The Gift Of Prophecy

Romans 12:3–6 NKJV

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

Identity crisis is a major issue that our generation faces. More than ever, I believe people are struggling with who they are. Much is cultural I believe. We define ourselves based on our jobs. In passed generations peoples jobs were usually predetermined. If your dad was a fisherman then a fisherman you would be. Or a carpenter, farmer, blacksmith, etc. But now we teach our children that they need to know what they want to be for the rest of their life before they finish secondary school. And then you add to that that what you choose to do as a job will define who you are. Now through into the mix that you have to decide your sexual preference, Oh yeah by the way you need to figure out what gender you are. apparently there are 64 deferent terms to describe your gender. Is it any wonder that our children are stressed and having nervous breakdowns and becoming suicidal.

Well, let’s remove some of that stress. You are not what you do as a job. You are not your sexual preference, you are not your gender. This is not what define you. You were called into existence by the one true God. He choose to make you exactly as you are. The reason there is so much identity crisis is because until we acknowledge that we have a creator who specifically designed us as we are for His own sovereign purpose we will be in utter darkness about ourselves. Paul gives us answers about our identity in Romans 12. Finding out who we are and what our place and purpose is beings with coming to God through Jesus Christ, repenting from our sins and surrendering to Christ as our Lord and saviour. Present your body to God as a living sacrifice don’t be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind and prove the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

If we are truely believers in Christ then our identity is in Christ. That is who we are, we are one body and individually we are members of one another.

We are unified in one body and yet we are uniquely created by God and uniquely gifted and fitly joined together. We can find in Christ fulfilment and the satisfaction of being exactly who God created us to be.

In verse 6 we are getting into some of the spiritual gifts that God gives to us individually which are specifically designed to minister to and edify and encourage the other members of the body. So we fulfil to purpose of our gifts by serving each other not ourselves. These gifts differ and are according to the grace given to us. Not everyone has the same gifts. And the gifts that we have are given not by obligation or right but through the undeserved grace of God. This removes boasting and envy and jealousy because no one deserves any gift from God but it is all of grace.

The first gift that Paul mentions is one of the most controversial gifts. The gift of prophecy.

What is the Gift of Prophecy?

There are many different views on what the gift of prophecy is in the new testament held by many godly Bible believing scholars. It is likely that we do not all agree. My own understanding of this gift has shifted over the years.

I will give you a very brief overview of three popular views with in evangelical churches.

1.The gift of Prophecy is an authoritative proclamation of God’s own words. This view see prophecy as mentioned here in Romans as a divine revelation in which the one prophesying is proclaiming the very words of God. Most of those who would hold this view would say that prophecy has ceased after the completion of the canon of scripture and the death of the apostles. Those that hold this view would say that scriptures such as Rom 12:6 are not applicable today.

2. The gift of prophecy is the proclamation of God’s Word and so its form today would be preaching the Bible.

3. The gift of prophecy is not without error. it is a human report of something that the Holy Spirit has brought to mind. So it’s fallible. It is information that is spontaneously brought to our mind which we would otherwise have not known. I was listening to one of John Pipers sermons and he mentioned a couple of accounts from Spurgeon’s autobiography so I looked one of them up so let me read it as an example of this view of prophecy.

“While preaching in the hall, on one occasion, I deliberately pointed to a man in the midst of the crowd, and said, ‘There is a man sitting there, who is a shoemaker; he keeps his shop open on Sundays, it was open last Sabbath morning, he took ninepence, and there was fourpence profit out of it; his soul is sold to Satan for fourpence!’ A city missionary, when going his rounds, met with this man, and seeing that he was reading one of my sermons, he asked the question, ‘Do you know Mr. Spurgeon?’ ‘Yes,’ replied the man, ‘I have every reason to know him, I have been to hear him; and, under his preaching, by God’s grace I have become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Shall I tell you how it happened? I went to the Music Hall, and took my seat in the middle of the place; Mr. Spurgeon looked at me as if he knew me, and in his sermon he pointed to me, and told the congregation that I was a shoemaker, and that I kept my shop open on Sundays; and I did, sir. I should not have minded that; but he also said that I took ninepence the Sunday before, and that there was fourpence profit out of it. I did take ninepence that day, and fourpence was just the profit; but how he should know that, I could not tell. Then it struck me that it was God who had spoken to my soul though him, so I shut up my shop the next Sunday. At first, I was afraid to go again to hear him, lest he should tell the people more about me; but afterwards I went, and the Lord met with me, and saved my soul.’”

He added further down

“I could tell as many as a dozen similar cases in which I pointed at somebody in the hall without having the slightest knowledge of the person, or any idea that what I said was right, except that I believed I was moved by the Spirit to say it

I have not always held this view but it is my believe now that this is and example of what Paul is speaking of when he talks about the gift of prophecy.

However, it is important that we understand a few things about this gift of prophecy. As mentioned before it is fallible. that is it is subject to error. Just because someone speaks a prophetic word to you does not mean that it is of God. This is why Paul gave instruction to the church in Corinth concerning the way in which prophecy should be done.

1 Corinthians 14:29–33 NKJV

29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

2-3 speak as with speaking in tongues this gift can get out of control

let the others judge

Give others opportunity

God brings peace not confusion

Prophesy in Proportion to our Faith

What does Paul mean “in proportion to our faith”? According to John Stott the phrase would be better translated “in agreement with the faith” meaning that the message of the prophet should not contradict the Christian faith. This would fit with the teaching that we should weigh and judge a prophecy. It is not the authoritative source of truth about our faith so it should be subjected to our faith.

I believe that prophesy in proportion to our faith would mean that the use of this gift should be glorifying to God and Christ exalting. This would also apply to all spiritual gifts. Our first and primary purpose to be to lift Christ up so that our souls would be lifted up to Christ. If we are to forsake all to follow Christ then we must see Him as more desirable than anything else.

Psalm 24:3–4 NKJV

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.

To what do we lift up our soul?

Here it says that if we are to ascend into the hill of the Lord or stand in His holy place, then we must not lift up our soul to an idol.

to whom must we lift up our soul?

Psalm 25:1 NKJV

1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

The gift of prophecy as with the other spiritual gifts must be for the exaltation of Christ. We must stir our souls to be lifted up to Christ. We must see Him as beautiful as desirable as worthy. So that we bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name. Let our hearts be turned away from idols and turned toward Christ.

It must be exercised with Love.

1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NKJV

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Much damage can be done through a misuse of the gift of prophecy or any of the other gifts. So let those who prophesy do so with love, humility for the edification of others and the exaltation of Christ. May God get the glory.