Question: “First Corinthians discusses spiritual gifts including faith, healing, prophecy, tongues/languages, etc. However, I’ve always been taught that several of these actions ended when the early church leaders died out – opinions on spiritual gifts today?”

Answer: Immediately after the apostolic age there was a general awareness that certain of the more spectacular gifts had ceased. The writer of Hebrews speaks of miraculous signs and wonders that were done by the apostles, leaving an implication that they were no longer being performed at the time he wrote (Heb. 2:3-4). However, the language of passages such as 1 Cor. 12, Eph 4, 1 Pet. 4, and Rom. 12 would indicate that these gifts were permanently bestowed.

Paul specifically says that we should not forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:39), but that a greater emphasis should be placed on prophesying because it builds up the church, and the gift that all should most eagerly seek is that of love (1 Cor. 12:31, 14:1). Thus we see that not all spiritual gifts have equal importance for the church generally, and certainly 1 Cor. 12 teaches us that different people have different gifts. However, all Christians are endowed with gifts, and they should seek to use these with the Spirit’s help to the glory of God and the strengthening of the church.

Clearly then many of these spiritual gifts continue, and we can see the importance of their usage in the church today, such as wisdom, knowledge, and faith (1 Cor. 12:8-9), teaching and administration (1 Cor. 12:28), encouragement, helping others, giving, leadership, exercise of mercy (Rom. 12:6-8), and the gifts of ministry mentioned in Eph. 4:11-12 and 1 Pet. 4:11.

But what of the more obvious gifts such as speaking in tongues? We cannot limit God by telling Him what He can or cannot do. If God chooses to endow people today with the gift of speaking in tongues or healing, that He can do. Who are we to condemn? However, the person who has such a gift should not sit in judgment on the one to whom God does not give the power as if this person did not have the Spirit at all. Speaking in tongues does not make one more justified in the sight of God or a higher class of Christian. That should be evident from the reading in the three relevant chapters of 1 Corinthians. What is most important is that all seek the gift of love and exercise it fully, and then seek to identify and use whatever other spiritual gifts God has given to His glory and the up-building of His kingdom.