Grace Institute: 1 Corinthians: Chapter 14: Spiritual Gifting - Part II

Spiritual Gifting - Part II 1 Corinthians Spring 2009

Introduction

A Picture of a Corinthian Worship Service

Have you ever wondered what church was like for the early Christians? What would a typical worship service have been like for, say, the Christians in Corinth? 1 Corinthians 14:26 gives us probably the best evidence of what it was like for those early believers.

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (1 Corinthians 14:26 ESV)

It seems the first century church service was more like a home fellowship or home bible study than a Catholic or Orthodox mass. Someone stands up and begins singing a song that they all join. Then someone reads a scripture out of what we call today the Old Testament. Someone else gives a lesson from that passage.

However, it also seems that the Corinthian church was more characterized by disruptions and chaos. When one person was sharing, somebody else might get up and start talking at the same time. Someone might start singing a song or when another begins praying loudly with some strange sounding words.

Paul addresses this situation, calling on their services to be done with decency and order, and in the process gives us more insight into the proper usage for spiritual gifting.

But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40 ESV)

A Theological Sidebar – “Speaking in Tongues”

In the first 25 verses of chapter 14 Paul makes his point by contrasting two gifts: prophecy and tongues. While he concentrates on these two gifts, there are some transcendent principles we can take from this contrast for all gifts. However, because Paul uses tongues and prophecy as his case study, we need define the gifts of prophecy and tongues.

Prophecy is revealing God's Word to people. A person with the gift of prophecy has the supernatural ability to communicate a message from God. In the early church, before the New Testament had been completed, this gifting was particularly important because they didn't have all the New Testament.

Tongues, or maybe more modernly translated, the gift of languages, is when a Christian is given a supernatural ability to speak in a foreign language in order to communicate the gospel to non-Christians.

The first time this gift was exercised is recorded in Acts 2 at the very beginning of the church. As recorded in Acts, there were people from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem for a big festival. At this festival, the Holy Spirit gave the Christians the ability to speak in many different foreign languages. These Christians then went and shared the gospel with all these visitors in their native languages. As a result, over 3,000 became followers of Jesus that day.

Tongues, then, is the ability to share the message of Christ in the language of another person. There is some question as to whether or not scripture recognizes tongues as a non-human “prayer-language,” as is practiced by some Christians today. 1 Corinthians 13:1 seems to indicate that tongues might include the languages of angels, and thus undecipherable to humans. However, Paul is using hyperbole in this verse. Just as in 13:2 he speaks of faith capable of moving mountains and in 13:3 he speaks of giving away everything and dying a martyrs death.

Nonetheless, if there is a prayer-language or non-human type of tongues, Paul is clear that it is a part of personal worship and not corporate worship.

For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. (1 Corinthians 14:17 ESV)

For these reasons, Grace Community Fellowship does not practice the speaking of tongues in our corporate worship services. However, we do not want to invalidate the ministry of those who practice tongues. We recognize that God has used those ministries to promote the gospel. As a result it is not our place to criticize or put down churches and other believes whose doctrine or practice regarding tongues is different than ours. For while Paul says it is a gift inferior to others, it is not to be forbidden.

The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts (14:1-25)

Superiority of Prophecy to Tongues (14:1-12)

Spiritual Gifts Should Build Up (14:1-3)

The Corinthians had placed undo importance on the gift of tongues. So in 14:2-5, Paul contrasts the gift of prophecy with the gift of tongues. Paul says that tongues, as practiced by Corinthians, are spoken to God and therefore don't help the church. But prophecy is spoken to men, so it can build up, encourage and console. Tongues only benefit the one speaking, whereas prophecy builds up the whole body.

Upbuilding, is often translated ad edify. Our gifts should build people up, not tear people down. We should strengthen people, not weaken them.

Encouragement or Exhortation is translated from the Greek word used as a name for the Holy Spirit, a name which is more commonly translated as comforter . Our gifts then should comfort people, not irritate them. We should encourage people, not discourage them.

Console is translated from a word that literally means to empathize. Our gifts should help us to empathize with people, not ignore them. We should show compassion for people, not condemn them.

Spiritual Gifts Should Be for the Church (14:4)

There is a temptation to use our gifting only for our own benefit. But Paul says, how much better if it is done in a way that the whole church can be build-up.

We need each other's strengths to work together. And when we don't share our gifts with each other, we all suffer. To many Christians personalize their faith without involvement in the larger church community. If we think we can make it with just “me and God and my spiritual gift,” we are sadly mistaken. We need each other. We need to share our gifting with each other.

Hebrews 10:24-25 says:

(Hebrews 10:24-25 NASB) Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

When we properly use our gift, it builds up the whole body, not just ourselves.

Spritual Gifts Should Be Clear (14:5-12)

If a spiritual gift, like tongues, is to benefit the whole body, it must be easily understood and not be confusing to people (14:6-8). Prophecy, however can be understood and therefore helps the body, and is thus superior, in Paul's mind, to tongues.

But this principle should apply not just to tongues. This is an important principle, for teachers and people who regularly speak. We want to be clear in what we teach.

But it is true also of other gifts. Service can be done in a disorderly manner, without clarity. For example, let say your ministry is to bring meals to sick or elderly people. You need to do that in an orderly clear manner. You need to take time to plan the meal, cook it appropriately, and bring it to them in a timely manner. You shouldn't approach your ministry in a haphazard way. You need to do a good job. Ministry done in a chaotic manner doesn't edify.

Purpose of Tongues (14:13-25)

Spiritual Gifting Should Use the Mind (14:13-19)

Speaking in tongues is being used as an emotional experience that the Corinthians see as some grand spiritual encounter. But Paul would rather that we use not just our emotions when exercising our gifts, but that we also use our minds (14:14-15). If the exercise of our gift is just an emotional experience, then it is not building up the body (14:17). Therefore, Paul would rather they speak few words with their minds than thousands of words in tongues (14:19).

Tongues Are for Unbelievers (14:20-25)

Originally the gift of tongues was given at Pentecost to communicate the gospel to those spoke in foreign languages (Acts 2). The gift of tongues is a sign not to believers, but unbelievers (14:22). The way the Corinthians exercised tongues, this gift no longer helped bring the gospel to unbelievers, but had the opposite effect. Unbelievers watching how the Corinthians used tongues, would think them crazy (14:23).

In this scene all these people are talking, interrupting each other, and using strange words and languages (14:22). Paul says, an unbeliever is going to think your nuts! But Paul says if they see you using your gift appropriately, in an orderly manner, an unbeliever will see a glimpse of God and fall under conviction.

But prophecy is clear and might convict an unbeliever of their sin and bring them to worship God (14:24-25).

Regarding Order & Dignity in the Assembly (14:26-39)

Church Should Be Orderly (14:26-33)

Paul desires the Corinthian church to be characterized by deference, not domination. Paul wants the Corinthians to allow many people to speak, to allow everyone to exercise their gift (14:26-27). The assembly needs to be done in an orderly and dignified manner, and not be chaotic (14:30-31, 33).

Furthermore, the exercise of both tongues and prophecy is subject to the evaluation of the entire congregation. For one who speaks in tongues, it is subject to an interpreter (14:27b-28). For the one who speaks a prophesy, others are to weigh what is said (14:29).

This is true of all spiritual gifts. Just because you are exercising your gifting does not mean you are always speaking or acting for God. It is subject to the evaluation of the whole church as to whether or not the exercise of your gift is appropriate for the body.

That is to say, our spiritual gift is not a free pass. The exercise of our gifts should always be subject to those in authority over us in the church.

Women Should Be Quiet (14:34-35)

If a church service is to be orderly, then women must also be quiet in the church service (14:34). This is a very controversial passage. This passage has been used throughout the history of the church to berate women and to disqualify women from ministry. However, this is not a prohibition against women exercising their gifting or ministering to the body.

First, there is evidence that Paul allowed women to serve in church. In 1 Corinthians 11:5 mentions the appropriate manner in which women should prophesy in church. Paul often praised women for their service to the church in his epistles (Romans 16). Furthermore, prophesy is a Spiritual gift for both male and female (Acts 2:17-18).

The prohibition against women speaking must be put into the context. Paul has been speaking of making sure the exercise of our spiritual gifting is under the authority of the church. Tongues are to be interpreted and prophesy is to be weighed (14:28-29). Paul is telling the women here that they should be in submission as well (14:34).

Furthermore, a wife should not to be questioning or evaluating their husband's prophesy in public. If she has a question about what her husband says in church, she should ask this in private (14:35), for to publicly question him would be disrespectful and shameful.

To conclude, Paul does tell women that they can pray and prophesy in church (11:5), but it must be in submission to the church leadership. Furthermore, they are not to exercise authority (1 Timothy 2:12), but they are to leave the evaluation of prophesy to the male leadership.

Don't Presume to Speak for God (14:36-40)

The Word of God Doesn't Originate From You (14:36)

Finally, Paul warns the Corinthians that when they exercise their spiritual gift, they should not presume that God only speaks through them (14:36). God works through others, and therefore all should have an opportunity to share (14:31). When things are going well, when your ministry is just clicking along, it is easy to think that whatever you say or do is direct from God himself. But we must recognize that we are not the only person God uses.

Recognize God's Word First (14:37-38)

Furthermore, if someone does not recognize Paul's instructions as being from the Lord, they should not be allowed to share their gift (14:37-38). If someone believes God only works through them, and they do not recognize that the Lord's command comes through the apostles, if someone does not recognize the authority of the scripture over and above their own, then they should not be allowed to exercise their gifting.

Conclusion

Finally, Paul concludes this section by reaffirming that it is okay to prophesy and to speak in tongues, but it all must be done appropriately and in an orderly manner (14:39-40).

But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40 ESV)

God has given each believer a spiritual gift to serve the body. We all have an important role to play to keep this church alive and vibrant.

Each gift is important. There are no insignificant roles. The most mundane roles are often the most important.

But if we don't love each other enough to use our gifts properly, than our gifts are worthless.

If we don't love each other, then we won't want to build each other up. We won't want to comfort and empathize with each other.

If we don't love each other, then we won't use our gifts in an orderly manner. We will be showing disrespect for each other, interrupting and distracting each other.

If we don't love each other, we won't bother to base our gifts on God's word, but we will think ourselves more important than we are.

The bottom line is, if we really want to use our gifts properly, it begins and ends with love.