The Holy Spirit in the Epistles
Day 41 — Spiritual Gifts V: Owners Manual
1 Corinthians 14
On day 38 we left off with 1 Corinthians 12:31 where Paul is telling us to earnestly desire the greater gifts and then says LOVE is the issue. Big gifts without love = clanging gong! So after he digresses to speak of faith, hope and love, he goes back to tell us to pursue love, yet here are guidelines…
1. Pursue love
2. Desire earnestly spiritual gifts, especially to prophesy
a. Tongues i. Speaks to God
ii. Does not speak to men
iii. No one understands
iv. In his spirit he speaks mysteries
v. Edifies himself unless there is interpretation to edify the church
b. Prophesy
i. speaks to men edification, exhortation and consolation
ii. Edifies the church
3. Wishes all spoke in tongues, but even more to prophesy
a. profitable
i. revelation
ii. knowledge
iii. prophesy
iv. teaching
b. harp, lute, bugle are better if distinct sounds, will benefit
c. Indistinct tongues are unknown, speaking to air.
i. pray for interpretation
ii. Spirit prays, but mind is unfruitful.
iii. Goal is to pray with mind and spirit
4. All languages have meaning, but if I don’t know the meaning the speaker is a barbarian
5. Seek the edification of the church
a. 5 intelligible words are better than 10,000 words in a tongue.
b. Tongues are a sign, not for the church, but to unbelievers
c. Prophecy is for a sign to believers
6. When church assembles and speaks in tongues, unbelievers think you are mad.
7. When church assembles and all prophesy, the unbeliever is convicted and called to account
a. Secrets of his heart exposed.
b. He will fall on face in worship
c. Will declare God is among you
8. All things done for edification
a. each a psalm
b. a teaching,
c. a revelation
d. tongue with interpretation
i. 2 or 3 at most
ii. in turn
iii. one must interpret
iv. if no interpretation –be silent in the church and speak to God on your own
9. If two or three prophets speak
a. let the others pass judgment
b. one by one so all may learn and be exhorted
c. revelation made to another seated, the first must be silent
10. God is a God of peace, not confusion as in all the churches. Everything properly and in order.
Questions:
1. This section is more about keeping the peace in the church services and not letting chaos reign since
God is a God of order.
Why would there need to be these guidelines if these are Holy Spirit led events?
2. How would this look in your church?
Are there abuses of this gift?
How would you know?
Do you think it would be better to see more prophesy?
3. Differing denominations have differing definitions of prophesying. In 1 Samuel 10:6-13 it describes
Samuel telling Saul he will be a changed man and prophesy with the prophets and he did, but its not clear what that looked like. Some define it as speaking forth the Word of the Lord like when Isaiah would say, “Thus saith the Lord.” In modern context some say we have the Holy Spirit and the cannon of Scripture, so expounding the Word by the Spirit is one interpretation of prophesying. What has been your understanding to date on what that looks like?
Samuel in the above story foretold what God would do, but foretelling the future is not mainstream definition of prophesy. Is it being a mouthpiece for God?
4. I Corinthians 14:30 speaks of a revelation being made. Once the cannon of Scripture was complete and Revelation 22:18 says no more adding to the words of this prophecy, is there a place for additional
revelations being made by the Holy Spirit?
How has your church dealt with these issues?
Or has it been an issue?
The Holy Spirit in the Epistles
Day 42 The Contrast of Walking in the Flesh and Walking in the Spirit Galatians 5
Reflection, Notes and Prayer