Which gifts will we still need in heaven?
This text is from a letter written by David Gooding in 1995.
It is very good and kind of you to write to me at such length and in such detail about the things which you have heard me say on the tapes on 1 Corinthians. Would that there were many more like you who felt what Aquila and Priscilla must have felt when they heard Apollos preach in their synagogue.
It is right that we enjoy, if we can, the public ministry of God's word; but on the other hand the whole exercise, both upon the one who speaks and those who listen, is by God's grace and help to come at the truth. Therefore, to take the preaching seriously as we should means doing what you have done: questioning what I have said, and pointing out where, in your opinion, it deviates from the truth. So, thank you once more very much indeed for your efforts in this direction.
I too would wish to take what you have said seriously. I shall not attempt to do that all at once, for that might be a very long exercise; but first, if you will, let me raise a number of points which arise from your letter, so that I may be clear as to what you actually mean by your remarks. This will prevent our talking at cross purposes when we subsequently come to discuss the many other matters of mutual interest.
In answer to your question, 'Which gifts will we still need in heaven?', I don't know! I presume that the Body of Christ will still exist in heaven. Would you not agree? And if it still exists, will not every member of the Body have a function to perform? And will not each member of the Body in heaven have a different function to perform, just as here on earth?
I understand from our Lord's remarks in Matthew 19:28; 25:31, 34 and Luke 22:29–30 that, when the Lord comes again, we shall still have apostles and they will still have specialised functions to perform. One could, I suppose, argue that when we get to heaven, 'Apostle' will become simply an honorary title, in the same way as we can call a man 'Captain Brown' because he once was a captain in the Royal Navy. He retains his title, even though now he has long since retired and never goes anywhere near a boat. But our Lord's remarks seem to indicate that the apostles still, as I say, have a function to perform. And if apostles still have a function to perform, shall not we all? Would you agree?
I take it that many of the functions that members of the Body perform here on earth, such as evangelism, teaching and pastoring, may no longer be needed in heaven, and therefore members of the Body will be given other functions to perform in that day. But then further questions arise.
Already in this present age, we, as redeemed people, are priests; and as priests we have a double function to perform:
to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God—a Godward function; and
to show forth the virtues of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light—a manward function.
Undoubtedly, in heaven we shall continue to be priests, and shall perform function 1. Shall we not also perform function 2? Shall the church not continue as here, to be the means of God's education to the principalities and powers?
Second Timothy 2:12 promises that those who endure with Christ shall one day reign with him, and Revelation 22:5 says that they shall reign for ever and ever. What do you take that to mean? That we shall all sit on heavenly thrones, and never perform any functions as Christ's reigning executives?
I note also that in the parables which our Lord told, those who had in their Lord's absence administered their pound well were rewarded at their Lord's return by being called upon to administer not simply pounds, but whole cities. In other words, the gift that they had developed by diligent exercise in their Lord's absence was applied to immensely greater administrative tasks at their Lord's return.
Yours very sincerely in Christ,
