Spiritual gifts are abilities the Holy Spirit gives to every believer for building up the church and serving others, not for show. They are diverse, but all come from the one Spirit, and their whole purpose is to make Christ known and His people strong.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
1
Every believer has been given at least one
'To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.' The Spirit apportions gifts 'to each one separately, as he desires.' No Christian is giftless; gifts are not for a spiritual elite, but for the whole body.
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Paul lists 'various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit… various kinds of service, and the same Lord… various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all.' The diversity is not a flaw to envy or despise; it is the beauty of a body made to need every member.
Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 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: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
They build the church; they don't show off the church
The purpose of every gift is edification: 'Let all things be done to build each other up.' Gifts are given 'for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ.' A gift used for applause is a gift misused; a gift used for the good of others is a gift well used.
that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
What is it then, brothers? When you come together, each one of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has another language, has an interpretation. Let all things be done to build each other up.How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ;For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Paul can imagine tongues, prophecy, and mountain-moving faith, and call them nothing without love. Gifts are for this age; love never fails. The most impressive gift exercised without love does not resemble Christ at all. So we pursue gifts, but we pursue love most of all.
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The Spirit's gifts build the church, and the Spirit's fruit in your character, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control, shows Christ. 'Earnestly desire the best gifts,' Paul says, and then shows the way that is still more excellent: love.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as he desires.But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.