Section 6
human body. The measure of ability depends upon the amount of life in the body. If the body is mature with considerable growth of life and with a great amount of life, it will have an abun dant overflow of life, and this overflow of the inner life of the body will produce abilities. These abilities resemble the gifts in Romans 12. All of the items included in verses 6 through 8 are gifts of grace in life. We may list seven of them: prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and showing mercy. We need to remem ber that each of these seven items, including the showing of mercy, is a gift.
Many Christians seem to think that the only gifts are speaking in tongues, interpretation, heal ing, and miracles. However, it is quite strange that none of these gifts is mentioned in Romans 12. In Romans 12 Paul says nothing about speaking in tongues, interpretation, healing, and miracles, but he does speak about the gifts which are nec essary for the Body life. Please notice that verse 6 says, "having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us," and that it does not say, accord ing to the so-called baptism. I need to repeat once again the definition of grace: grace is the divine element coming into our being to be our life for our enjoyment. Grace is not outward; it is the