1 Corinthians 12:7, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 14:12
Every Believer Is Gifted
One of the most encouraging truths about the Holy Spirit is that He gives gifts to every believer — not just to pastors, missionaries, or the spiritually elite. Every member of the body of Christ has received at least one gift, and those gifts are given for a purpose:
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. — 1 Corinthians 12:7
The gifts are not for personal enrichment or spiritual status — they are for the common good of the whole church.
The Major Lists
The New Testament gives several lists of spiritual gifts, each with different emphases:
Romans 12:6-8 — prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, showing mercy
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 — word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues
Ephesians 4:11 — apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers (often called the "five-fold ministry" gifts)
1 Peter 4:10-11 — speaking gifts and serving gifts (two broad categories)
No single list is exhaustive — together they paint a picture of the diverse ways the Spirit equips the church.
The Purpose of the Gifts
Paul's extended teaching on gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14 consistently emphasises one purpose: the building up of the body of Christ. Gifts exercised for self-display, personal status, or competitive spiritual achievement miss the point entirely.
Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. — 1 Corinthians 14:12
Love is the context in which all gifts must operate — which is why Paul places his great hymn to love (1 Corinthians 13) right in the middle of his extended teaching on spiritual gifts. Gifts without love are just noise (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Are All Gifts Still Active Today?
One of the most debated questions in contemporary Christianity is whether the miraculous gifts — tongues, prophecy, healing, miracles — are still given by the Spirit today or whether they ceased with the apostolic age.
Those who hold that they have ceased (cessationists) argue that these gifts served the purpose of authenticating the apostolic message before the New Testament was completed. Those who hold that they continue (continuationists) argue that the New Testament gives no indication they would cease and that God continues to work miraculously.
This is a secondary issue on which sincere, Bible-believing Christians disagree. What both agree on is that the Spirit gifts every believer, and that those gifts are to be used in love for the church.