Spiritual Gifts
Continuing through I Corinthians in my Sunday morning sermons has of course led me to chapters 12-14. This is somewhat a tricky area for those who still preach and teach that the spiritual gifts listed are still in effect. The context teaches these miraculous gifts actually worked themselves out of a job. They became less and less useful to the point they were no longer needed when "that which is perfect" came.
However, the question is, what is "that which is perfect"? Well, in the English it is hard to tell. In the Greek however, it is much more clear. The Greek word is neuter and the construction shows it to be something other than Christ's return to the earth (i.e., Second Coming). Therefore, it is the teaching of this blogger that the "perfect" referred to in this passage is the completed Word of God, the Bible. The spiritual gifts would no longer be needed when the full revelation of God was revealed. Furthermore, all of these gifts will fail, except faith, hope, and love. And what need is there for hope when Christ is already returned? Also, considering that present day "miracle workers" are not even following Paul's admonition to edify the body or orderly exhibit the gifts (tongue-speaking with an interpreter), it must be inferred that it is not of God. Obviously, many Christians will find this disturbing, however, the Bible is quite adamant about the usage of such gifts. God gives the gifts as He wills, and His will is to have faith, hope, and love exhibited...along with the full revelation of His will in His Word.
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9 comments:
Amen Brother! Preach on.......
I am tempted to pray that he Lord will bring back the speaking in tongues just this once. Pleeeasee.
Glad you are dealing with this text that many avoid!
I disagree with your conclusion though and thought I'd share why:
1. Using examples of abuses of gifts, or your lack of seeing them has no baring on scripture.
2. "When the perfect comes" - "Then we shall see face to face", I don't think scripture allows us to see the Lord face to face - nor to know fully. I think the meaning of this phrase would best be understood "when the perfect one comes". Some argue this is the Holy Spirit, but he came on Pentecost and the gifts got started. I think the perfect one is Jesus' return.
3. Why would Paul spend so much time in this letter giving nitty-gritty instructions on the handling of these gifts if they were going to be gone in a couple of years anyway.
4. In counter to your experience - I know people - close friends - who pray in tounges. I know of instances that a person was healed miraculously, without explanation. Prophecy takes place on a regular basis (in that prophecy is not telling the future).
Just thought I'd pass along some food for thought.
Michael
Jason,
Maybe...just maybe...hahaha.
Michael,
Concerning #1, we probably agree on this statement itself even if we disagree on some others.
Concerning #2, I disagree. It doesn't really make any sense in the Greek for it to be Jesus' return. In English, we can argue for it to be so, but in the Greek, plus adding Paul's context, it seems to be quite a stretch. The perfect (complete) refers to the completed Word of God.
#3 - Well, these gifts probably lasted for up to 40-50 years (maybe a little more). Besides, he was instructing the Corinthians how to properly conduct an orderly worship service.
#4 - Do these people who pray in tongues, pray in an understandable language? For, if not, then it would be gibberish. In fact, Paul even talks about how the speaker of the tongues needs to be edified in chapter 14. This cannot happen if it's gibberish and there is no interpreter. Also, the prophecy we are talking about could either be "foretelling" or "forthtelling". Concerning "forthtelling" (aka preaching) - it was a miraculous gift where someone would preach something that they had not studied. Today we must study to preach. The gift of prophecy is gone as it was known to the Corinthians. The act of prophecy (preaching by having studied) is still around...well, at least in some places!!! Hahahaha.
Enjoyed the thought provoking comments.
I have to agree with Michael's post.
Speaking of miracles, God's still in the business I believe, whether he chooses to work through his people or not. The very fact that we live is miraculous in and of itself. And, yes, I've heard the claim of anything that is in the "Natural Order" is not a miracle, but could it be the creation and continually maintenance of the Natural Order is miraculous in and of itself? Also, a very interesting though, do a lot of people see angels, whether aware of it or not? All I'm saying, is that I've heard stories... and I'll leave it there.
Speaking of tongues, it seems Paul placed that gift on the bottom of the totem pole so to speak. Perhaps that is why you (and me for that matter) never see it happen.
Speaking of the whole subject in general, I believe it's to high for us to pigeonhole like we do. I mean, we don't even know the definition of some of the gifts of the Bible (administrations, governments, helps, etc.) let alone understand the gifts. Who's to say that the gifts haven't ceased? It's certain not out of the bounds of God's power to continue them and bestow them on His children, especially when they could be so useful in reaching out to the world.
Very interesting discussion. (Disclaimer: If it's any comfort, I don't have any of the 9 gifts mentioned in 1st Cor. 12 :)
Jeff. T.
Let me say this to all - I do believe that God still works miracles. And yes, He can do them any way He wants.
Okay, now having said that, I do believe that the New Testament teaches us that He has chosen to do away with most of the spiritual gifts listed in I Corinthians 12-14. Yet, God still imparts gifts today, doesn't He? It may not be the miraculous spiritual gifts, but I believe all His children (believers) receive some gift for the edification of other believers.
On the lighter side...I think I may have the gift of gab!
One of the reasons that I don't think we see these gifts much is that they often take place on the front edge of missions work. That's where we see them for the most part in the Gospels and Acts. That's where I hear of them taking place from friends and others.
I think we have to be careful to not to dismiss the gifts out of hand because we don't see them in our context. If we interpret this single text to mean the gifts have ceased despite other brothers and sisters in Christ being given and using these gifts, we put ourselves in a dangerous spot. I think we have to be careful against reading in to the text what we want to hear. At some point we have to do business with the fact that if we take the position that this single text means what we interpret it to mean, either hundreds and thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ are lying, or we are wrong.
If the perfect has come, the the coralation is that we full know and see face to face. If scripture is the perfect then we are doing a poor job at fully knowing in that we can't even agree on the meaning of this text, much less many others. (Besides the fact that this is a conclusion that can only be drawn after we have a Bible to say is the perfect, the Corinthians would have read the coming of the perfect as Christ's return.)
Finally, I think we can agree with one point - the gifts will not last forever, whether ending with the Bible or with Jesus' perousia. Love however remains forever, and the most important. And I don't think it is any accident that the discussion on love is right in the middle of the discussion on spiritual gifts.
Hmm, if 1st Cor. 13:10 does refer to Christ as the perfect one who would come, it would make sense, not only for the reasons you listed, but also because 1st Cor 15 is all about the foundation of His second coming - His resurrection. The first paragraph was quite interesting too.
If God gives gifts, I certainly don't have any. Maybe the gift of doubt, like 'ol doubting Thomas.
I recently saw in a seminary newsletter that they used least four lists of spiritual gifts, and somehow tried to fit them all together on some nice, neat little chart, and in my opinion, it didn't work out too well. The definitions were weak and the whole article seemed forced and very elementary in logic. Conceded, there are space requirements and other such things that go into play.
I say that to say this: this issue is probably a lot more complex than we think it is. I mean, most of these gifts are miraculous in nature and maybe well... it takes something miraculous to understand them. I wonder if we truly believed in the miraculous and in the power of God, would we understand these gifts and, dare I say, be given these gifts?
"... with faith like that of a mustard seed... you can move mountains." A mustard seed isn't a lot, but it may be more than people like me have :)
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