Inspiration and Endowment

The church of God through the years has been blessed with many gifts. As Heaven has set these various gifts in the church for the symmetrical and balanced development of the believers, the Spirit of God has given inspiration or endowment for service. These gifts are specifically named by the apostle Paul:TOJ 61.1

“To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will.” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11.TOJ 61.2

The apostle declares that “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” Verse 4 Through the centuries God has given some men the gift of apostleship, and He has endowed them for this important service. He has given to others the gift of healing, to others the gift of tongues, to others the gift of wisdom, to others the discerning of spirits, and to others the gift of prophecy. Such great leaders of past ages as Luther, Wesley, Miller, James White, and others were given the gift of apostleship—leadership. They were endowed for this work, but this endowment was not inspiration such as is possessed by the prophet. None of these men claimed to have divine revelations. They were not honored with heavenly visions and dreams. Their endowment was for a different work.TOJ 61.3

Mrs. E. G. White possessed the prophetic gift and divine inspiration in a sense not possessed by an apostle or teacher. She claimed divine revelations, and the character of her work and the fruit it has borne in harmony with the requirements of Scripture, attest the truthfulness of her claims.TOJ 62.1