Part II - Understanding the "Gifts"

There are two primary types of gifts found in the Bible, gifts generally given to demonstrate honor (dwron) and gifts generally given to receive back honor (carisma). The first type of gift says "I respect you" and the second says "I want respect back from you". The first gift is given as a sacrifice from the giver and the second is given with grace in mind.

• dwron

  Matt 2:11 And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts (dwron) of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

  Matt 8:4 And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering (dwron) that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

  Luke 21:1 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts (dwron) into the treasury.

  Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts (dwron), and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.

• carisma

  Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift (carisma) of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

  2 Tim 1:6 And for this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift (carisma) of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

  1 Pet 4:10 As each one has received a {special} gift (carisma), employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

In this lesson, we are not focusing on "dwron" (gifts given in respect), but "carisma" (gifts given to get respect). In order to do this properly, we must also biblically define the two types of "charisma" gifts. According to the Interlinear Bible, charisma is defined as the following:

charisma (khar'-is-mah) - a (divine) gratuity, i.e. deliverance (from danger or passion); (specifically) a (spiritual) endowment, i.e. (subjectively) religious qualification, or (objectively) miraculous faculty:

Charisma has a dual meaning depending on the context of the word. It is either a passionate endowment and quality or a miraculous faculty and power. God gave the members of the first century church two types of gifts, miraculous powers and non-miraculous ministerial passions. Both of these gifts were to bring respect (glory) to God. The focus of the study is not the miraculous gifts, but the non-miraculous. It will be necessary to define the former in order not to confuse them with the latter.