SPIRITUAL GIFTS: The Gift of Prophecy (Part 1)

Memorial Drive 6/14/20 THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF PROPHECY I Corinthians 14:1-3 REVIEW of Several Foundational Truths About the Spiritual Gifts ... * The Holy Spirit Has Given the Spiritual Gifts FOR the Building Up of Christ's Body (Ephesians 4:11-12) * EVERY Believer Has One or More Gift To Use To Build Up Christ's Body (I Co. 12:4-7) * We are COMMANDED to use them as means of serving one another and expressing the many-faceted expressions of God's grace (i.e. God wants HIS grace/favor to flow THROUGH you TO others through YOUR USE of your spiritual gifting! THE MORE MIRACULOUS, AND MISUNDERSTOOD, GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT ... "For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." (I Cor. 12:8-11) THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF PROPHECY ... * Background The Corinthian Problem ... The Command to Use But Not Abuse the Gifts ... "Pursue love yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts ..." Desiring spiritual gifts to use to express God's 'grace for growth' in the body isn't a bad thing! In fact, God commands it! "... but especially that you may prophesy." The Primacy of Prophecy Over Tongues ... "For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who PROPHESIES speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation." (I Cor. 14:1-3) THE PROBLEM SOME HAVE WITH THE IDEA THAT PROPHECY IS A GIFT FOR TODAY ... * Some Folks See the NEW TESTAMENT SPIRITUAL GIFT OF PROPHECY As Equivalent to the OLD TESTAMENT OFFICE OF PROPHET There WERE God-Appointed Prophets Who Had the Genuine OFFICE of Prophet and They Frequently Introduced God's Message With the Words "Thus Saith the Lord." Ezekiel 2:4-5 I'm sending you! Say, "Thus saith the Lord." They'll know a prophet has been among them! There Were Also FALSE Prophets and With a Strong "CHECK" Against Them ... Ezekiel 13:1-3, 6 Prophesy against the prophets who claim to speak for Me but don't! They see falsehood and say 'The Lord declares' Two Tests ... Did it come true? Did it exalt God, His Word, and Obedience? WHY UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD TESTAMENT OFFICE OF PROPHET AND THE NEW TESTAMENT GIFT OF PROPHECY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT! Theologically, they fear the undermining of the place and primacy of Scripture and instead want to preserve the primacy of God's written Word! Practically, they've seen soooo many abuses of this gift and so many people mislead and hurt by misuse! * Possible Prophetic Words Coming Out of Spiritual Gifting DO NOT Come With the "Thus Saith the Lord" Authority of Scripture, They Can NEVER CONTRADICT Scripture, and They MUST NEVER BECOME A SUBSTITUTE for Scripture! Example of when "prophecy" and "prophetic words" "GO WRONG!" ... The Bottom Line ... Some believe that accepting a present use of this "spiritual gift" will UNDERMINE the authority of Scripture! And they see that very thing happening in practice! And so they fight for the primacy of Scripture! They fight for the primacy of God's written, revealed, complete and unchangeable Word of God! They should! And so should we! Next: So what's the gift all about? If Scripture is complete, why does the N.T. speak of the "gift of prophecy" and "prophetic utterances"? 2