The Excellent Way – Spiritual Gifts Vs. Spirituality

Excellence is an enviable virtue that makes a person to stand out in every area of life. It is not just about being good at something, but about delivering quality, integrity, and consistency that is unmatched. Excellence goes beyond mere words—it is evident in how we live, how we serve, and how we treat others. Understanding excellence as Christians begins with the question: Is it simply about extraordinary gifts and achievements, or is there a deeper, spiritual dimension?

To answer this question, we must understand the difference between spirituality and spiritual gifts. These two concepts are often confused, but they are quite different. Spirituality refers to the character and maturity of a believer—it is reflected in the way we live our lives and interact with others. Spiritual gifts, on the other hand, are supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministry and edifying the church.

Think of spirituality as the fruit of the Spirit, and spiritual gifts as charisma. A person may have the gift of prophecy, healing, or speaking in tongues, but still lack true spirituality. Why? Because spiritual gifts are not given for self-edification—they are meant to build up others. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is what transforms and edifies a person. It is the evidence of a Christ-like life.

Apostle Paul makes a clear distinction in 1 Corinthians 13:1–3: “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

Here, Paul emphasizes that spiritual gifts without love are meaningless. Love, he says, is the “most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31) following his discourse on spiritual gifts. This excellence is not rooted in performance, but in character. It is about who we are, not just what we can do.

Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 to define what love looks like: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

These characteristics of love align with the very essence of the fruit of the Spirit described in Galatians 5:22–23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

If we match the characteristics of love in 1 Corinthians 13 with the fruit of the Spirit, we would see a perfect alignment. For example:

“Love is patient” aligns with Patience.
“Love is kind” aligns with kindness.
“Love does not envy or boast” aligns with goodness and self-control.
“Love keeps no record of wrongs” aligns with peace.
“Love rejoices in the truth” aligns with faithfulness.
“Love is not easily angered” aligns with joy
“Love is not self-seeking” aligns with love.

So, when you are looking for someone who is truly spiritual, you don’t need to look for impressive gifts or talents. Look for the fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is what defines a life of excellence. It is the evidence of a deep relationship with God. As the Lord said, “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” (Matthew 7:16).

When God blesses us with spiritual gifts, it is vital that we also seek to grow in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. Gifts are tools for ministry—they are meant to serve the body of Christ. But without the fruit of the Spirit, our gifts can become empty acts, performed without love or integrity.

Jesus further warned in Matthew 7:22–23: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” These individuals operated in spiritual gifts but lacked relationship and righteousness.

From this verse, we can deduce that our identity in Christ is not based on our extraordinary gifts or what we do for Him, but on who we are in Him. Our aim should be to pursue the excellent way—a life marked by love, integrity, and the fruit of the Spirit.

It should be reminded that a life of excellence is not defined by achievements, positions, or spiritual gifts. It is defined by love. It is shown in the quiet patience we extend to others, the joy we carry in trials, the kindness we offer to the hurting, and the peace we walk in daily. May we all strive to live such a life—one that honors God, edifies others, and reflects the heart of Jesus in all we do. For in doing so, we will not only be effective in our ministry, but we will also be transformed into the image of Christ, who is the true standard of excellence.