The Christian church cannot rise to its true stature in accompanying the purposes of God when its members operate largely through the gifts of nature, neglecting the true gifts and graces of the Spirit of God. Much of the religious activity we see in the churches is not the eternal working of the Eternal Spirit, but the mortal working of man’s mortal mind-and this is a raw tragedy.

From what I see and sense in evangelical circles, I would have to say that about ninety per cent of the religious work carried out in the churches is being done by un-gifted members. I am speaking in the context of men and women who know how to do many things but fail to display the Spiritual gifts promised through the Holy Spirit. This is one of the very evident ways in which we have slowed down the true workings of God in His Church and in the hearts of unbelieving men all around us- acknowledging and allowing un-gifted members of the Body to do religious work without possessing the genuine gifts of the Spirit.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and reminded believers that they were all baptized into one Body by the Spirit. But He went on at great length to explain the necessity for the functioning of the gifts of the Spirit in the Church- and I believe he was explaining that these Spiritual functions and capabilities are the birthright of every Christian. Lets bring it down to our level. Religious activists have many things of which they can boast. They build churches. They write hymns and books. Musically they sing and play. Some of them will take time to engage in prayer. Others will organize movements and crusades and campaigns.

No matter how early in the morning they begin and no matter how late at night they stay with their project, if it is an exercise in human talent for religious purposes, it can only wind up as a mortal brain doing a mortal job. I have taken the pains to say all this as a reminder that mortality and temporality are written all across the church of Christ in the world today because so many persons are trying to do with human genius and power of the flesh what only God can do through the Holy Spirit. (A.W.Tozer)

Brother Tozer here highlights the greatest tragedy in Christendom and the root cause of its fall all around the world. Without the gifts of the Spirit in operation in the Body, which was designed to edify, then the Bride would starve to death. The audacity and sheer arrogance to think we could ignore the express instructions of the Word of God and think we could do well. Well did Paul say to the Galatians “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” Paul here highlights the beginnings of the problem, disobedience. “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” It is the truth, of course, that the saints of God are made perfect by the Spirit of God and the gifts that He gave for that precise purpose. This is what Christendom needs to repent of. The disobedience that is manifested by ignoring the Holy Spirit and His gifts for perfecting the saints. There are not many ways to follow God, there is only one way and it is by His Spirit and the gifts that the Spirit gives. Human talent can achieve mighty things, it could even build a tower to the skies and say it was for God’s glory, but unless the Lord builds the house then we labor in vain and that tower built by the talents and ingenuity of man will come crumbling down by the hand of God, not one stone left un-turned……bro Frank