The words to which I should like to call your attention this evening are to be found in Paul's

Epistle to the Romans.

In chapter 12, reading verses 7 and 8, verses 7 and 8.

Let me read the 6th verse as well to give the setting.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,

where the prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith or ministry. Let us wait on our ministry, or he that

teacheth on teaching, or he that exhorteth on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it

with simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence,

he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness. Now, we are dealing here, as you remember most of you,

with the Apostle's application of the teaching that he has been laying down with regard to the use and the exercise of the gifts

given to us as members of the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

He's laid down the principles as to how they should be used, and now he takes up some practical examples and illustrations

in order to make the thing abundantly

clear.

And we've already dealt with the first illustration that he uses, namely that in the matter

of prophecy.

Whether prophecy, if it happens to be the gift of prophecy, he says, let us prophesy according

to the proportion of faith. And there we've

seen how he lays down certain very important principles concerning the use of gifts that apply

not only to prophecy, but to the other gifts as well. There's nothing automatic about the exercise

of these gifts.

There is to be a checking.

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