Romans 12:6

‘And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us.'

These gifts are not natural gifts, they are charismata. The naturally gifted may not be spiritual and may become a danger to the church (compare 3 John 1:9). But these are gifts given by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:11) through the gracious activity of God, as He gives gracious gifts to each. The list is interesting as including in charismata the gifts of giving, and of demonstrating compassion and mercy in works of mercy. These are equally with the others ‘spiritual gifts'.

The gifts are then outlined in detail, together in each case with an exhortation with regard to its use: the gift of service, the gift of teaching, the gift of exhortation, the gift of being able to give generously, the gift of ruling with diligence, the gift of showing mercy and compassion cheerfully through a demonstration of practical love. Note that the gifts are sevenfold indicating their divine completeness. He could, of course, have listed others as is apparent from the list in 1 Corinthians 12:8. But it would appear that the Roman Christians did not have the same tendency to utilise the ‘extraordinary gifts' that was found at Corinth, although in both cases prophecy is prominent.

‘Whether prophecy, (let us prophesy) according to the proportion of our faith;'

The gift of prophecy was an important one in the early church, when there was no New Testament and the Spirit guided men in interpreting the (Old Testament) Scriptures for the benefit of the new community. It was not basically a gift of foretelling the future (although that did occur), but a gift of presenting the truth adequately. And it was not to be uncontrolled. In 1 Corinthians we learn that what was prophesied had to be assessed by other prophets (1 Corinthians 14:29). And here he stresses that it should be given ‘according to the proportion of our faith'. But in the New Testament faith is not a nebulous thing. It is faith in a revealed body of truth. So the prophet is both not to go beyond his own spiritual ability, and beyond the true knowledge which results from truly believing in what has been revealed. In other words, beyond the teaching which is in accordance with the traditions of the Apostles as maintained within the early church and finally laid down in the New Testament.

Any prophet or any church which goes beyond what is found there is to be brought back by other prophets and churches to that body of revealed truth. Anything beyond that is speculation.