Appointed or Gifted

On the religious landscape we’ve seen emphasis placed on Bible application; however, we struggle and get confused if we try to apply Scripture to ourselves that isn’t applicable to us. For example, positions in church leadership such as apostle and elder are biblically not open to women. Paul said, “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues” (1 Cor 12:28 NIV). If God has not appointed me to such a position, no amount of application will make me qualified for that service. On the other hand, Paul also said, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines” (1 Cor 12:7-11 NIV). We may not all be appointed, but we are all gifted.