Whats in a Name? (4) Gifts of Healing

The gift of healing is interesting because in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the word “charismata”.

To another gifts (charismata) of healing by that one Spirit (1 Cor 12:9).

This is unique because he does not use the word “charismata, in the description of any of the other eight so-called spiritual gifts. Unlike the others, this one is described as plural “gifts of healing”.

I suspect that the reason for this is that healing is a gift that people need to learn how to use. Those who pray for the sick need to know how the spiritual world functions. So, although any believer can be a channel for healing, God will need people who have learned how to facilitate the gift of healing if the church is to reach its full potential.

So, although the Spirit can give the gift of healing to any follower of Jesus, there will be people who carry “gifts of healing”. This will be a bit like the gifts in Ephesians 4, which elders are called into. In a similar way, some people will be called into "gifts of healing". They will be confident to release the healing of the Spirit in various situations.

None of the other so-called gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 are described in this way. They are gifts that the Holy Spirit can give to any believer when he chooses, because they do not need experience to use them effectively. In contrast, experience with the gift of healing for learning how the Holy Spirit works to restore sick people to health.

Likewise, people who are called to serve as an evangelist will frequently carry gifts of healing, because healing the sick and casting out demons is integral to New Testament evangelism. People who undertake this role will need heaps of boldness and compassion, so they need to have been given an appropriate personality by God.