It's up to us

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

IT’S UP TO US

1 Cor 14:1-5

14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. 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.   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.

NIV

So we follow the way of love, but as we see here we should also desire spiritual gifts, and especially one in particular. So why do we pay so close attention to the part of about loving one another, especially at weddings, but pay absolutely no attention at all to the part about desiring the gifts specifically the gift of prophecy? Maybe this is just one of those denominational things, some do, and some don’t. But shouldn’t we get past those denominational things, and go straight for the truth? We could have a great discussion over this prophecy and tongues issue, but the whole point here is still that the gifts are for the common good. We see that when one of us is gifted by the Spirit to prophesy it to strengthen, encourage and comfort others. Would that mean if we refuse to be gifted by the Spirit in this area because of denominational beliefs, rules and regulations about the gifts, that we are actually being very selfish because we do not want to strengthen, encourage and comfort our fellow believers? Wow, did I actually say that? If we are going to take the Word of God at face value, all the Word of God, not just portions of it, that somebody of high position in some denomination, has determined, then we have to accept this portion as something we need to be open to and expect to be gifted by the Spirit like this, so we can in fact strengthen, encourage, and comfort our fellow believers. But what does this gift of prophecy look like? Do we have to go around like the prophets of old, declaring God’s wrath and judgment? It sure does not appear so, as what we will speak as inspired by the Spirit is of future events to come. This would be about the coming of Jesus, The rapture of the church, the tribulation, the coming of the new heaven and earth, the coming of the new city of Jerusalem, the coming of eternal life with God, and dwelling in the city with Him. Would that not be for the common good of all? Would that not strengthen ones faith? Would that not encourage one to continue in the faith, building one’s faith? Would that not comfort one in the faith, in the face of troubles? So why then should we not want to be used like this? Maybe we think is it some mystical thing that we have to speak or act as if we are in a trace or something. But in fact it is all about simply speech to others about the things to come. True, maybe we think the gift of tongues is some mystical thing, and so prophecy should be too. But neither are for they are in fact the moving of the Holy Spirit within us. We either believe or we don’t. It is up to us.