Ep. 412: Article of Faith 7 - Profitable Gifts

This episode of Streaking the Scriptures dives deep into Article of Faith 7 and what it really means to believe in "gifts of the Spirit" today—not just as a doctrine, but as something active and personal in your life. Jeff walks through where spiritual gifts are outlined in scripture—1 Corinthians 12, Moroni 10, and Doctrine and Covenants 46—and points out that when something shows up in three different books of scripture, the Lord is emphasizing it for a reason. He reads through the lists of gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, beholding angels, and more, and then keeps circling back to one core idea: These gifts are not for attention, status, or "likes." They are given to profit us spiritually and help us become more like Christ. He explores how: Missionaries experience the gift of tongues, but still have to work, study, and struggle to learn the language; the Spirit enhances their effort, not replaces it. Spiritual gifts are given "that all may be profited" – the body of Christ needs many different gifts, not just one "type" of disciple. The Lord intends these gifts to continue as long as the world stands; if we don't see them, the problem is unbelief, not that God has stopped giving them. Then Jeff shifts to a very practical, sometimes uncomfortable question: How do spiritual gifts and callings actually work in a lay church? Using Doctrine and Covenants 46, he highlights that bishops and other leaders are given the ability to discern gifts in their wards and branches. That means: When a bishop, Relief Society president, elders quorum president, Young Women or Young Men leader asks you to serve, it isn't random busywork. Even if it feels like "just their opinion," the Lord has already promised that His voice and the voice of His servants are the same (D&C 1). Saying yes to a calling—even one that seems small, inconvenient, or unimpressive—is often how your spiritual gifts are discovered, developed, and used to bless others. By the end of the episode, you're invited to: See your own gifts more seriously, even (and especially) if they don't look "flashy." Trust that your leaders, imperfect as they are, have real help from God in where they ask you to serve. Look at every assignment—from setting up chairs to ministering to one person—as part of how the Lord uses yourunique gifts to bless His children. He wraps with a warm reminder to have charity "in traffic and in crowded shopping malls" and an open invitation to email him with impressions or promptings you've felt while listening. If you've ever wondered: Do I actually have spiritual gifts? Are callings really from God or just organizational logistics? What does it look like to "profit" from spiritual gifts without turning them into a performance? …this episode will nudge you to look at your everyday discipleship—and your current or future calling—with fresh eyes.