speaking into the air

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (16)

1 Corinthians 14:7-9

1Co 14:7 Even soulless objects that are used to give off a sound — whether a wind or a stringed instrument — if it does not play the tunes clearly, how will anyone recognise what is blown or strummed?
1Co 14:8 Because, if a bugle gives off an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle?
1Co 14:9 In the same way, if you use your tongue for unclear speech, how will what is spoken be known? Because you will just be speaking into the air.

speaking into the air

In yesterday’s post, I argued against the popular idea that the gift of “tongues” is some kind of supernatural utterance that God zaps the giver with, resulting in a noise that comes out of his or her mouth which cannot be understood either by the giver of anyone else. I used to believe and teach that idea, and it still has a lot of support in many churches. But today’s text directly refutes that kind of teaching. Paul called that kind of “ministry” speaking into the air, and he strongly discouraged it.

The real spiritual gift he describes is the ability to preach the gospel in a language different than the one you were born into. His advice to those with this ministry is that they not try to flaunt it in their congregations, because that would just be producing indistinct noise.

LORD, may we be considerate in our ministries, not doing them just for show for those would not benefit from them.

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tongues are for understanding

Posted on May 15, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (15)

1 Corinthians 14:4-6

1Co 14:4 The one speaking in another language builds himself us, but the one prophesying builds up the church.
1Co 14:5 I wish all of you spoke in other languages, but I wish even more that you prophesied. The one prophesying is greater than the one speaking in other languages, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.
1Co 14:6 But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in other languages, how will I make you gain from that, unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?

tongues are for understanding

The linguists within the Corinthian fellowships had a viable ministry, so Paul wanted them to continue. But the ministry in other languages was not directly edifying to those members of their congregations who could not speak those languages. So, Paul encouraged prophesying instead. The exception would be in there was an interpretor present. Then, the message — whether it be an unveiling of a mystery, or exposition of scripture (knowledge), or a prophetic word of warning or encouragement, or a systematic teaching — could be understood by all the listeners.

The popular idea that Paulo refers to some kind of exstatic utterance is clearly a misconception. Why would the Holy Spirit give someone a supernatural gift of speaking in a language no one could understand? It goes against the whole point that Paul is making. He encourages excercising gifts that your listeners can underrstand.

LORD, give us the wisdom to minister to others in such a way as to lead them to understand you.

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chasing love while giving gifts

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (14)

1 Corinthians 14:1-3

1Co 14:1 You should chase love relentlessly, while still seeking to offer the gifts, especially so that you can prophesy.
1Co 14:2 Because the one speaking in a different language cannot communicate with his colleague, but to God, because no one of his colleagues understands him, but he speaks mysteries by the Spirit.
1Co 14:3 But the person prophesying speaks to his colleagues for their edification and encouragement and consolation.

chasing love while giving gifts

The Corinthian fellowships had a number of linguists who could speak a variety of languages. They prided themselves on that fact. But the church members who were not so gifted did not really benefit from those special skills. When a linguist used his skill to reach an unbeliever who spoke one of the unfamiliar languages, he was giving that gift back to God as an offering. But to the other believers, his words were mysteries spoken by the Holy Spirit. But when a prophet spoke to the assembly, his words were understood, so they could edify, encourage and console the believers. Chasing love relentlessly while still seeking to offer the gifts meant using the right gift in the right context. It meant using the gifts to further the gospel, not to gain bragging rights.

LORD, show us how to give you our gifts, while not offending each other.

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mystery in the mirror

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (13)

1 Corinthians 13:11-13

1Co 13:11 When I was a minor, I spoke like a minor, I thought like a minor, I reasoned like a minor. When I became a man, I put aside the things associated with my having been a minor.
1Co 13:12 Because now we see an enigma when we look into a mirror, but later we will see face to face. Now I know piecemeal, later I will really know, just like I am really known.
1Co 13:13 But as it is, these three things last: faith, hope, and love; and love is the greater of these.

mystery in the mirror

The Corinthians were so enthusiastic about their leaders, and the amazing spiritual gifts they were manifesting. Paul agreed that spiritual gifts are amazing, but he tried to bring this enthusiastic group down to earth just a little bit. He reminded them that even the most gifted among them is nothing compared to who and what he or she will be in the future. He had referred to a time of maturity (10) which will come later. He admitted that he, himself, needs to grow in his knowledge before he would be mature enough to solve the mystery of himself, that is, see himself as Christ sees him. So, he encourages them to strive toward this coming maturity, which means less emphasis on gifts, and more emphasis on mature qualities, like faith, hope, and love. Of these three qualities of a mature believer, love is the greater.

LORD, make us more and more like the mature believers that you see, when you look at us through eternal eyes.

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love lasts

Posted on May 12, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (12)

1 Corinthians 13:8-10

1Co 13:8 Love never dies out. But if there are prophecies proclaimed, they will be done away with; if languages spoken, they will cease to exist; if a mystery exists, it will be done away with.
1Co 13:9 Because we know things piecemeal, and we prophecy about things piecemeal;
1Co 13:10 but when the time of maturity comes, the piecemeal will be done away with.

love lasts

The Corinthians had been mesmerized by ministries with the big show. They sought teachers who could reveal secrets that appeared to be trapped in the text. They looked for those with powerful supernatural gifts and amazing linguistic skills. Paul did not deny the existence of any of these amazing gifts. He just pointed out that those supergifts do not last. Even when all the prophecies are fulfilled, everyone knows what everyone else is saying, and all the mysteries are solved, love will still be necessary. It will never become obsolete, and will never go out of style.

LORD, show us how to minister to others in love.

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love and conflict

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (11)

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

1Co 13:4 The love I am speaking of holds its temper, that love functions in a helpful manner, it does not envy, does not brag, does not show off,
1Co 13:5 does not behave disgracefully, does not seek it’s own way, is not provoked, and does not keep score when it is wronged,
1Co 13:6 nor does it celebrate when something unfair happens, but it joins the celebration when the truth prevails.
1Co 13:7 It puts up with all kinds of things, believes all kinds of things, hopes all kinds of things, endures all kinds of things.

love and conflict

Two things struck me as I was translating this text. I was interested to find so many translations which use nouns, when every one of these descriptions of love is a verb. Paul wanted to show what love does, not just what it is. So, I took care to express each of the Greek verbs with a corresponding English verb.

The other thing that struck me is how appropriate these descriptive terms are in describing social and political (and ecclesiastical) conflict. It is clear that Paul is still addressing the major issue of rivalries and schisms in the Corinthian churches here. He is showing them a new way of working things out together instead of their way of picking sides and bashing their enemies.

LORD, show us how to love, and stop conflict in its tracks.

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special ingredient

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (10)

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

1Co 13:1 If I speak in the human languages and the angelic ones, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1Co 13:2 And if I have a prophecy, and I know all the mysteries and all the secret knowledge; and if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And if I give everything to feed others, and if I can brag that I even hand over my body, but do not have love, it gains me nothing.

special ingredient

Paul had told the Corinthians that the missions gifts and ministries they had experienced among their churches were among the greater gifts, and they should seek to keep exercising those gifts. Yet, he warns them that it is possible to be doing all those great things, and still be ineffective. The special ingredient that makes all those great gifts effective is love. Without love, it doesn’t matter what you can say, or who you can say it to. Without love, it doesn’t matter what you know — even if you know all the hidden mysteries, and can manifest superhuman powers. Without love, it does not even matter if you give away all you have — even your own life. Without love, none of those things matter. With love, they all matter.

LORD, whatever gifts we present to you, may they be seasoned with the special ingredient.

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great, greater, even greater

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (9)

1 Corinthians 12:29-31

1Co 12:29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not ministering miracles, are they?
1Co 12:30 All do not have gifts of healing, do they? All do not speak in other languages, do they? All do not translate, do they?
1Co 12:31 But you should be seeking to offer these greater gifts. And I will show you a way to be even more effective.

great, greater, even greater

The Corinthian Christians had experienced a great beginning, with the apostle Paul himself as their founding missionary (9:11). They had a team of leaders within their churches who were exercising the missions gifts, which Paul described as even greater gifts, making the church better at reproducing (12:31). But the apostle is now ready to disclose one of his ways in Christ (4:17), which has the potential to make the whole church even more effective. The church had begun to idolise their leaders with missions gifts. Paul told them they should continue to seek to offer those gifts to God, but there is something even greater that all the Christians can give which will top even those gifts (13:13). They can all give love.

LORD, thank you that in your wisdom, you have given us all the most effective means of worshipping you and demonstrating your presence. Thank you for the gift of love.

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the missions gift list

Posted on May 8, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (8)

1 Corinthians 12:26-28

1Co 12:26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it. If a part is respected, all the parts celebrate with it.
1Co 12:27 But you all are the body of Christ, and each is a part of it in some ways.
1Co 12:28 And God has arranged these parts in the church: first missionaries, second prophets, third teachers, next those ministering miracles, then those with gifts of healing, assisting, leading, communicating to different families of languages.

the missions gift list

There are various places in the New Testament where the spiritual gifts are listed, and each list is different, because each has a different purpose. This list appears to be a summary of specific gifts utilised in the mission of church planting. Missionaries come first, planting a core group of new believers by sharing the gospel with them. Since this core group is new in the faith, prophets are needed who can speak the word of God to their specific context, calling them to show more loyalty to him than to their past or present society. Then, teachers emerge within the group who can share the whole counsel of God from the scriptures. Next, God will give those with supernatural ministry gifts (miracles and healing gifts) to verify his presence among them. Then, leaders will develop within the group who can assist and lead the whole group to maturity in the faith. Finally, those with language gifts will emerge who can begin crossing language and cultural barriers so that this church can begin the cycle again by sending its own missionaries to plant new churches.

Paul’s point was in reference to the Corinthians’ tendency to over-stress particular gifts to the exclusion of others. He implied that when we do that, we halt the cycle, and stifle the mission. As a consequence, churches become self-centered, and unproductive.

LORD, create in our churches an atmosphere where all the missions gifts can grow unhindered, so that we can reach the lost around us with your gospel.

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clothing the parts respectfully

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Jefferson Vann

May 2016 (7)

1 Corinthians 12:23-25

1Co 12:23 Just like those parts of the body, which we think to be shameful; on these we put more respectful clothing, so that our unpresentable parts have a more respectable image.
1Co 12:24 but our presentable parts do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honour to the part that lacked it,
1Co 12:25 in order to prevent schism in the body, the parts having the same mutual concern for one another.

clothing the parts respectfully

Now, this is an interesting argument. Paul is talking about how the Corinthians are ignoring and belittling some of their fellow members because they do not have more prominienent skills and spiritual gifts. He uses the human body as an example of how it should be. He says that we do have parts of our body we do not think as presentable as other parts. But instead of ignoring and belittling these private parts, we give them greater honour by clothing them more respectfully. That is how God ensures that there is no schism (division) in the human body. So, Paul argues that the Corinthians should take a hint from how they treat their own bodies, and stop ignoring and belittling those in the church with lesser esteemed gifts.

LORD, enable us to show mutual care and concern for all the parts of your body, the church.

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