Unit 6: The Gospel of Jesus Christ
Chapter 22: The Gifts of the Spirit
Comments and Resources Spiritual Gifts
President George Q. Cannon stated: "How many of you, my brethren and sisters, are seeking for these gifts that God has promised to bestow?How many of you, when you bow before your Heavenly Father in your family circle or in your secret places, contend for these gifts to be bestowed upon you? ...There is not that seeking for the gift of healing and for the gift to be healed that there ought to be among the Saints. And so with other gifts and graces that God has places in His Church for His people...
"Let us seek for these gifts ...and let us seek for them with all our might, mind and strength." (Millennial Star, 23 Apr.1894, pp 260-61.) "By The grace of God - following devotion, faith, and obedience on man's part - certain special spiritual blessings called gifts of the Spirit are bestowed upon men... They are signs and miracles reserved for the faithful and for none else.... "There purpose is to enlighten, encourage, and edify the faithful so that they will inherit peace in this life and be guided toward eternal life in the world to come. There presence is proof of the Lord's work; where they are not found, there the Church and kingdom of God is not.... "Faithful persons are expected to seek the gifts of the Spirit with all their hearts" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 314) During the study of this topic, we will learn what the gifts of the Spirit are, how they benefit mankind, and how they are acquired. Resources:
Gospel Principles: chapter 22
The Articles of Faith, chapter 12. Scriptures:
Mormon 9:7-11, 24-25
"7 And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God, and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation of tongues;
8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if so, he does not understand them.
9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of changing?
10 And now, if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not a God of miracles.
11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.
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24 And these signs shall follow them that believe in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover; doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth." Moroni 7:33-37; 10:7-17
Moroni 7:33-37
"33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.
34 And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.
35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain." Moroni 10:7-17
"7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.
8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God.And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.
9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;
10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
12 And again, to another, that he may work mightymiracles;
13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.
17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will." D&C 46; 84:64-72
D&C 46
"Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to the Church, at Kirtland, Ohio, March 8, 1831. HC 1: 163 165. In this early time of the Church, there had not yet developed a unified pattern for the conducting of Church services.However, a custom of admitting only members and earnest investigators to the sacrament meetings and other assemblies of the Church had become somewhat general.This revelation expresses the will of the Lord relative to governing and conducting meetings.
1-2, Elders are to conduct meetings as guided by the Holy Spirit; 3-6, Truth seekers should not be excluded from sacramental services; 7-12, Ask of God and seek the gifts of the Spirit; 13-26, An enumeration of some of these gifts; 27-33, Church leaders are given power to discern the gifts of the Spirit." D&C 84:64-72
"64 Therefore, as I said unto mine apostles I say unto you again, that every soul who believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost.
65 And these signs shall follow them that believe
66 In my name they shall do many wonderful works;
67 In my name they shall cast out devils;
68 In my name they shall heal the sick;
69 In my name they shall open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;
70 And the tongue of the dumb shall speak;
71 And if any man shall administer poison unto them it shall not hurt them;
72 And the poison of a serpent shall not have power to harm them." Mark 5; 9; 16
Mark 5
"Jesus casts out a legion of devils, who then enter the swine-A woman is healed by touching his clothes- He raises Jairus' daughter from the dead". Mark 9
"Jesus is transfigured on the mountain- He casts out a dumb and deaf spirit-He teaches concerning his death and resurrection; who shall be greatest; and the condemnation of those who offend his little ones." Mark 16
"Christ is risen- He appears to Mary Magdalene, then to others- He sends the apostles to preach, promises that signs shall follow faith- He ascends into heaven." Acts 3:1-11
"1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
3 Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering." 1 Corinthians 12:1-10
"1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:" James 5:14-15
"14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And theprayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." Articles of Faith 1:7"We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth."
Topical Guide:
Discernment, Spiritual
God, Gifts of
Heal, Healing
Holy Ghost, Gifts of
Interpretation
Signs
Tongue
Translate Guide to the Scriptures:
Gifts of the Spirit
Gift
Gift of the Holy Ghost
God, Godhead
Holy Ghost