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With all the controversy over spiritual gifts – why have them at all? The gifts of the Spirit have split churches and keep Christians apart – and they bewilder non-Christians – so that the church becomes a circus than a place to get saved.
I think the problem is two fold: 1 – our definition of spiritual gifts is too narrow – and 2 we use the gifts we know in the wrong way for the wrong motivation.
Bottom line: we don’t let love be our motivator – but as humans we like two things: to feel important and not to be questioned. Improper use of the gifts – especially Tongues – gets us that. We seem important because we have such an “impressive” gift – and because no one knows what we’re saying, no one can question us. Paul has some strong words about that.
Let’s see how this plays out starting in verse 1:
1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
So following from the end of chapter 12 and all of chapter 13, Paul says “love is tops” and if we follow love – we can then move on to desire spiritual gifts. But without love – without the motivation to benefit others rather than ourselves – then why bother. And we’ll see as we walk through this that selfish ambition and pride were often more of a motivator for spiritual gifts than love.
Paul gives special emphasis on prophecy as opposed to speaking in tongues. He’ll develop that as we move on here – but a word about these gifts. First I would encourage you to pick up our tape on Acts 2 to get some explanation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit – but suffice it to say that I believe the gifts given by the Spirit are primarily to be used for evangelizing and, as we see here, for building up the body of Christ.
Prophecy, and speaking in tongues are among the more up front of the gifts – especially speaking in tongues, and the Corinthian church had some real problems using this gift.
2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.
Often Pentecostal churches make a mistake here – they have someone speak in tongues and then someone else speaks a prophecy – but from Acts 2 to here I think it is pretty clear that a tongue interpreted should be spoken to God.
There is also a difference between a prayer language, which is available to believers if the Spirit wills – and the gift of Tongues. A prayer language could be used anytime – and we get to that in verse 13. A gift of Tongues would be a public utterance that should be interpreted.
Paul is comparing and contrasting tongues and prophecy and their benefits or lack thereof to the body and to unbelievers.
3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
Prophecy, more than “foretelling” is in the New Testament “forth telling” of the truth of God. But it should always have these three characteristics: strengthening, encouraging, and comforting. I know a lot of people who go around saying “thus saith the Lord” and what comes out of their mouths is none of those things.
Paul says if you speak in tongues you are not edifying anyone other than yourself – but prophecy builds up the church.
6 Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
Paul says – teaching or exhorting is more important than whether I speak in a tongue – church is not a show, but it is a time for the body to be built up. We in the church sometimes treat it more as a performance. Paul uses two examples to drive home his point:
7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me.
I used to play the bugle – as a Boy Scout. I was even the camp bugler at camp during one summer. It was quite an honor. I got to be the first one up in the morning to play reveille and the last one to sleep at night to play taps. They’ve got bugle calls for everything. Now if I had played reveille at night – everyone would have been confused –and Paul is saying making sense is more important than making noise – making sense is more important than making unintelligible syllables.
But unfortunately we find the show entertaining in the church today – what we should focus on is what Paul finishes the paragraph with:
12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
What builds up the church? Sound teaching, good exhortation, encouragement, worship, prayer. We should try to excel in gifts that build up the body instead of puff up ourselves.
13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.
Either he should interpret or someone else should. Some people make the mistake here in the exercise of the gifts of the Spirit. A tongue is given, then someone says “thus saith the Lord” and they go into some encouragement for the people. This is not interpretation of the tongue – it is a prophecy. Tongues are spoken to God – as we see below here in verse 16:
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16 If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
It’s better to say something that someone can understand instead of something they can’t. Seems obvious, huh? But it wasn’t to the Corinthians and sometimes isn’t to us either, especially when we can seem so important and can’t be questioned because no one knows what we said!
20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
Stop being babies, Paul says – grow up – this isn’t just a Holy Spirit pool party – everything God is doing, including the giving and exercising of spiritual gifts, is for a very serious reason. Paul gets into that reason here in these next verses.
21 In the Law it is written:
"Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord.
This is from Isaiah 28:11 and 12. Paul says even Isaiah said that people would not believe based only on Tongues.
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.
The “sign” for unbelievers can only be if it is then explained – through teaching or prophecy, as happened on the day of Pentecost.
23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"
Tongues, then, can be a sign for unbelievers like it was on the Day of Pentecost. Prophecy, as Paul has been arguing – is more important for the church because we who believe don’t need a sign like Tongues. But in verse 23 seems to contradict this statement. It’s possible that Paul is here calling attention to the practice in Corinth – of everyone Speaking in Tongues at once – and if I came into such a church and I didn’t believe I’d think they were a bunch of loonies too.
Prophecy, then, can serve as a way to drive into the heart of a person – more of a one-two punch – Tongues is a sign (something from God is going on here) and Prophecy is the kicker (laid bare by the “forthtelling” of God’s truth)
26 What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
This might actually be better translated with the question mark after “interpretation.” In other words – Paul is saying that not everyone has all of these things so we need to let those to whom God has spoken speak and the rest should listen instead of compete for attention like they were doing – that’s the way we build up the church.
See the point is edification, not showing off.
27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.
This actually happened to me once – I was newly baptized in the Holy Spirit and really felt this pressing to Speak in Tongues – so I gathered my college friends together in the room of the guy who was sort of our “elder” and spoke out – but no one had the interpretation. I was sort of embarrassed but they showed me this Scripture and said it must have just been something my spirit really wanted to pray.
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
Here again – not everyone gets to share – and I find it interesting that there is no “carte blanche” acceptance of the words given. The church is supposed to judge or “weigh carefully” the words.
The words mean “to discern,” or “to separate thoroughly.” We need to separate what is from God and what is not. This takes knowledge of the Word and some tact – we don’t want to blow away someone just beginning to operate in this gift. Sometimes it means talking to them one on one afterwards – but if the person is really saying something off the wall and being really belligerent about it then we could call them on it right in front of the group.
I think the point is, just because someone says “thus saith the Lord” doesn’t mean the Lord actually saidith anything!
So now we jump to a totally different subject – some think this belongs in another chapter – but I think it really isn’t different at all – and the fact that it comes in this section when Paul is addressing conduct in public worship – it fits and helps to explain some of the controversy.
As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Okay – let’s move on to chapter 15 (not really). Here’s an instance where both the culture and the specific situation in the Corinthian church must be taken into account.
Paul in Chapter 11 talked about women praying or prophesying with their head uncovered – so he’s not saying women can’t ever participate in the ministry of the church. What we think was happening was this: many of the Corinthians were used to the synagogue where many believe that men and women were separated – the men below or on one side – and the women above or on the other side.
Remember, Corinthian women were experiencing the freedoms found Christ – and some were taking it too far. Apparently that included shouting out to their husbands “hey – what’s that guy talking about” right in the middle of the service.
This is disruptive just as if everyone were speaking in tongues at the same time. So Paul says – just hush up and wait until you get home and then discuss the message.
Conclusion
I said at the beginning that I felt the churches problems with spiritual gifts was two fold.
1. Our definition of gifts is too narrow.
We read this list in chapter 14, then pair it with a couple of other places and think – okay, here are the gifts. But I want to come back to the definition I gave in chapter 12 – a spiritual gift is anytime the Spirit gives or uses something in you to do His will.
We get stuck in the rut of the show – instead of concentrating on the work of the Savior – to bring people into His kingdom and build them up.
So – instead of looking for what spectacular thing you can do with the Spiritual gift – ask the Lord what He wants you to do, then ask for the power to accomplish that. That way the goal, not the means, is the focus.
2. We use the gifts for the wrong motivation
If you find yourself feeling pretty special because you have this or that gift – look out. It is subtle but the enemy can draw you away from worshiping God to worshiping the gifts.
That’s what happened to Simon in the book of Acts. Simon was a magician and when he saw the miracles of the Apostles he wanted some of that for the power’s sake, not for the gospel’s sake.
Remember as well two things as we read Acts and we see all the mighty stuff done. 1. God put special miracle power into the Apostles in order to support their position as Apostles. And 2. The book spans decades of time. We tend to telescope it into a “miracle of the day.” But it wasn’t that way.
