<p>4:10 <i>According as each has received a gift- </i>The parable of the talents is clear that each believer is given a gift or talent to use in the Lord's service. This is part of the gift of the Spirit received at baptism. Church structure often leaves individuals with the impression that they are intended to do no more than attend meetings. But we each called to some form of ministry- ministry is not just for those believers who 'choose to go into ministry'. That phrase and concept is very damaging and unhelpful to the mass of believers.</p><p><i>Minister it- </i>We have all been given some gift, and that is to be used in the servanthood / slavery of our Lord Jesus (1 Pet. 4:10). We can mindlessly say that yes, Jesus is Lord, quite forgetting that it implies we are His serving slaves. The magnitude of the &lsquo;slave&rsquo; concept in the ecclesia of Christ is easily overlooked, and it was this which made it so different from others.</p><p><i>Among yourselves</i>- The gifts given are specifically intended for usage within the body of Christ. This is why separation from the body is not at all what God intends- for then how can we minister what God has given us &quot;among yourselves&quot;. We cannot be true Christians in isolation from others, just internally assenting to the truths of the Gospel.</p><p><i>As good stewards of the manifold grace of God- </i>The grace of God is &ldquo;manifold&rdquo;, using a Greek word which means multi-faceted, many coloured, light split into its various components through a prism (1 Pet. 4:10).</p>