We went to Cape Cod for vacation this year. While we
were there my wife bought me a gift. It was a nice souvenir coffee mug. She
knows I like coffee mugs. I have quite a collection of them and most of them
have a story behind them. When she gave me the mug, I didn’t try to pay her for
it. I didn’t ask her what I had to do to earn it or what I did to deserve it. I
simply thanked her for it and the next day I made coffee and used it. She got
me a gift just because she loves me and was thinking about me.
Everybody loves to get gifts at Christmas or on your
birthday or anniversary. The thing about gifts is that you don’t earn them. They are freely given. You say thanks and use
it.
I was a very religious person until I was 14 years old.
I knew many facts about God, but I had no personal relationship with Him. God seemed
distant and far off. The church taught me that I needed to be good in order to
get to heaven. I was 21 years old before I learned that salvation is a gift. There are three important gifts that the Bible
mentions.
Salvation
God loves you so much that He gave His only begotten
Son, so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
The most important decision you can make is to surrender your life to Jesus.
When you do that you receive the free gift of salvation.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And
this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so
that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
It is the gift of God. It’s not something that you can
work for. It is not something that can be earned. Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. Just
like being in a coop doesn’t make you a chicken. I went to church for
years but I wasn’t a Christian until the day I repented and received God’s
unspeakable gift.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
The Holy Spirit
You also receive another gift when Jesus saves you,
Peter called it the gift of the Holy Spirit.
And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you
will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38
When Jesus walked on the earth He could only be in one
physical place at a time. But when He ascended to heaven He sent the Holy
Spirit to live within every believer. No matter where you are or what you are
doing, you are never alone because God’s Holy Spirit resides within you.
Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not
belong to him. Romans 8:9
This is how you have assurance of salvation and
know you belong to the family of God.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that
we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow
heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be
glorified with him. Romans 8:16-17
Spiritual Gifts
When the Holy Spirit of Christ lives within you, He
also gives you a gift. We all have natural talents, gifts and abilities. But
when you become a follower of Jesus, the Holy Spirit gives you a spiritual gift.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for
the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7
Preaching, teaching, leadership, serving, compassion,
giving, faith, encouragement, mercy, helps. These spiritual gifts are given by
God to build up the body of Christ, to reach unity in the faith and knowledge
of the Son of God, to become spiritually mature, and able to discern truth from
error. Since the gifts of God are irrevocable, that means you never use them
up, no matter your age.
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one
another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10
So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and
individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the
grace given to us, let us use them. Romans 12:5-6
Suppose you bought a gift for a friend,
simply because you love them and want to bless them. You wrapped it up and
gave it to them and they thanked you and put it on the shelf. Every time
you went to your friend’s house you noticed that the gift you gave them is still sitting
there on the shelf, looking pretty but still unopened. How would you feel?
Most likely you would be disappointed and feel
your gift was unappreciated. You want them to experience the excitement
of receiving it and enjoy the pleasure of using it.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ you gave been
gifted. You have been given the free gift of God, eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord. You have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that you
are never alone. He assures you that you are a child of God. He convicts you
when you sin. He empowers you, enlightens you and encourages you. And the Holy
Spirit has given you at least one spiritual gift. God wants you to use it throughout
your lifetime as long as you are physically able.
