Imparting The Gift

Q. Despite attending a church that preaches spiritual gifts can be “imparted” by the laying on of hands from one believer to another, I have always held that we receive our gifts from  God as He determines.  However, I’ve been doing an in-depth study of Paul’s letters to Timothy and found in 2 Timothy 1:6 where Paul indicates Timothy received one of the gifts from him by the laying on of hands.  Can you clarify this?

A. I don’t think 2 Timothy 1:6 is necessarily referring to a particular Spiritual gift as much as it is to the gift of the Holy Spirit, given at the moment of salvation during which Paul often laid hands on the recipient. (Acts  19:6)   In the verses following, Paul  exhorted Timothy to practice using the Spirit’s power to overcome his timidity by testifying about the Lord’s work in both their lives. (2 Tim. 1:7-8)