Platform for Gifts

What the Early Church Looked Like

1 Cor 14:26-33

What did the early church look like when it came to the gifts?

(From NLT Illustrated Study Bible:) Paul viewed the church as the living body of Christ comprised of believers. Paul made no formal distinction between professional clergy and laity, with the ministry being done by the clergy. The community had leaders (1 Tim 3:1-13), but every believer had a ministry in building up the body (1 Cor12:12-31).

When the early believers gathered together, usually in someone’s home, everyone brought something from God to share with the others.

Paul understood God’s Spirit as gifting people for their specific ministries (1 Cor 12:8-11, 28; Rom 12:6-8; Eph 4:11) and leading the when they came together for worship. Guided by the Spirit, every believer was to use their spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church. Paul wanted believers to be sensitive to the empowering of the Spirit in all that they did (1 Cor 14:26-33).

When believers meet together, every individual is important and each one has an active role to play. Believers must listen for God speaking His Word - and be prepared to speak it - in all their relationships. Paul also calls for the others to “evaluate” what is said(1 Cor 14:26,29).

Every believer is a crucial part of the body, called to be actively involved in its growth.

Hymn

Hymn - any poetic composition or song in praise of God, used in worship. Hymns might be recited or sung and were part of the shared worship experienced by NT congregations. In OT times, many psalms were used in this way by the Jews.

Hymns became essential elements in NT worship and served not only as expressions of praise, but also as affirmations of basic doctrines.

Passages of scripture which may have been based on or used as hymns in the NT church include Phil 2:6-11; Col 1:15-20; the doxologies found in Luk 2:14, 1 Tim 1:17, and 1 Tim 6:15,16, Rev 4:8, 5:12, 13; and poetical passages such as Luk 1:46-55; Luk 2:10-14

The Revell Bible Dictionary ISBN 0-8007-1594-2 Copyright 1990

Spiritual Songs

Spiritual songs, referred to as ᾠδαὶ πνευματικαί (ōdaí pneumatikaí), encompass a broad category of songs inspired by the Holy Spirit, distinct from specific forms like psalms and hymns. These songs serve as a means of joyful and devotional expression in both personal and communal settings, such as family worship and prayer meetings. While they can be used in public worship, their primary purpose is for private and social use, reflecting the spiritual life of individuals and communities. The concept of spiritual songs is supported by biblical references that encourage the inclusion of new forms of worship beyond traditional Old Testament psalms, emphasizing the ongoing inspiration of the Holy Spirit in church hymnology. Additionally, the notion of a "new song" in the Book of Revelation suggests that spiritual songs will continue to resonate in the eternal worship of the redeemed.

This is an AI-generated summary

The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, Volumes 1–5, p 2845

Revelation

Revelation - God’s acts of disclosure, making known to human beings through natural and specials means both His own nature and other relevant truths.

Revelation in the NT is: (1) the means through which we have current knowledge of God’s plans, whether previously unveiled by the OT prophets (1 Peter 1:12) or unveiled in the Gospel (Rom 1:17,18; Gal 1:12; Eph 3:3,4); and (2) the culminating act at history’s end (the apocalypse) in which God will make Jesus visible to all in the universe as Lord and will also make believers visible as His children (Rom 2:5; 8:18,19; 2 Thes 1:7;1 Peter1:5,7,13).

The Bible indentifies two sources of revealed truth: general revelation and special revelation. General revelation is communication of relevant truths about God through natural means, such as the creation and man’s moral nature or conscience. Special revelation is the communication or relevant truths about God through supernatural means, specifically through God’s acts in history and through Jesus. Each of these sources of revelation, general and special, is interpreted by and understood through the written Word of God.

Through general revelation, all human beings are given some knowledge of God. The creation shows us that God exists and has ulitmate power (Rom 1:18-20; Psa 19). God’s moral nature is also revealed through the creation, specifically through human beings who, formed in God’s image, have a moral conscience (Rom 2:14-16). While the knowledge of God granted through general revelation is limited, it is enough to give each person the opportunity to respond appropriately to the Lord (Rom 1:20,21; Acts 14:17).

Special revelation includes all those acts of God by which He has communicated to human beings. These include the words spoken to Abraham, visions granted the prophets, the miracles performed in Egypt, the Law given through Moses, the fiery sermons of the Prophets, and ultimately the incarnation, miracles, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Strikingly, we can only be sure of the meaning of these acts of special revelation through their interpretation in the Bible. The Scriptures are both an authentic record of what God has revealed to human beings and an accurate interpreter of the meaning of His acts.

The apostle Paul develops this truth in 1 Cor 2:6-16. That which no eye can see nor mind conceive has been revealed to us by God’s Spirit, who expresses the very “thoughts of God.” While the Spirit must serve as our inner interpreter of the words He inspired, it remains true that we have in the Scriptures an objective revelation fro God of relevant truth, through which God himself meets with us.

God makes Himself known through the information He reveals. God meets His people in every word He speaks. This truth is dramatically realized in the person and message of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who shall always be the ultimate revelation of God to humankind.

And so, as we respond in faith to God’s revelation, we in fact respond to Christ (John 14:21).

The Revell Bible Dictionary ISBN 0-8007-1594-2 Copyright 1990

Dynamic and Spirit Empowered Community

The early church was characterized by a dynamic and Spirit-empowered community where different members used their gifts to build each other up[1]. Their ministry focused on prayer, performing miracles, signs and wonders among the poor, and acts of service[2]. The extraordinary operation of the Spirit began on the day of Pentecost, with the permanent possession of the Holy Spirit bringing a depth of knowledge, power of will, and heavenly joy that stood in stark contrast to the surrounding paganism[3].

Paul described the church as the “body of Christ,” creating an analogy of mutuality and diversity where different spiritual gifts could coexist without competition. Some were prophets, teachers, evangelists, or apostles, but “all are one in Jesus Christ”[2]. Although each believer had different gifts, they were equally members of the body, baptized into one body at conversion, with Christ as the head. The body’s health depended on each part functioning properly in unison[4].

There was no tension between gifts and offices - those who held an office were given it because of their gifts. For example, in Acts 6, seven men “full of the Spirit and wisdom” were chosen as the first deacons[1]. The early church was not yet organized around creeds or authorized ministers, but was developing an emerging, nascent shape for its ministry - fluid yet not disorganized[2]. The Holy Spirit initially came with extraordinary creative power, presenting a striking contrast to the unchristian world and attracting people through miraculous manifestations[3].

[1] Sigurd Grindheim, Introducing Biblical Theology (London; New Delhi; New York; Sydney: Bloomsbury, 2013), 195–196.

[2] M. Percy, “Ministry,” in New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and Systematic, ed. Martin Davie et al. (London; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press; InterVarsity Press, 2016), 574–575.

[3] John M’Clintock and James Strong, “Gifts, Spiritual,” in Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1891), 860.

[4] Ralph P. Martin, “1 Corinthians,” in The New Testament Page by Page, ed. Martin Manser, Open Your Bible Commentary (Creative 4, 2018), 613.

Growing Into Christ

The gifts help believers grow into Christ by providing a diverse yet unified means of spiritual development and service. Ministry gifts are designed to equip believers to serve others, ultimately building up the body of Christ[1]. These gifts have a threefold objective: to create unity of faith, develop mature believers, and help them grow toward Christ as the ultimate standard[1]. The ideal is for all Christians to be empowered to serve one another, functioning together as a body and contributing in ways God has uniquely gifted them, potentially even seeking special gifts directed by love to build up Christ’s body[2]. This diversity of gifts is necessary to achieve the corporate maturity God intends, with the goal that every believer participates and no one remains a mere spectator[3]. Ultimately, believers can expect God to empower them in both character and ministry[2], growing in every way into Christ, who is the head of the body[4].

[1] Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), Eph 4:7–16.

[2] Craig Keener, “Holy Spirit,” in The Lexham Bible Dictionary, ed. John D. Barry et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

[3] William L. Lane, “Ephesians,” in The New Testament Page by Page, ed. Martin Manser, Open Your Bible Commentary (Creative 4, 2018), 725.

[4] W. Harold Mare, “Body of Christ,” in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 372.