1 Corinthians 12-14

1 Corinthians 12-14: The challenge of integrating love and spiritual gifts requires us to develop a multidimensional faith. Just as we have to synthesize sound Biblical doctrine and experience with Christ, we now need to figure out a spiritual universe in which the love of God, His for us and ours for Him, is the basis for also receiving and exercising spiritual gifts. Agape love is God’s expression of How much He cares for us, but it is because of this love that He gives us gifts. We have to receive them, and also exercise them.

1 Corinthians 12

1 Corinthians 12:1-3 The foundational requirement for having and exercising gifts is the correct understanding and embracing of the truth that Jesus is Lord. This is only possible from the empowering of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The opposite, seeing Jesus as a curse and saying it, comes from the rejection of Ruach HaKodesh, and the upwelling of internal evil spirits. The gifts are from God the Holy Spirit. No matter what miracles may occur, the words of our mouth  are the mark of divine gifting.

1 Corinthians 12:3-7,11 Although there are many gifts, it is God’s perfect plan that they work together for the good of His body. Each manifestation of the Holy Spirit is for the common good, i.e., the benefit of all. But they will be different.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 The nine gifts listed here are somewhat different from the other lists. (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-13) 

• Prophecy is the only gift mentioned in all four lists. In this context prophecy isn’t limited to foretelling the future, it is the bubbling forth of the words of God from inside. This gift is not necessarily more important than the others, but it is the most widely needed. Every believer needs to hear from God, if not directly then through fellow believers.
• Teachers are not mentioned here, but are in the three other lists. The need for teachers is obvious, for sound instruction from His word. (See below)
• A number of gifts are mentioned twice.

• Wisdom and guidance - divinely inspired insight about a situation
• Miracles - supernatural manifestations of power either to remedy a problem or attest to God’s endorsement or presence.
• Healing - a specific type of miracle focused on God’s care about our physical well-being.
• Tongues - another type of miracle, that attests to God’s plan that the gospel be preached to all nations.

• Many gifts are in only one list. The following gifts are only in this section.

• Faith - everyone has faith, because faith is needed for salvation, but some have anointed faith. Not name-it-and-claim-it faith (in which we decide what we want and expect God to deliver), but believing something extraordinary that God has promised is a gift.
• Knowledge - not just knowing things in the natural, but knowing things we have no way of finding out in the natural.
• Discernment of spirits is related to exorcism, not widely enough practiced because few want to acknowledge the spiritual war we face. 
• Interpretation of tongues - simply a gift needed to make the gift of tongues edifying. Tongues speak mysteries to God, so we need to have it explained to us.

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 Paul now uses the analogy of a human body to explain the dependence  of diverse believers on each others’ gifts. The primary purpose of the gifts is to build the body of Christ. Believers are parts of this body. Hands, eyes, feet, ears, the head are each specialized body parts that perform specific functions. Paul even refers to the private body parts, which he notes we treat with special honor. There is no direct correlation of human body parts to the gifts identified earlier, but the basic concept of differentiation. We are not an amoeba, or a blob.

Animals also have most of the body parts he identifies, but what differentiates humans from animals is the human spirit, which is what this chapter is about. Animals exhibit love for their masters, but they do not have the gift of prophecy, and do not receive Christ as their savior. They see their owners as providers and protectors, perhaps saving them from the wild and starvation, but we know that this is not the salvation that Jesus brings. Those who have pets or take care of farm animals are fulfilling God’s command to Adam and Eve. (Genesis 1:28) 

An important point is that we should neither judge nor envy the gifts of others. We should encourage each other. (1 Thessalonians 5:11) If there seems to be an abuse or misuse of the gifts, there is a church structure charged with dealing with the situation. (1 Corinthians 14:26-33) If someone else has a gift more recognized within the body, we must remember that the Lord sees and rewards us according to our faithfulness to what He has called us to. The risk with the more exciting gifts is to the individual’s ego or pride. Most times the people on the setup crew don’t struggle with this risk, and few people envy those with these gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:27-30 Paul gives a second list of positions in the church. Some overlap with the first list, but here he includes apostles, teachers, and helpers.

• Apostles are the ones sent forth to establish the church, with all the responsibility that goes with it: the care of setting up an organization that is both a human community and a divine, spiritual organism. God’s delegated authority to approved and trustworthy leaders.
• Teachers are needed in every church, for the purpose of instructing believers in God’s word, His commands, and His ways. This is not limited to preaching sermons; even children need to be taught, by gifted and trustworthy teachers.
• Helpers are those called to do “ordinary” practical tasks for the body. There is work to be done everywhere. One doesn’t need a supernatural anointing to work, but some are gifted with special capabilities. In the household there are duties usually assigned to someone, or shared, such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, home maintenance and repair, paying bills, child care, etc. Although the church does not have these duties, there are many mundane chores that need helpers to do. Imagine trying to live in a house where no one cleans.

 

1 Corinthians 13

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Having listed the gifts of the Holy Spirit earlier (12:8-10), Paul turns to the fundamental spiritual quality that underlies their value to the body of Christ. Tongues, prophecy, knowledge, and faith all count for nothing in the eternal realm if they are not based on love. In this context, he is not talking about family love or marital love, but congregational love. Gifts only matter when they are given and received in the context of caring for the good of another. Even giving away our own possessions to the poor, or enduring bodily pain counts for nothing in building God’s kingdom if it is not based on a foundation of love, and done in a chosen lifestyle of love. Paul enumerates specific shortcomings of the gifts of tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, and generosity if they are exercised without love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 There are listed several attributes that love exhibits, and several that are antithetical to love. There is some overlap with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the works of the flesh. (Galatians 5:19-21) This is to give detail of the types of behavior one must choose to be loving. Love is not a mushy, sentimentality. John 3:16 gives the ultimate example of what love is. Obviously, in marriage one would hope for this standard of behavior. (Ephesians 5:25-26) Dare we hope for it in the church body?

Patience, kindness, trust, hope, perseverance that never fail. Who would not want to live in a household or a community where these are the norm, not just a standard to to strive for, but the experience of daily life? Boasting, pride, dissing others, self-seeking, anger, constant reminders of wrongs, evil - this is the world we live in, personally and socially; just watch the news, look at social media, or spend time with people you know. Paul appeals to us to choose Love incarnate (1 John 4:8), not just in allegiance, but in our moment-to-moment life.

1 Corinthians 13:8-12 An appeal to the transcendent, eternal, spiritual reality, in which love will be the defining attribute. Things of the earth, of this life, are not going to be disregarded so much as graduated from and outgrown. Even the Holy Spirit gifts of tongues, prophecy, and knowledge will be transcended by completeness in God’s presence. We don’t look down on children because of their childishness, indeed, we want them to be happy and also to grow. But ultimately, we want our children to become fully functioning adults, which exactly God’s plan for us. But what that will look like is perfect love.

1 Corinthians 13:13 How true greatness is found in this life: love. Growing into God’s image.

1 Corinthians 14

Having established that love is the foundation for the body of Christ, and what that should look like in practice, Paul returns to the issue of exercising spiritual gifts in the assembly of believers. There is tension between personal spiritual edification and corporate building up of the body of believers. One dimension of this is the worship service. After they have practiced the remembrance of the Lord’s death and resurrection in the Lord’s Supper, it seems they had a worship service with what amounts to an open mic. Paul’s instructions seem to be focused on this period. Most modern church services do not include this, although testimony services happen, most services are scripted with worship music, designated speakers, and liturgies. 

1 Corinthians 14:1-12 The difference between tongues and prophecy is obvious. Speaking to God vs. speaking for God to others. I have heard that from time to time a visitor to a service in which tongues are being spoken have recognized and understood what was being said, but that is a relatively rare occurrence. Unknown tongues are for God, and an expression of faith that somehow the Holy Spirit is speaking through us.

1 Corinthians 14:13-19 The tongue-talker should ask the Lord for an understanding of what was said, so as to edify and build up the congregation. Otherwise God’s spoken words are lost on the others present. A few intelligible words directly from God outweigh a vast torrent of unintelligible words heard by others. Paul’s focus on worship is to edify the body as a whole. Not discussed here, but when we have a musical worship, it is both to show our devotion and to draw near to God so that we can connect with Him. That also builds up the lives of believers.

1 Corinthians 14:20-25 But lest we denigrate tongues as useless, Paul points to Old Testament prophecy that God will use foreign languages to call people, and also recognizes that even with miraculous revelation, some will still not believe. (Isaiah 28:11-12) Both tongues and prophecy have a place in church - the goal being genuine worship of God. 

1 Corinthians 14:26-33 Paul gives the rules of order for open mic night. Henry Robert didn’t invent them in 1876, nor did legislative bodies before him. 

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 Are these instructions for women applicable today? Why did Paul say it was disgraceful for a woman to speak in church? There are various theories and lengthy arguments based on cultural norms of the time and going back to Eve’s role in the fall in the garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:6) Since Paul in other places acknowledged the role of women, the most extreme limitations interpretation of this seem to be focused more locally to the Corinthians. And Paul even mentioned sisters prophesying (14:39) 

1 Corinthians 14:36-40 The bottom line is that the practice of faith originates from and is empowered by God. Therefore, our assemblies should reflect His nature and character, both in decorum and in the release of supernatural power for ministry.