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I remember a number
of years ago doing a spiritual gifts test. One of the gifts on the list was celibacy.
I had misgivings at the time but could not put my finger on why. I pondered what it was doing on the list. Now I know why. People put celibacy on the
spiritual gift list because it is supposedly a spiritual gift alongside the
sorts of gifts found in the more recognized spiritual gifts found in Rom 12; 1
Cor 12–14; and Eph 4. This is because Paul uses the term for spiritual gifts,
charisma, in 1 Cor 7:7 of the state of marriage or singleness. Yet, to me, this is classically naïve biblical study. Just because charisma is
found in this verse it does not follow that it is a “spiritual gift.”
It is the gift of a state of being which comes through the providence of God,
rather than something imparted by the Spirit upon conversion.
Paul does use charisma
of spiritual gifts received by new believers by the Spirit poured into them
(Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 1:7; 12:4, 9, 28, 30, 31; 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Pet 4:10).
However, Paul’s use is broader than this. He uses charisma of salvation and its great rewards (Rom 5:15, 16; 6:23). It is used for being delivered from a deadly peril (2 Cor 1:11). He uses it of God’s gifts to
Israel as his people (Rom 11:29). In 1 Cor 7:7, he uses of one’s marital state,
i.e., to be married is a gift from God, to be single also, and to be widowed.
To call them “spiritual” gifts, however, gives the misleading impression that
it is a gift like say, prophecy, being an evangelist, teaching, or serving—all
gifts found in spiritual gifts lists of Paul.
In reality, celibacy
is not so much a gift but a requirement where a Christian is single. So, from birth to the day of marriage, ideally, a Christian is celibate. If one’s spouse dies, ideally, one is celibate from that day until remarried or death,
whichever comes first. Celibacy is also required in marriage between sexual encounters with one’s spouse. For various reasons, married people can go for a long period without sexual relationships (often health reasons). During this time, one is celibate. I would hesitate to call any of this a “gift.” It is what it is.
This does not rule
out a person being called by God to a life of celibacy. Jesus was in this category. Perhaps, in this situation, one can say it is a spiritual gift, or better, a spiritual call. In a general sense, however, celibacy is not so much a gift in the direct God-gave-me-this-gift-when-I-was-saved sense. It is
a state.
Anyway, I am not
sure I am saying what I want to very well except to say that it will only be
on rare occasions that celibacy is genuinely given as a gift to God.
Otherwise, it is an ethical requirement of all Christians for periods of their life (if they are desirous of pleasing God). I don’t think it should feature in spiritual gift lists and assessments. Paul’s use of charisma
is not always uniform.
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For anyone who is interested, I have attached my tribute to Rev Stuart Lange here. He is a legend! It was fun to roast him.... A Tribute to Stuart Lange, No Longer Vice Principal Community of Laidlaw… But still church history lecturer… so not a good bye, but my way of Saying Thanks to you for your years as VP Community… Stuart Lange, not Langey; or Longey; or not langgggg.. but Lange! Or, as I like to put it, S.lang… Slang… for good reason. Stuart Lange, history prof, a man who truly embodies his subject; the quintessential historical prof… Slightly eccentric, crooked smile, hooked and bent nose… you know he has a crook elbow too, took the dog for a walk, hit the chain, smashed the elbow… Of course the dog was unharmed… No Surprise, a lover of animals, each year looking after the animals at the Massey Christmas drive through, donkeys, lamas… etc… Then there is his Einsteinlich hair… kind of a wild man of Southland look… in fact… Stuart Lange A face a cartoonist would die for! The ne...
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God bless
Ian