Do You Have the Spiritual Gift of Exhortation?
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“Wow, you’re such a good exhorter!” said no one ever.
Exhortation isn’t a word we use very often. Yet for some reason, several Bible translators (such as the ESV) keep using it to describe a spiritual gift in Romans 12.
Some Bible versions, such as the NIV, use “encouragement” instead, which sounds more natural to our modern ears. But does that mean the same thing?
What Is the Difference between Exhortation and Encouragement?
Exhortation certainly includes encouragement—but it doesn’t stop with it. Merriam-Webster defines exhortation as “language intended to incite and encourage.”
Encouragement is grounded in kindness and hope. It strengthens others’ confidence. It comforts them when they feel discouraged.
Exhortation is filled with this same kindness and hope, but then it takes a second step—it incites its listeners to action. Instead of offering vague platitudes, exhortation speaks specifically to someone’s situation, challenging them to do what is right.
Exhortation is grounded in truth. It isn’t passive about sin. But it always affirms God’s continued work in the other person, and it always holds hope for their future. It inspires that person to grow and become everything God made them to be.
That sounds kind of like the Holy Spirit, doesn’t it?
Funny you should ask…
What Is Exhortation in the Bible?
Exhortation is named as a spiritual gift in Romans 12.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation(Romans 12:6-8, ESV).
The word the ESV translates as “exhortation” here is the Greek word paraklesis, and it appears in several other passages in the New Testament. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, paraklesis appears nine times, and the ESV translates it as “comfort.”
Interestingly, it comes from the same root word as parakletos, the word used to describe the Holy Spirit in John 14.
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26 NIV).
Other versions translate parakletos as helper or comforter, and the more we read throughout Scripture, the more we see the thread of paraklesis (exhortation) in the Holy Spirit’s role.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans (Romans 8:26 NIV, emphasis added).
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope (Romans 15:13 ESV, emphasis added).
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers (Acts 9:31 NIV, emphasis added).
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (John 16:13, NIV, emphasis added).
And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:27 NIV, emphasis added).
The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires (Galatians 5:17a NLT, emphasis added).
The Holy Spirit is our parakletos—our comforter, advocate, and helper. And in that role, he gives us hope, encouragement, and motivation to follow God. He is completely truthful, yet nowhere in Scripture does he condemn us. Instead, he reminds us of who we are as God’s children, inspiring us to turn from sin and do what is good.
This is why paraklesis in Romans 12 is so often translated as exhortation. It’s a kind of encouragement that not only comforts us—it motivates us to do what is right.
How Do You Give Exhortation?
Now we know what perfect exhortation looks like. But what does it look like for an imperfect human to give exhortation?
Again, it comes back to the Holy Spirit.
None of our human minds hold all the answers. We will inevitably meet people we are unsure of how to help. But by learning to walk with the Spirit in love and in truth, we can prepare to meet each situation with the right heart—even if we don’t have all the answers.
Galatians 5 is the roadmap for walking in step with the Spirit. Here are the last three verses of the chapter that boil it all down:
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
This passage warns us of two pitfalls: sinful desire and conceit. Either of these can knock us out of step from the Spirit, and in turn, taint our exhortation.
If we become tolerant of sin, we risk becoming enablers rather than exhorters. We risk cultivating a culture that encourages anything and everything, allowing sin’s roots to grow deeper in the body of Christ. Exhortation without truth is the only fuel for sin’s growth.
Yet we must also be careful in confronting sin. If we become proud and self-righteous, we flip exhortation’s purpose on its head, using truth to tear others down rather than build them up. Exhortation without love chokes a community with bitterness, envy, and infighting, weakening and isolating the body of Christ.
This is why Paul highlights walking with the Spirit. It is impossible to walk with the Spirit and be comfortable in sin (Galatians 5:17). And it is impossible to love the Spirit without loving our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:20). Exhortation is a spiritual gift, and only through the Spirit can we exhort as Ephesians 4:15 calls us to.
“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 ESV).
How Do You Know if You Have This Gift?
So now that we know what the Spiritual gift of exhortation is, how do we know if we have it?
There are countless spiritual gifts tests available online. Sometimes, they confirm and strengthen our understanding of the way we’ve been using our gifts. Other times, they offer us fresh insights. A test’s questions often help us think about how God has used us in the past and which areas of ministry we are most passionate about. Those are good questions to ask, and they can push us to recognize passions and talents we’d undervalued or underutilized.
However, tests also have some dangerous limitations.
A spiritual gifts test is subjective. It relies on our perceptions of ourselves and our attitudes toward different gifts. God doesn’t always call us where we think he’s calling us, and if we use our “spiritual stats” as an excuse to reject opportunities in areas we didn’t score highly in, we may be following our plans rather than God’s.
Moses considered himself a terrible public speaker, yet God called him to be a leader (and speaker) anyway (Exodus 4:10-11). Gideon was full of fear, yet God called him to become a bold and mighty warrior (Judges 6). In time, Moses gave great speeches, and Gideon won great battles (Deuteronomy 1-30, Judges 7-8).
Perhaps you don’t consider yourself to be good with people, and you think you’ll say the wrong thing. Or perhaps you’re afraid of talking about difficult subjects honestly. That doesn’t mean God won’t use you to give exhortation in others’ lives.
Not all of us are naturally generous, but God calls all of us to give (Luke 6:30). Not all of us have a gift for evangelizing, but God calls all of us to share our faith (1 Peter 3:15, Matthew 5:15-16). In the same way, all of us have a responsibility to encourage and inspire one another toward righteousness (Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 4:15).
Ultimately, a spiritual gift comes from the Spirit, and it should be rooted in dependence on him. Whether we are specifically blessed with the gift of exhortation or not, we can always turn to the Holy Spirit for guidance in helping us exhort one another.
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