Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
John Gill draws a beautiful picture of this “gift” when he writes, “What qualifies men for the work of the ministry is a gift from God: it is not of nature, nor is it mere natural abilities and capacity; nor is it any thing acquired, it is not human learning, or the knowledge of languages, arts, and sciences; nor is it special saving grace; for a man may have all these, and yet not be apt to teach, or fit for the ministry; but it is a peculiar and distinct gift,[a] it is a gift of interpreting the Scriptures, and of dispensing the mysteries of grace to the edification of others; which, when it meets in a man with all the rest before mentioned, makes him very considerable: and this gift is in a man; it is a treasure put into earthen vessels, a good treasure in the heart, out of which a good minister of Christ brings forth many good things, things new and old, both for the delight and profit of men: and this gift is by no means to be neglected; this talent should not be hid in the earth, or wrapped up in a napkin; it should not lie dormant and useless, but should be stirred up, cultivated, and improved, as it may by reading, meditation, and prayer.”
The weight of the ministry is of such magnitude that it must not be taken lightly. At the same time, for those gifted for this work, it is a remarkable treasure. The gift does not originate from prophecy; rather, I consider the prophecy of this passage to be the recognition of the gift of God on this person by the members of the church to which the gifted individual belongs. Neither is the gift the result of the laying on of hands by a counsel of pastors; this act is merely an acknowledgment of doctrinal agreement and fellowship through such an agreement.
This warning is one to be seriously considered. If we are so gifted, it would be negligent not to use it for God’s good purpose.
[a] I suspect that those men in the ministry who do not view it this way do not possess this gift but have rather embraced a business model. This would explain a lot given the current condition of so many churches.
To my readers:
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