Re-Focus on the Gifts of God For the New Year

© 2026 by C. O. Bishop

John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8, 9; Ephesians 1:3-14; 1^st Peter 1:3; 2^nd Peter 1:2-4; James 1:17

Introduction:

Last week we spoke briefly about the whole concept of “spiritual gifts.” We observed that God structured an outline of sorts, in 1^st Corinthians 12, that there are many gifts, but one Spirit, etc.

1^st Corinthians 12:4-6 reads, ⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

Since there are more gifts of God listed in the various scriptures we will read today, and since the majority of the gifts of God are unconditional, I would like to begin by re-focusing our attention upon the Gifts of God, as we begin the New Year.

The “Gift of God” (Singular)

All of us have heard on multiple occasions, the verse we know as “John 3:16” where it says that the manner in which God demonstrated His love toward us is “that He gave  His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” That means Jesus is the Gift. He is the Central Gift that makes all others possible.

Because of that “Central Gift,” the latter half of Romans 6:23 became a reality. (The first half was already true!) “The wages of sin is death (already true!) but the GIFT of God is Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!” This latter half is a living reality today, for whoever chooses to place their faith in Jesus for salvation.

Salvation is not earned…at any level! If your “good works” are involved at any point in securing your salvation (getting saved or staying saved) then ultimately, your salvation depends entirely  upon your works, because, without question, your works will always be the “weakest link.”

But God spells it out for us in Ephesians 2:8, 9. He says, “By Grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourself, it (the salvation) is the Gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Paul also reiterates the point, in Galatians 2:21, saying “I do not frustrate the Grace of God, for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (The point being that, if it is at ALL possible for our works to save us, then Jesus died needlessly.)

So, How is that “Central Gift” Implemented?

Acts 16:31 assures us that it is very simple: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved!”

And John 1:11-13 says,“¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power (authority…the right) to become the sons (children) of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Born of God!)

Everyone who chooses to believe in Jesus: (Everyone who trusts in His finished work at the Cross, for salvation,) immediately is reborn as a child of God: they are His legitimate offspring.

1^st Peter 1:3 says that “God has begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” He sired you! You are his genuine offspring, in Christ! He is your REAL Father!

At that moment, another thing took place as well: The Holy Spirit placed you into the Body of Christ. (1^st Corinthians 12:13  literally says, He immersed you…baptized you…into the Body of Christ, so that you are permanently identified with Him in every area! (His righteous life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and enthronement. See Romans 6:3-5; Ephesians 2:6)

And then, from that moment forward, all the other Gifts of God could take hold in your life!

The “Gifts of God” (Plural)

To every believer, God says that He has already blessed you with all spiritual blessings in the Heavenly places, “In Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) Then He lists about sixteen more things:

If you have placed your dependence upon Jesus Christ as your Savior, then:

1. You were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. (v.4)
2. You are holy and blameless before him, in His Love. (v.4)
3. You are predestined to be recognized as a full heir of God. (v.5; compare Romans 8:23)
4. You are predestined to fulfill the good pleasure of His will (v.5)
5. You are predestined to be to the praise of the Glory of His Grace. (v.6)
6. You are already accepted in the beloved (that is, “in Christ”). (v.6)
7. You already have been redeemed through His blood. (v.7)
8. You already have full forgiveness of your sins, according to the riches of His Grace. (v.7)
9. God has already abundantly blessed you in His wisdom and prudence. (v.8)
10. He has made known unto you the mystery of His will…one piece at a time. (v.9, 10)
11. Your inheritance in Him is secure. (v.11)
12. You will eternally be to his glory and praise. (v.12)
13. Your position in Him is sealed by the Holy Spirit. (v.13)
14. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the earnest or “down payment” of the rest of the glorious inheritance promised to you.
15. You are absolutely secure in Christ because He says so, (John 10:27-30) and because
16. The Holy Spirit is your guide, your guard and your seal until the redemption of the purchased possession. (v.14) (See also John 14:16-23; 1^st John 4:4)

Precious Gifts

I count all those to be precious gifts: And the most precious thing about that list is that every one of them is unconditionally yours as a believer. They do not depend upon you walking by faith, or somehow “keeping your end of the bargain.” (Here’s some more good news for you: There IS no “your end of the bargain.” Jesus did it all at the Cross! You did not enter into Christ by good works, and you cannot leave by bad works! Your works have nothing to do with the Gift of God!

In fact, in Romans 8:38, 39, He also points out that “no created thing can separate you from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus!” Some people suggest that “Well, while Jesus will not cast you out, you could still walk out!” My reply is to have them read Romans 8:38, 39.  I ask, “Is that God’s Word?” (They reply, “Yes!”) I then ask them, “Are YOU a created thing? Are you part of the Creation?” That frequently seems to be a new idea to them, so I leave it for them to draw the obvious conclusion.

More Gifts of God (2^nd Peter 1:2-7)

Some of the Gifts of God are not unconditional: They are still gifts, but they could possibly be thought of as “goals,” in that He made it all possible for us, but we have to learn to walk in them for them to be effective.

2^nd Peter 1:2-4 says,

² Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, ³ According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

⁴ Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Verse two gives us the underlying caveat: “if you want these gifts, they are only available through pursuing the (ginosko)  “knowledge” of (an ongoing, experiential, living relationship with the Father and the Son.”

Verse three says that God has already given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. No believer is re-born a “spiritual cripple” who is “lame from re-birth.” In your new self, you have been given the ability to choose to walk with Jesus. Because you have come to know Him, you have access to all the rest.

How Does it Work?

How? Verse four tells us how we are to see these realities worked out in our lives: He has given us “Exceeding Great and Precious Promises!” Peter says that by means of those promises in God’s Word, we have the privilege of beginning to partake in the character, and nature of God, Himself: And, in so doing, we escape the corruption that is in the World through the ungodly desires of our old nature. In reality, this is part of our inheritance in Christ: we are His real children, and we should expect to grow into His likeness.

Collectively, the desires of the World and those of our old natures are completely in opposition to all that God is. His Righteousness and Holiness are utterly repugnant to the World, and to our old Sin Nature.

We escape the corruption of the world and of the flesh by applying God’s Word to our lives. Diligent application of His Word produces further results: We could think of them as “goals.”

The Goals (2^nd Peter 1:5-7)

Diligence in applying the “exceeding great and precious promises” as well as the rest of the admonitions, corrections and encouragements in God’s Word will produce the following things:

⁵ And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; ⁶ And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; ⁷ And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

So, There are Seven Things to Look For:

1. Virtue
2. Knowledge
3. Temperance
4. Patience
5. Godliness
6. Brotherly kindness
7. Charity (Agapé love)

Please note that all of these seven things are still under the condition Jesus spelled out in John 15:5, saying “apart from me ye can do nothing.” Is it possible to produce a “cheap imitation” of each of these things by our own efforts? Certainly, it is!

But all these things, if produced by the flesh, (our old sin nature) are also contaminated by the flesh. The Old Self is not only corrupt, but is continually being corrupted. So, for the realities of each of these values to be born in us, they have to be coming from an ongoing walk with Jesus, in full fellowship with Him. He has to be the source and the power. (Philippians 2:13)

God’s Perfect Gifts

In light of that truth, James 1:17 seems especially appropriate: “¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

The real gift is not wavering or “on-again-off-again.” If it is from God, it is not preferential as to who and how the Love of God is applied: it simply does as the Lord directs, and with Joy.

There are other passages referencing the Gifts of God: Many of them overlap the gifts called the “Gifts of the Spirit, or Gifts of Christ.” That is not surprising: the Holy Spirit is God! Jesus is God! So, the “labels” may often overlap.

(I am not going to waste time by attempting to explain the Trinity in human terms: I do not claim to understand that mystery, But God clearly states it in His Word, so I am required to faithfully teach it.)

Next week, we hope to address the “Gifts of Christ.” If you want to read ahead, the main four are listed along with their purpose, in Ephesians 4:7-16.

Lord Jesus, Savior, God: Help us to focus on YOU, the giver of all good gifts, and not to be distracted by the “flash and glitter” of the exciting “sign gifts.” Help us to learn to walk in the unconditional gifts You have given, so that the conditional gifts and goals will also be ours.