The gifts of the Holy Spirit

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Message The gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be revealed in us.

Contents The gifts of the Holy Spirit

Explanations concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit
What is the Holy Spirit able to produce in you?

Catechism CNAC-QA 530 (address in the lesson)

1 Lead-in
Explain Through the sacrament of Holy Sealing we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Thereby we become children of God and are called to become firstlings. If we
give the Holy Spirit room within us—in other words, if we allow Him to work
upon us—still other gifts will be revealed in us, although these are not of a
sacramental character. Apostle Paul states that the most important of these
gifts are faith, hope, and love.

These three gifts can and must develop in all baptised individuals. Faith in
Jesus Christ is inspired and reinforced in a human being by the Holy Spirit.
This faith is a unifying element among all Christians. It is no different with
hope and love. These gifts do not come into being on the basis of a person’s
own efforts, but are rather rooted in the Holy Spirit and fortified by Him.

Beyond that there are also other gifts that are closely associated with faith,
hope, and love. Some of these are mentioned in 1 Corinthians.

A more detailed description of faith, hope, and trust is provided in lessons

29–31. In the following we will discuss some of the gifts that can develop within
us.

A student reads The students read 1 Corinthians 12: 4–7 together.

aloud

Discuss homework The teacher discusses the homework with the students. How have the
confirmands experienced the Holy Spirit in their lives?

2 The gifts of the Holy Spirit

Ask What gifts of the Holy Spirit are mentioned by Apostle Paul?

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28 The gifts of the Holy Spirit

In 1 Corinthians 12: 4–7, Apostle Paul emphasises that all gifts and services
within the church have their source in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. They
are intended to serve for the benefit of the church. Some of the gifts which he
mentions in this passage are also important for us:

– the word of wisdom and knowledge

– prophetic speech
– the ability to discern the spirits

The following section will briefly explore the aforementioned gifts and explain
their significance for the church today.

3 Explanations concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Explain The word of wisdom and knowledge

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111: 10). For us as
Christians, the word of wisdom is manifested when we profess Jesus Christ to
others.

The word of knowledge (for example, in the sermon) becomes manifest when
Jesus Christ is regarded as the focus and the source of all salvation.

For us today, this means that we are to profess Jesus Christ to other human
beings in word and deed. This also incorporates the constant endeavour to
treat our neighbour in a loving manner.

Explain Prophetic speech

On the one hand, prophetic speech refers to the interpretation of the past and
present. On the other hand, it also incorporates predictions for the future.

We experience prophetic speech wherever the gospel is preached. The most

important content of such speech is the reference to the return of Christ.

Every Christian who professes hope in the return of Christ to others is

engaging in prophetic speech, as it were. This also includes drawing the
attention of people who are frightened of the future or who find no purpose
in life to Jesus Christ, who gives our lives purpose and a future.

Explain The ability to discern the spirits

The ability to discern spirits is the ability to distinguish between that which
comes from God and that which comes from a different source. The
application of this gift will prevent believers from falling into dependencies
that rob them of the liberty they have been granted by Jesus Christ.

For us in daily life, this means recognising the things that are—and the things
that are not—consistent with the gospel. This also means that we do not seek
to gain advantages for ourselves at the expense of our neighbour.

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The gifts of the Holy Spirit
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Workbook The students do exercise A in the workbook together and discuss it. A
exercise A statement is formulated for each of the aforementioned gifts of the Holy Spirit,
and copied into the workbook.

Ask 4 What is the Holy Spirit able to produce in you?

“The Holy Spirit … is a Comforter and Helper. The Holy Spirit also admonishes
the sealed believer, sharpens his conscience, and provides orientation on the
way to the goal of faith” (CNAC 8.3.9).

What does the What are the effects of Holy Sealing? This question is answered in CNAC-QA
Catechism say? 530 (please read together and discuss).

Explain Further explanations:

Comforter and Helper

The Holy Spirit accompanies believers in whatever circumstances they may

find themselves in. He strengthens them with His comfort in times of grief or
despair, and helps them endure difficult situations.

Admonisher

The Holy Spirit reminds human beings about the divine promises and
admonishes them to fulfil the will of God.

Sharpens our conscience

It is in the conscience that we weigh what is good and what is evil. If our
conscience is dictated by reason and faith, it will cause us to act wisely. Giving
the Holy Spirit sufficient room to work within us will bring this about.

Provides orientation

The Holy Spirit provides the assurance that life has a purpose and a goal,
namely eternal fellowship with God. This will be experienced in perfect
measure in the new creation, but believing individuals can experience
fellowship with God already today. This gives meaning to their lives and
creates a positive attitude of life.

Workbook The students do exercise B in the workbook. The answers are discussed and
exercise B supplemented where needed.

The main points

I also want to … … strive for the gifts of the Holy Spirit!

Homework On a sheet of paper, the confirmands write down what faith signifies to them.

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