Empowered: Living in the Spirit week 5

“Scriptural Guidelines”

We continue our series entitled: Empowered.

Last week we looked at Spiritual Gifts as given to each believer by the Holy Spirit.

We discussed the importance of each believer discovering and developing their gift so that the Body of Christ can be healthy and fully functional.

We also discussed steps we can take to discover and develop our gift(s).

Today, I want to discuss the Scriptural guidelines presented in 1 Corinthians 14 for spiritual gifts in the corporate setting.

Recall with me that the apostle Paul is writing to the church in Corinth for the sake of encouraging them in their pursuit of spiritual gifts.

We saw last week the list of gifts Paul provided in 1 Corinthians 12.

Also, we have discussed that 1 Corinthians 13, known as the love chapter, establishes the foundational thoughts for the manifestation of the gifts in the corporate setting.

Paul places a strong emphasis on “covering each other with the love of Christ.”

We are all learning and growing together, and it will take much love as we at times will make mistakes.

As mistakes happen, we will receive correction and teaching in order to learn and continue to grow in our ability to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our services.

We now look at 1 Corinthians chapter 14 which provides the most comprehensive teaching as to how the gifts of the Spirit should function in the corporate setting.

[1Co 14:1-12 ESV] 1 “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. 6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.

10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.”

Let’s begin with some opening observations:

Paul re-emphasizes the need to “pursue love” and encourages the believers to “earnestly desire spiritual gifts” before he enters into the teaching.

Paul places a special emphasis on prophecy.

Paul makes a distinction between prophecy and tongues.

He states that prophecy benefits everyone, but tongues without interpretation benefits only the individual.

The result of tongues without interpretation becomes confusing and unbeneficial because no one understands what is being said.

Finally, Paul encourages the believers to “strive to excel in building up the church.”

One question that must be addressed before we continue is: “are prophecy and tongues with interpretation still for us today?

This has been a debated topic of discussion throughout the centuries.

Many today believe that prophecy and tongues ceased with the passing of the original disciples.

The belief is that these gifts of the Holy Spirit were needed to enable the first century church to get started, but once the cannon of Scripture was formalized, these spiritual gifts were no longer needed to function in the church.

What do we believe as a Pentecostal church?

First, we see no indication in Scripture that the gifts of prophecy and tongues stopped with the original disciples.

It is our firm belief that these gifts, as well as all other gifts listed in Scripture, are fully functional today.

We need the gifts of the Spirit as much today as the disciples did in the first century.

As we anticipate the return of Christ and work to spread His gospel message around the world, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are absolutely needed and required to accomplish the task.

Secondly, we see a continuation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts throughout history after the passing of the original disciples.

Church history records accounts of all the gifts of the Spirit continuing to work.

There were times throughout history where the gifts were not as active as others, but we can still see occasions where different individuals and groups of people experienced the gifts of the Holy Spirit in action.

Third, we see the continuation of the Holy Spirit’s gifts today.

Congregations around the globe are receiving the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in their congregations.

It is our belief as a Pentecostal church that we must remain “eager for manifestations of the Spirit, and strive to build up the church” as Paul instructed the first century church.

What is prophecy?

Often, when people hear the word “prophecy” they think of the individuals listed in the Old Testament.

The image that tends to come to mind is of one standing with fire blazing in their eyes as they announce judgement upon a group of people.

Let’s turn to Scripture:

[1Co 14:3 ESV] 3 “On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.”

From this verse we see that Paul states prophecy is for the purpose of “upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation.”

The greek word for prophecy means: “to speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict”

to prophesy with the idea of foretelling future events pertaining esp. to the kingdom of God

to utter forth, declare, a thing which can only be known by divine revelation

In the “speaking forth,” Paul indicates there are three primary characteristics of prophecy as it is spoken to the Church:

Edification (upbuilding)

the act of one who promotes another's growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness

Exhortation (encouragement)

exhortation, admonition, encouragement

Consolation:

made for the purpose of persuading, or of arousing and stimulating, or of calming and consoling

The primary consideration to keep in mind pertaining to prophecy is to build up the church through encouragement.

This motivation is reflected in our next verse.

[1Co 14:4 ESV] 4 “The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.”

This act of “building up the Church” coincides with the proclamation of Jesus when He said: “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail.” (Matthew 16:18)

In the book of Revelation 19:10 we read: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The proclamation of Jesus and the statement in Revelation reveal that prophecy is directly related to the work and testimony of Christ Himself.

We “join” Christ in building as we proclaim prophetic words inspired by the Holy Spirit.

[1Co 14:24-25 ESV] 24 “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.”

This third verse in 1 Corinthians 14 teaches us an additional “benefit” of prophecy as it is released in the corporate setting.

Here Paul states that when unbelievers are in our midst and a word of prophecy is shared, the unbeliever will become convicted in their hearts as they hear the wisdom of God being shared which reveals “secrets” only God would know.

The conviction of the Holy Spirit through the gift of prophecy therefore serves the purpose of ministering to the unbeliever as well as the believer through a call to repentance.

What is tongues?

Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 14:5 “Now I want you all to speak in tongues.”

In order to address this question, I believe a distinction could be helpful.

Often, there is a certain sense of confusion or misunderstanding between the gift of tongues and tongues as the initial evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Let me explain:

The gift of tongues is one of the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12.

The purpose for the gift of tongues is for the benefit of the Church as interpretation is provided.

Without the interpretation, Paul states that the gift of tongues is of no benefit because no one understands what is being said.

Paul clearly states:

[1Co 14:27-28 ESV] 27 “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.”

Here we see that when there is the operation of the gift of tongues in the service, there must be an accompanying interpretation.

Paul states that if no one is present to interpret, then the gift of tongues should remain quiet.

We therefore understand that the gift of tongues and interpretation must work together in the corporate setting.

Tongues as the initial evidence of Holy Spirit Baptism:

In Acts chapter 2 we see the fulfillment of Christ’s promise to His disciples as they entered an upper room to wait for the Promise of the Holy Spirit.

As the Spirit came upon them, “[Act 2:4 ESV] 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The initial evidence of the Holy Spirit’s baptism for the disciples was speaking in other tongues.

Also, in Acts chapter 10 we read the account of those in the household of Cornelius being baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

[Act 10:45-46 ESV] 45 “And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.”

These are two Scriptural examples of speaking in tongues as the initial evidence of Holy Spirit baptism.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of the distinction between the gift of tongues and speaking in tongues as the initial evidence of Holy Spirit baptism, we can see the further teaching of Paul in 1 Corinthians 14.

[1Co 14:4-5 ESV] 4 “The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.”

According to this Scriptural teaching, it is my understanding that speaking in tongues benefits the individual; whereas, the gift of tongues with interpretation benefits the Church.

I believe that tongues with interpretation are equivalent in function to prophesy.

In other words, Paul clearly teaches that when a message in tongues is given in the corporate setting, it must be interpreted.

If there is no one present to interpret, then Paul instructs that speaking in tongues should be kept to the private level for the individual to be build up in Christ.

Summary:

We believe that prophecy and tongues with interpretation are still available for us today.

Prophecy is to encourage and build up the Body of Believers.

Tongues in the corporate setting must be interpreted in order to be a benefit for the Church.

Paul encourages the Church to pursue spiritual gifts and to pursue the love of Christ.

Next week . . .

“Practical Guidelines”