Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - June/72

Contributor - John Schriel

Title - Charism

Topic - Spiritual Gifts

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord" (1 Corinthians 12 : 4, 5).

The word "charisma" has become a fashionable word in the sixties and the early seventies. The word popped up in our language especially when John Kennedy was president of the U.S.A. He was often described as "a charismatic person". Pierre Elliot Trudeau, our prime minister had the same honour, especially when he campaigned for the Liberal leadership in Canada. Many political commentators described him as a person with "charisma".

What is "charisma"?

Webster defines it as follows: "A quality of extra ordinary spiritual power attributed to a person or office capable of eliciting popular support in the direction of human affairs."

If "charisma" would be only that indescribable something that makes a person tick to get popular support in the leadership of society, then I suppose all leaders in the history of the human race had "charisma", including Hitler, Mussolini and Mao Tse Tung. But Webster speaks also of the "charisma" of an office. Here the office itself is supposed to give a "charisma" to the person, holding that office.

That would mean, that anybody holding an office, in State or Church would receive a "charisma" by virtue of holding that office.

The surprising thing about the word "charisma" is, that it is not a new word at all. It is a Greek word, occurring frequently in the koine Greek, the language of the New Testament. I learned the word in my "gymnasium" years, some 40 years ago. It means literally: "Gift of grace."

And what happened with so many koine Greek words: The New Testament gave the word "charisma" a new meaning, the connotation of "spiritual gift".

Grace is the essence of the Gospel. By God's grace our sins are forgiven. By God's grace we may serve Him. And so we see, that a "charismatic person" is a person, who by the grace of God has received from Him a gift.

The apostle Paul emphasizes time and again that the "charismata", the spiritual gifts from God are very different.

Our text says: "There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." In Romans 12 Paul describes this variety of spiritual gifts. Read this chapter for yourself and you will see, that Paul does NOT restrict God's spiritual gifts to any person or a select group of persons.

To the contrary. Everyone, who believes in Jesus Christ has a "charisma". He admonishes the Romans (Rom. 12 :6) to use those gifts, that differ according to the grace that is given them: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, contributing (money!), giving aid, doing acts of mercy.

Did you ever think of the fact that your contribution to the Church is charismatic, is a special spiritual gift from God, enabling you to do so? Or in other words, that a Christian, who fails to contribute to the Church as the Lord has prospered him, mainly has a spiritual problem?

In other words: The very word "charisma", through which shines God's grace, forbids us to limit God's grace to certain individuals or groups; to limit it to speaking in tongues, or whatever God's spiritual gift may be. Again in other words: Billy Graham is no more important in God's eyes than the simplest soul, who has given his heart to Jesus Christ and just has the gift of prayer. Anyone, who is impressed by or attributes undue importance to the so-called "charismatic movement", does well to read what the apostle Paul has to say about a "charisma".

The requirement in the use of a "charisma" is, that such a divine gift may not be used for selfish purposes, for the furthering of one's self-interest, for self-glorification. And the greater the "charisma" is, the greater the temptation to use it wrongly, that is in one's self-interest.

Let us never cease to look at Jesus: His "charisma", His spiritual gifts were greater than anyone's before Him or after Him, because He was the Son of God. And He was tempted just as well to use His "charisma" wrongly, when He was tempted by Satan in the desert. Let us always try to follow in His footsteps, also in the use of our "charisma", whatever our gift may be.

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