1 Corinthians 13-14: A continuation of chapter 12 into chapter 13: “But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.” (Verse 31 chapter 12)
We who are parents can probably best see chapter 13 as one of the most instructive chapters on living a Godly life for the benefit of others. The love we have for our children often allows us to experience a certain emotional attachment that we would gladly give up our lives to protect them, or we would gladly give out of our sacrifice to them. Though we daily sacrifice for them, the regimen becomes mundane, and we begin to often think our daily lives should be lived to get ahead in life, and the concepts offered in a Sunday morning message to live a Godly life becomes a short-lived goal. A mindset to change must happen. Romans 12:2, we studied that we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds and not to conform to the ungodly culture. This message must be preached and taught to every new generation so that living a Godly life becomes the norm because of how our parents lived and taught us. This message should be preached from time to time as a reminder that our circumstances do not last but God’s salvation for us does. Now if you’re only “considering” Godly living, well that is a good start but living it out is better as life builds its ups and downs on us. We have heard it said that God is love, and God, is love. In our language “love” can be described as a friendship, to be sexual, to be a parent, to be brotherly, to have sacrifices for those who cannot repay us which is the word being used in chapter 13, “agape”. Because love can be defined by a variety of actions in our language the Greeks gave us different words to describe those levels. We rarely use the word agape love in our conversations. Agape or charity is the word used in 1 Corinthians 13 to describe “an even better way” to use the spiritual gifts that have been given to us. The Corinthians knew the meaning since they spoke Greek but apparently did not realize they should use this type of love in their interactions with others. This goes even deeper, though, than just a “charity” of giving. There may be charity in our giving of things, but a certain pride often comes in that giving. This is a self-love called “philautia”. If you remember our study in Acts 5, Ananias and Sapphira sold some land and gave some of the profits to the church. However, when asked if all the profits were given, they lied and said “Yes, all was given”; immediately they were struck down by the Holy Spirit because they lied, because they wanted the same accolades as what Barnabas received in the proceeding chapter, when he sold his property and gave all the proceeds to the church. Their self-love became their curse. What good is a spiritual gift if we use our gifts for our own benefit?
Consider the profit Balaam, Numbers 22. Balaam was a prophet hired by Balak to place a curse on the Israelites who just defeated the Amorites on their way to the promised land. Balaam could only speak what God told him to speak and God told him to pronounced a blessing on the Israelites. This frustrated king Balak, but Balaam gave instruction to have the women seduce the Israelite men to “commit unfaithfulness against the Lord” (Numbers 31:16) that a plague came against the Israelites. For money Balaam sold out to Balak God’s chosen people. Balaam was killed in Numbers 31. Nothing good comes from the spiritual blessings given to us unless we administer the blessing in love (agape), for edifying of the Church.
Do you know your Spiritual gift yet? Doctors can be healers just by the nature of their work. God allows Dr’s to be educated in certain things so they may administer their knowledge to heal the sick. A “good” Dr will acknowledge healings are healing that are given to some by the Lord. A Preacher will have the gift of prophecy which means to teach and stir people in scripture that they would be saved and to disciple others. A missionary would have the gift of “tongues” which means languages, so they may evangelize to a foreigner. Much more can be said about the “charismatic” movement on tongues. We will say this; the English word for babbling or making a gibberish sound would be called onomatopoeia. It would be saying a zipper makes a “zzziippp” sound. Jesus says in Matthew 6:5-37, “when you pray don’t be like the gentile who babbles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words…” Paul makes the same request but with “rules” for the unbelievers. Speaking in tongues is not for self-edifying but for the body of Christ edifying; for the unbelievers to hear in their language the prophecies of God. There must be an interpreter so that all can hear and all can be edified. If no-one is there to interpret then the person who can speak in tongues is to remain quiet. The gift of tongues or to say, the gift of speaking in different languages, may seem to some a very important gift but the gift of prophecy is far superior and uplifting to the church. Funny thing, I was part a prayer group on zoom during the lock down days on a Thursday. (I say “a Thursday” because that was my first and last time with that group) They did not tell me they were part of a group that believed in the gift of tongues. As we were praying for certain individuals’ gibberish babble started up. I thought, Oh my, what have I got myself into? So, as I read, “and all are speaking in other tongues and people who are outsiders or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your minds?” verse 25. I smiled and said “Yes, you are out of your minds!
Chapter 12 gives a short list of gifts given by the Spirit to be administered by the children of God for the edifying of the church. One gift does not have superiority over another because they are all given by the same Spirit for the edifying of the Church. If your gift does not seem to be “producing fruit”, then maybe check your heart. Paul instructs us to “work out our salvation”, Philippians 2:12. Do you want your gift to just edify you? That would be like James saying you have not because you ask with the wrong intentions, James 4:23. We are to desire the greater gifts, perhaps those will come as we mature in Christ, Ephesians 4. Greater gifts mean greater responsibilities that will affect the overall growth and maturity of other believers. Bear in mind, all gifts are important equally as they build up the Church and the head, Jesus.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive us of our sin. Thank you, Lord, for this study to learn of the issues of that day are the same issues of today how to deliver Your word with love. Father, I pray You would increase the gifts in us that You’ve given us that Your Church would be edified. I pray Lord that we would humble ourselves by Your side and that we would not exult ourselves in the exercising of the gifts that You have given to us for Your edification. There are many examples in Your word Lord, we have to read, study, and hear about them in order that we may relate to them, that again today’s ways of doing things are much similar to those ways of long ago. Instill in us now Lord a fervent commitment to You by our study and by our proclamation of Christ as our Savior, Counselor, Friend, Teacher,
Amen
David Mroz
