The Gift of Prophesy

Grace and peace be yours on this first week of November.

Today we move beyond the discussion of love in chapter 13 to how true love is to play itself out in the life and ministry of the Church.  Forgive me if I get on my high horse for a moment, but in most churches, love is the one thing which is sorely lacking. You will find judgment, self-righteousness, pride, egos, status seeking, and a whole host of other motivations, but seldom true love. We like to play these games in the church where the one who is the most spiritual wins. In some churches this has taken on some very distinctive characteristics. One such characteristic is that of speaking in tongues. “If a person doesn't speak in tongues then that person has not received the Spirit of God.” We make ourselves judge and jury over another’s spiritual maturity using a standard that God never set. Listen to what Paul says to us today in 1 Corinthians 14:1-5.

Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. For the person who speaks in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation. The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. I wish all of you spoke in tongues, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.
 
It is amazing that people use tongues as the litmus test of spirituality in the church today, while not accepting the clear Word of God given concerning the use of tongues.  Paul tells us to seek spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. Then he immediately downplays the use of the gift of speaking in tongues in the church. Why is this?

The purpose of prophecy is to make the Word of God known to people.  We often hear the word prophecy and think of those who foretell the future, as the Old Testament prophets did in some instances.  The Greek dictionary definition of the word prophesy is given as follows: to speak under the influence of divine inspiration, with or without reference to future events.  The preacher in the pulpit is prophesying!  The street-corner evangelist is prophesying.  The person who shares Jesus in the grocery store isle is prophesying.  Whenever the Word of God is spoken forth as the Spirit guides, it is prophesy!

When Paul turns his attention to “tongues” he has this to say, For the person who speaks in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit.  The gift of tongues is a very unique gift which is given by the Spirit of God for the purpose of sharing Jesus with those of a different culture.  Again, the Greek dictionary helps us in this area.  The meaning given for tongues is as follows, a language, with the possible implication of its distinctive form - ‘language, dialect, speech.’
 
In Acts when the Day of Pentecost came, the people who were in Jerusalem heard the disciples speaking in dialects which were made possible by the working of the Spirit of God. There are fourteen different nationalities identified who heard the Gospel in their own language.

Paul gives us this contrast!  The person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation. The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.  Paul is not downplaying the gift of tongues!  It was and still is a vital gift for the furtherance of the Gospel.  The issue is that it has become sadly misunderstood.  The person who uses the gift given to them by God in the proper context is being a blessing to others, and thus loving others.  This is where Paul begins this text, Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts.  The person who is gifted to speak the Word of God to people is truly loving others when he or she exercises this gift.

What then is the purpose of church or the gathering for worship?  It is not to hear the Word of God and be blessed by it?  Do we not seek to grow in our understanding and in our faith as we learn and are taught by the Holy Spirit?  When the members of a church gather it is important that the person who has the gift of prophesy exercise this gift for the blessings of God’s people.
But if a person has the gift of tongues and begins to exercise this gift in the church and there is no one present who understands what is being said, then no one is built up but the person who is speaking.  The gift is being exercised but not in a way which is loving others.

Any spiritual gift used out of the context for which it is given is very likely to be confusing to others, and powerless to accomplish its true purpose.  The gift of tongues is invaluable in the context of making Jesus known to someone who the Spirit of God is seeking to save, especially when the Gospel needs to be communicated in that person’s native language.  
 
It is amazing that the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues was misunderstood and caused problems in the church of the 1st century and it is still confusing and causing divisions in the church of the 21st century!  Paul’s words are needed today so that the clarity he offers can lead us to properly utilize the gifts God has given to us.  Prophesy is always needed because we all need to hear the Word of God rightly preached and taught.  Tongues is a gift needed in particular contexts where language is a barrier between the speaker and the hearer!  To exercise the gift of tongues in the church where everyone speaks the same language is to use the gift of God out of the context for which it was given.

I pray God gives us the courage to live out the gifts He has given to each one of us, and that in so doing we will truly love one another in the right way.

In Christ,
Pastor Russ