This is going to be a lengthy entry as I am going to attempt to deal with three chapters in one post.\u00a0 I am going to do this, because all three chapters are dealing with the same issue.\u00a0 That issue is spiritual gifts.\u00a0 This is an issue that creates division between denominations fairly often.<\/p>\n
The first issue that comes up when we talk about spiritual gifts is this question, are all the gifts still to be used in church today?\u00a0 Theologically it is a question, are you a cessationist or a non-cessationist?\u00a0 There are 18 spiritual gifts that are talked about in four passages (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4).\u00a0 There are 11 gifts that are referred to many times as administrative gifts (pastor, teacher, evangelist, administration, giver, wisdom, discernment of spirits, exhortation, ministering, faith, and mercy shower).\u00a0 Then there are seven gifts often referred to as sign gifts (prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, miracles, apostleship, and knowledge).\u00a0 The question is are the sign gifts still in use today.\u00a0 It is not my intent to give a lengthy argument concerning this for time and space reasons.\u00a0 My conviction on the matter is this, God can do whatever, whenever He desires.\u00a0 Therefore, if God chose to reveal Himself in one of those seven ways then He certainly can.\u00a0 However, it is my conviction that because we have the finished revelation of God known as the Bible, that He does not reveal Himself in those ways on a regular basis.\u00a0 Again, I realize that this can be an issue that causes division and that is not my intent here, it is simply my conviction.\u00a0 There are two reasons I personally feel this way.\u00a0 First, again we have the completed revelation of God in the form of the Bible.\u00a0 Many times these gifts were used to authenticate the messenger delivering the message.\u00a0 Now, we can open up the Bible and see if what someone is teaching or preaching lines up with the whole counsel of God or not.\u00a0 Secondly, in 1 Corinthians 13 Paul says that certain things will pass away.\u00a0 In that passage he specifically mentions prophecy, tongues, and knowledge.\u00a0 Those are three specific sign gifts.\u00a0 But again, I will never limit what God can do.\u00a0 He can do what He desires, when He desires, and how He desires.\u00a0 That is what it means to be all-powerful.\u00a0 The last thing I will say concerning this issue is that with all spiritual gifts, there are certain, written absolute rules for how the gifts should be used.\u00a0 Any violation of these written rules is clearly a sin and a violation of the Word of God.<\/p>\n
Chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians generally speaking gives us the purpose of spiritual gifts.\u00a0 In the chapter Paul reminds us that though there are a diversity of gifts, there is only one God who gives them in verses 1-11.\u00a0 Then in verses 12 -31, Paul begins to talk about how the gifts are to be used. If you would like to know more about it, I encourage you to watch the sermon from August 10th<\/sup>, 2014 as we will study two reasons for God giving us spiritual gifts.<\/p>\n Chapter 13 is often called the \u201clove chapter.\u201d\u00a0 It is quoted at weddings fairly often, especially verses four through eight.\u00a0 The main thrust of the chapter is how we are to use our spiritual gifts.\u00a0 I will give you a hint (but not all of it as I plan on preaching on it soon), the key word is love.<\/p>\n Chapter 14 deals with the proper use of one specific gift, speaking in tongues.\u00a0 The gift of speaking in tongues is one of the sign gifts mentioned earlier.\u00a0 It causes the most debate out of all of the gifts.\u00a0 With regards to it as a spiritual gift, we again must realize that God gave us specific rules to follow in using the gift.\u00a0 Therefore, anytime those rules are violated it is sinful (I encourage you to read ch. 14 to learn the prohibitions mentioned).\u00a0 The interesting thing to note in chapter 14 is Paul is urging the Corinthian believers to use what they have to build up the church, rather than themselves as individuals.\u00a0 We see that specifically in verses 3-5.\u00a0 1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds us, \u201cWhether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.\u201d\u00a0 If what we are doing isn\u2019t about glorifying God, then it doesn\u2019t matter we are wrong for doing it.<\/p>\n The interesting thing to see about these chapters is how they flow seamlessly.\u00a0 In chapter 12 Paul is dealing with the misusing of spiritual gifts by the Corinthian church.\u00a0 The last phrase in chapter 12 is this, \u201cyet shew I unto you a more excellent way.\u201d\u00a0 Paul says, \u201cthis is what you have been doing, but I want to show you a better way.\u201d\u00a0 He then launches into how we are to use our gifts in love for the good of others.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The breakdown of the chapters would flow something like this.\u00a0 It would start in chapter 12:-13:3 talking about using our spiritual gifts.\u00a0 Then Paul would describe what true love looks like in 13:4-13.\u00a0 But notice, Paul in chapter 14:1 picks up right where he left off in 13:3.\u00a0 Paul stops his entire train of thought to explain what true love looks like and behaves like, especially within the context of the church.\u00a0 What can we learn from that?\u00a0 We can learn this, as important as using our spiritual gifts to the glory of God and the building up of God\u2019s kingdom is, if we are not motivated by love for God and others then we are really using our God-given spiritual gift to glorify ourselves.\u00a0 Obviously that is never a good thing.<\/p>\n Regardless of where you fall on the belief of do all gifts apply to today or not, my greatest prayer for the church as a whole is this, that we would love God, love our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we would work together to reach the lost.\u00a0 The world hears the church saying the word love, but it seldom sees us love each other.\u00a0 My fear is that is one of the greatest reasons people aren\u2019t flocking to churches in America.\u00a0 They have seen right through us.\u00a0 The fact that we say one thing, yet we live something entirely different.\u00a0 I love a deep theological discussion as much as the next person, but for the sake of the glory of God and the building up of His kingdom, can we keep the main thing, the main thing?\u00a0 That is there is only one way into heaven, trusting what Jesus did on the cross as our only hope of forgiveness of sins and our only hope for salvation.\u00a0 How sad of a commentary it would be for us to stand before God, to see the number of theological arguments we got into and fought over, while missing the countless numbers of people dying without Christ and spending eternity in hell.\u00a0 Let\u2019s not focus on winning an insignificant battle while losing the most important war.\u00a0 People need the Gospel, only the Gospel can save.\u00a0 If we are going to fight, let\u2019s fight for who is going to spread the Gospel the furthest and the fastest.\u00a0 That way we and many more may win as they trust Christ as Lord and Savior and have heaven as their eternal home.<\/p>\n By His grace and through His strength may we live for Him<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This is going to be a lengthy entry as I am going to attempt to deal with three chapters in one post.\u00a0 I am going to do this, because all three chapters are dealing with the same issue.\u00a0 That issue … Read More