Thoughts on 1Corinthians 14
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
I Corinthians 14:1 NKJV
Quite an interesting, thought provoking reading today I must say.
Am sure we have varying shades of thoughts and opinions on the position of Paul as we attempt to interprete how his instructions to the church in Corinth affects today’s new generation church.
Paul addresses a practice in the Corinthian Church which to all intent and purposes affects the church in Nigeria, or is it the church in Lagos😊 As he zeroed in on the operations of two of the earlier mentioned nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Prophecy and Diverse kind of Tongues, I keep thinking of the practice in some of the churches I have been to. His insight in this chapter became so vivid that it felt as though I was in a church in Corinth at the moment. Does anyone feel so?
Quickly before we get into this, there is an assignment for everyone of us in verse 1 as to what every believer should pursue- LOVE. 1 Corinthians 13 where we read yesterday says it all. For other things, including spiritual gifts, we are to *desire* them. There is therefore already a priority list. As was the practice in the church in Corinth, so it is in today’s church.
Today’s new generation church is synonymous with Tongue-talking and of course unapologetic about it😊 There is so much emphasis on this to such an extent that the manifestation of the remaining eight gifts have become rare, except in few assemblies, as if there is a constraint on the distribution of the gifts. Sadly,comedians even in their shows audaciously speak in “tongues” to assert that there is not much to this spiritual gift. Really?
I guess the reason it’s value is somewhat eroded is because as Paul opined, though speaking in Tongues is good, when we gather to fellowship with one another,as in a church, the benefit derived is limited to only edifying that person who is speaking.i.e one’s self!
He even likened it to speaking into the air because no one understands what is being spoken ( unless someone else is giving the interpretation of the tonguesSurely the purpose of our gathering is more than to hear oneself speak or just to edify oneself.
The expectation of that brother or sister in church is to hear and understand the words meant to comfort, exhort and build up. Including that first timer to church who is yet to believe.
This is what places Prophecy above Tongues because it can become a tool for soul winning when a the unsaved he hears and understand as the Spirit addreses issues in his life that was yet unknown to any but him.
Yes, these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit but there is a place for desiring and receiving them. That is an opportunity we must not pass on. In any case, the bible doesn’t say we can only receive one gift.
There are diversity of gifts. So for a whole lot of us that are speaking in Tongues, we must let our desire be awakened to receive more from the Spirit who is ever willing. There is Prophecy, Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Faith, Healing, Working of miracles,interpretation of Tongues, discernment of spirits
