Grow Up

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

GROW UP

1 Cor 14:18-21

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. 20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 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.

NIV

Well we are still looking at these instructions about the specific gifts of tongues and prophecy. Although this speaking in a language that we have not learned is a gift, and again we must see those Corinthians most have been really carried away using it, we are also seeing there is too much of a good thing and a special reason for it. But yet if this is a gift of the Spirit and it is given as determined by God, it would also appear by these instructions that these people were trying to manufacture the gift themselves, or at least pretending to have this gift, when in fact they did not. In either case it is a great thing to speak to each other in a manner so that the other can understand what we are saying as to instructions. Ah, that might be the rub. We should be instructing each other, not just spending time with millions of words of small talk. Who really cares about the weather, the traffic, the Buckeyes, the Reds, the Browns, or whatever other team? Who really cares about hair styles, clothes, cars, markup, or my cousin’s friend who has an uncle whose mother’s sister’s friend is whatever? Should we really be discussing someone else’s problem, which is gossip, trying our best to disguise it as a prayer request. The reality here is that we should be instructing each other in the truth of God’s Word. Maybe small talk is fine for people who do not believe, but for us that profess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we do not have time for small talk, we need to be about our father’s business. We need to be loving each other, teaching each other, helping each other grow in Christ, building each other up, strengthening, encouraging, and comforting each other with words from God, that each other understands. We should not be babbling about that which does not matter. Sure we should seek all the gifts, eagerly seek them, even this gift of tongues, but we should also be concerned and seek the common good of other believers. Have we been thinking like little children? Maybe it is time we really grow up. 

What Do We Do?

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

WHAT DO WE DO

1 Cor 14:13-17

13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 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.

NIV

Again, there must have been a real problem going on with those believers in Corinth as far as getting a little carried away with the gift of tongues. It would seem a little odd that it was the people and not the Spirit. If it is God who determines who gets gifted with what gift and when and how, then why were they being instructed about this matter? We can say one thing for sure that we know about this gift of tongues that the purpose is for a person to be able to give thanks to God by praying in a language they have not learned. We also know that if one prays in this unknown language no one else knows what he is saying unless he interprets in a known language what he just prayed in an unknown one. Now of course this is all a moot point and this section of scripture has nothing to do with any believers today, in fact, it should just be taken out of the Bible because so many believers pay absolutely no attention to it, saying it does not apply to today, because it was just for the New Testament church. But are we not the New Testament church too? It is difficult to understand why so many are not willing to understand this gift of tongues and interpretation, for that matter, most of the gifts. But let us refrain from that discussion, and confine ourselves to this matter. Is it possible to humanly manufacture the gifts? Is it possible these Corinthian people were doing that? Is that why Paul was so emphatic? Yet if we remember all the gifts are given for the common good, then what good is praying in tongues if no one understands. How is that doing anyone any good? That is why it must be accompanied by the interpretation so that all who hear both can be built up. That sure seems simply enough, so why so much confusion in the church today? It seems pretty clear that when a person speaks in a language that they have not learned it is a gift of the Spirit at work and that person is giving thanks to God and so the interpretation is of what that person said to God. How we deal with this in today’s church is the question. What do we do?

Excel

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

EXCEL

1 Cor 14:6-12

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? 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. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

NIV

We are in the middle of instructions to those in Corinth who may well have been abusing one of the gifts, or at least spending much of their time exhibiting the one gift, tongues. It seems they were getting carried away with just this one gift, and that gift alone does not build up the church, which we should see in the next part of these instructions. Yet we can see still another truth within this section about what we say and how we say it. Even if  we are not speaking in a language that we do not know, for that is in fact the gift of tongues, we still need to speak so people understand us. That is we need to make sense in our presentation of what we are saying. If we are sharing the gospel, or our faith experience, we need to be intelligent about how we explain it. If we simply attack the unbeliever about having to have faith, that there is no real reason to accept the stories in the Bible as fact, but they just have to believe, that makes no sense, and they cannot understand. If we teach other believers, we need to present our course study in a plain and understandable way, so they we see the truth we are examining, which helps them grow and builds up the church. If we try to make ourselves out to be so super spiritual, or super intellectual and try to use fancy words which may not be understand, we are not helping them, but only edifying ourselves. There is also the truth within this section that encourages us to excel in gifts that build up the church. That means we should really be looking for the Spirit to be doing the work, but at the same time, we should truly be open to the Spirit to me gifted, and when so, excel, that is use that gift we all our energy, for the common good. It does appear, at times, that many among us do not want any part of the gifts, or any part of building up others in the church. Is that judgmental or simply the truth? It does seem quite clear that each one of us should be exceling in some gift that builds up the church. That would mean we cannot simply show up on Sunday, sit and soak, and leave, going back to our own personal lives. We must excel in some gift that builds up the church. Do we get to choose which gift that is? It does not appear so. As we have seen in 12:11 He gives to each one a gift as He determines. So we must seek the Spirit, understand which gift He has determined to give us, and then try to excel.

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.

Love

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

LOVE

1 Cor 13:1-8

1          If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2          If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3          If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4          Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5          It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6          Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7          It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8          Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

(NIV)

There is no other way but to internalize this in the first person, so here is how I see it.

Love is Patient:          I am not going to get upset with you, but rather I am going to be patient with you because I love you and I want to forgive you.

Love is kind:              I am not going to ignore your need, but rather I am going to be kind to you because I love you and I want to help you.

Love does not envy:  I do not envy you because of your possessions or your spiritual gifts or your position in the body because I love you and I want you to have the best.

Love does not boast: I am not going to boast about my possessions or achievements or about my place in the body because I love you and want to hear about yours.

Love is not proud:     I am not going to be proud and think that I am better then you because I love you and want to put you ahead of me.

Love is not rude:       I am not going to be rude to you by being insensitive to your feelings because I love you and I care about your feelings.

Love is not self-seeking:        I am not going to be self-seeking in our relationship because I love you and I want to meet your needs.

Love is not easily angered:   I am not going to get upset and become easily angered by you or by something you do or don’t do because I love you and I want to overlook those anything like that.

Love keeps no record of wrongs:    I am not going to keep a record of your wrongs that I can bring up again later should you mention one of mine because I love you and love covers a multitude of sins.

Love does not delight in evil:            I am not going to join in with others if I hear them talking about something you may have done wrong, but because I love you I am going to protect your honor and defend you.

Love trusts:    I am not going to think badly about you or not trust or believe in you because I love you and I trust you.

Love hopes:    I am not going to be discouraged or disappointed, if you fail either God or me because I love you and I will have hope.

Love perseveres:        I am not going to let anything interfere with our relationship because I love you and this love will persevere.

Love never fails:        I will always love you!

Rich

if Then

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

IF THEN

1 Cor 13:1-3

13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

NIV

Now this is the beginning of us being shown the most excellent way and it starts off right at the very center the gospel. What difference does it matter what we say if we do not love? Who cares about any of the gifts of the Spirit that we might have if we do not love? If we are the most spiritual person in Church, but do not love others, who cares? It would seem that is all that really matters is how we interact with the rest of people. Sure we certainly should desire to be used of God, and apply the gifts He has bestowed upon us for the common good of everyone. Yes we should be open to the Spirit, moving in the Spirit, exhibiting those gifts which He determines for us to have, again for the common good. We are not our here alone, isolated from others, being a super spiritual being. If we are truly filled with the Spirit then we would actually love others, as Christ does. We are going to find out exactly how that is in the next verses, which we all know so well, because they are recited at just about every wedding we have ever attended, yet are not actually applied in most cases. But let’s leave that for later, as for now, we merely have to see that if we ever expect to gain anything we need to be able to love others. That is going to require a little setting aside of self, but not in the way of actions, but in the way of attitude. We could be the greatest giver, serving food to the poor, giving great amounts of money, but if our attitude is not right, if we do not actually love them, what use are our actions? They say actions speak louder the words, but here attitude speaks louder than both, for if our attitude is that of love, our words and actions will follow accordingly. So if we love, then.

Eagerly Desire

DEVOTION

1 CORINTHIANS

EAGERLY DESIRE

1 Cor 12:27-31

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.

NIV

So are none of these the greater gifts? Or are these the greater gifts as compared to some of the others already spoken of? In either case it would make the case that we should eagerly desire the greater gifts. It would appear this might be directed to the fact that as humans we spend a great deal of time and energy in the pursuit of earthly gifts, which are the things of the world. Here we are directed to spend that energy in the desire of heavenly gifts. Now the question which has been raised in the modern church era is about whether some of these gifts are gone, forgotten, or simply for past members long dead, especially apostles and prophets, and of course we are back to those pesky ones about tongues and interpretation. We have been told over the years that in order to be considered an apostle, one had to have seen Jesus. Although there is nothing in the scriptures which says that, but only that signs, wonders, and miraculous powers mark an apostle. The Greek word is defined as a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel, officially a commissioner of Christ with miraculous powers. Not any of that would prohibit a person from being an apostle today. Nor would anything keep someone from being a prophet. The gifts of God are eternal, everlasting. He never stand that they were just for a couple of years, then I am taking them back. We sure make hay with the ones we want to, but refuse to accept the ones we should be making hay with as well. Yet all these gifts are just that, gifts from God to His church, to the Body of Christ, to all the members of that body. None are excluded, none are left out, and none are without the call to receive a gift or two. What would Christmas be if everyone in the family received a gift from under the tree except one? So let us unwrap our gift, put it on and wear it proudly, for our heavenly father has picked it our especially for us, even if it means we must be an apostle, prophet or speak in tongues or any of the others for that matter. Yet there is one that may not be considered a gift, but is the most excellent way, which we will see next. But for now let us be content with the gift we have. In fact, let us eagerly desire them.