meaning and its application to others
   
• “the gift of faith;” the ability to live one’s life in direct dependence upon God, so as to be at His disposal for a given task or for a lifetime of service. An example of this gift is found in Matthew 10:9­-10. When the Lord Jesus sent out His disciples on their initial preaching mission, He gave them these instructions: “Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; ¹⁰take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food.” Jesus was instructing His disciples to depend upon Him to supply their needs; since they were called by Christ, they could depend upon Christ to provide for their needs.
   
• “gifts of healing;” this spiritual gift was especially given to the early disciples to be a testimony to the truth of the gospel and a demonstration of what life will be like in the fullness of health in the kingdom of God. When our Lord commissioned His disciples to go forth on their first preaching tour, proclaiming the gospel, He gave them this instruction: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy” (Matt. 10:8a). In the commissioning account given in the Gospel of Luke we read, “When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick” (Lk. 9:1-2). The “gift of healing” was a spiritual gift that especially pertained to the formative period of the church during the first century. We may always pray that the Lord, if it be His will, would grant healing, but we should not expect to find the gift of healing present in the contemporary church.
   
• “the ability to perform works of power;” miraculous displays of God’s power; again, for the purpose of attesting to the truth of the gospel, especially as it was proclaimed by the early disciples. When our Lord commissioned His disciples to go forth on their first preaching tour, proclaiming the gospel, He also gave them this instruction: “drive out demons” (Matt. 10:8b); note, also, Luke 9:1-2, referred to above. We may also take note of the testimony of the writer to the Hebrews, when he speaks of those messengers who first brought the gospel to those to whom he is writing: “God also [was] bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will” (Heb. 2:4).
   
• “the gift of prophecy;” receiving direct and immediate divine revelation, guidance, or understanding; this gift was especially necessary and prominent prior to the completion of the New Testament canon. Note, for example, 1 Corinthians 14:37, where Paul calls upon the prophets found within the Corinthian church to attest to the authenticity of his divine apostleship: “If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.” From this passage it becomes evident that one of the purposes of the gift of prophecy was to ascertain and verify apostolic teaching; this was especially necessary during the time when the New Testament canon was being compiled and before the church possessed it in its completed form. We should also note that Ephesians 2:20 describes the church as being built “on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” A foundation is only laid once; the office of apostle and the gift of prophecy were part of that foundational period in the establishment of the church.
   
• “the ability to distinguish between spirits;” the ability to distinguish utterances and operations of the Holy Spirit from the counterfeit workings of demonic spirits “the ability to speak in tongues [γλωσσα],” commonly called, “the gift of tongues;” the miraculous ability to speak in different languages, as was evident on the Day of Pentecost: “All of them [i.e. all of the apostles] were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages [γλωσσα] as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:4).
   
• “the ability to interpret tongues [γλωσσα];” the miraculous ability to translate utterances spoken in a different language

The Additional Gifts Listed in Romans 12:6-8←⤒🔗

• “ministry;” rendering acts of self-giving and self-denying service in the name of Christ; whereas every Christian is exhorted to practice such a ministry, those who possess the gift of ministry do so with special delight and ability
   
• “teaching, exhortation, encouragement;” the ability to communicate and apply the Word of God in an effective way, in either a formal and public setting (“teaching”) or an informal and personal manner (“exhortation,” “encouragement”)
   
• “giving;” the ministry of providing financial contributions to the church for the work of the kingdom of God above and beyond the giving of the tithe and the giving on special occasions of need that may arise in the church from time to time
   
• “governing,” or, “administration;” the ability to give leadership or provide oversight for a local congregation or for a larger segment of Christ’s body, the church
   
• “mercy;” the ability to render compassionate and practical care to those members of the body who are suffering; again, here is a ministry every Christian is expected to perform when the occasion arises, but those who have the gift of mercy exercise this ministry with special delight and ability

Should we expect to find all of these gifts present in the church at all times throughout church history?←⤒🔗

As noted, the miraculous gifts were especially significant during the time when the church was being established. Such gifts served to testify to the truth of the gospel; note, again, the passage of Hebrews 2:3b-4, “This salvation, that was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Note: There is a difference between God working miracles and persons who have been entrusted with the gift of working miracles. While God continues to work miracles whenever He sees fit to do so, we would maintain that He no longer entrusts men with the gift of working miracles.)

The prophetic gifts served to support, guide and instruct the church during the time prior to the completion of the New Testament canon, giving insight into the meaning of the apostolic writings and serving to verify true apostolic teaching. Note, again, for example, 1 Corinthians 14:37, where Paul calls upon the prophets found within the Corinthian church to testify to the authenticity of his divine apostleship. Also, as previously stated, according to Ephesians 2:20, the church is built upon “the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” The apostles and prophets functioned as the “foundation” of the New Testament church, and the laying of the foundation is a one-time event. This indicates that such gifts and offices were limited to the time when the church was being established and were not meant to be ongoing.

When the church possesses the complete Scripture of both the Old and New Testaments, and where the church has become established in a particular society and part of the world, the miraculous gifts recede and become extinct or non-operative. However, in those parts of the world where the gospel is advancing for the first time and where the church is confronted with the powers of darkness in a direct and intense way, some of the more miraculous workings of the Holy Spirit may be displayed.

By way of example, consider the following report:

Many Uyghurs [an Islamic people living in northwest China] came to faith [in Christ] through experiences of miraculous healing, including a man named Ali...

Ali...had end-stage cancer, and he was desperate. When the front-line worker told Ali that God could heal his tumor, Ali bet him that He could not. But one week after the believers laid hands on Ali and prayed for him for about 30 minutes, he returned and said he wanted to place his faith in Christ. His tumor was gone.

The next time Ali came to the fellowship, he brought his doctor, who was so shocked at Ali’s healing that he wanted to know more about the God who healed. Ten days later, Ali’s doctor also came to faith.¹