Whether you are Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, non-denomination, etc., this is for you! This is from our 1 Corinthians study, chapters 12-14, at Heart to Heart Women’s Bible Study.
God is a God of order…
The evidence is all over creation. From the constellations to the perfect orbits of the planets around the sun, you can see how meticulously God planned our solar system.
I am in awe of our Creator as I observe things like weather patterns, the topography of the earth, the behaviors and instincts of animals, sound waves, the complex systems of the human body, and much more!
Look at the amazing structure of the eye ball if you ever doubt that our Creator is a God of order! Observe the intricacies of a single cell. God has ordered to perfection even the smallest details of life!
Romans 1:20 declares, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
What does this have to do with our study of 1 Corinthians? How does this connect with spiritual gifts and the movement of the Spirit in our churches?
Creation reveals much about the character and attributes of God. By observing the works of His hands, we can see that God is not a God of chaos and disorder, but that He has a perfect plan for everything He has made.
That includes us as the church! What a profound truth to realize!
Hence, this is the foundation for our understanding of God’s intentions in this week’s study of 1 Corinthians, particularly chapters 12 and 14. Local churches may differ in their interpretation of the use of spiritual gifts or in what constitutes order in the worship service, but we can trust that God knew exactly what He was doing when He established the Church, placed us in it, and distributed His gifts as He saw fit.
When we take a moment to grasp some understanding of the nature of God as Creator, and as a God of order, we have a clearer understanding of how the complexities of all the members within the body of Christ can work together, although very different from each other, to become one solid, unified organism that will bring God glory. Just as God has placed all the intricacies of the human body to work perfectly in sync, that is also His plan for Christ’s spiritual body, that is, the Church.
In order for the church to fulfill its destiny as God has designed it, God has provided diverse gifts as well as guidelines to use these gifts in order to edify each other and build the Kingdom of God. He purposely did not give us all the same gifts or anointing. Each member has been given a specific gift, or more, according to God’s infinite wisdom and His perfect plan. These gifts are not to be a source of pride or contention, but rather should be a source of unity within the body. We complement each other through our differences.
Let’s take a quick moment to look over this compiled list of spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4 before we continue our discussion. These are specific gifts the Holy Spirit gives individuals in the church as He sees fit. These gifts are not to elevate the person who receives and uses them, but they are to edify the entire church. As Paul says, they are for “the common good.”
• Administration
• Apostleship
• Discernment
• Evangelism
• Exhortation/Encouragement
• Faith
• Giving
• Healing
• Interpretation of Tongues
• Knowledge
• Leadership
• Mercy/Compassion
• Miracles
• Pastor/Shepherd
• Prophecy
• Serving/Ministering
• Teaching
• Tongues
• Wisdom
How to move freely in the gifts is another area of dispute among churches as well. However, 1 Corinthians 14 offers practical guidelines to ensure an orderly worship service, regardless of our preferences or styles. We can have full freedom in the Spirit and yet still maintain orderly guidelines according to God’s Word. Keep in mind, however, because of our unique personalities and experiences, we may still have various ways to interpret Paul’s suggestions. That is when we need to take it before God and allow the Holy Spirit to ultimately guide us.
For example, in chapter 14, beginning with verse 27, Paul instructs on the use of speaking in tongues and prophesying. We are to take turns so that everyone is edified through our gift. What good would it do if everyone tried to prophesy at the same time? It would just be a lot of noise, and no one would have the opportunity to be convicted or encouraged by the Word of God. Paul states that it would be futile if there is no understanding.
Furthermore, Paul mentions that one will speak in tongues, one will interpret, one will teach, and one will sing, etc. God did not intend for everyone to do everything. Each one has his specific gift and responsibility that will work together with the others so that the entire body will be ministered to. So, do not despise your gift or the gift of someone else. Gladly move where God has placed you, and appreciate and learn from the gifts of others.
In addition, we must be careful about criticizing or condemning those in other church bodies whose worship services differ from ours. God moves in innumerable ways and gives a sundry of different gifts; yet, it all stems from one and the same Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NLT instructs us: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.”
Thus, as we recognize our diversity, we must keep in mind that we all serve the same God. Since God is creative and powerful enough to make the complex systems of this earth, and of our bodies, to work together in perfect order, He can certainly do the same in our churches.
To throw a bit more fuel into the fire, we also addressed the role of women in the church this week. As we learned from chapter 11, as Paul admonished the women to wear head coverings before praying in the church, we learned the important of interpreting Scripture according to cultural context. Paul was giving a broader principle that we can also apply today. It wasn’t about the head covering, but it was about presenting oneself decently according to the cultural standards at the time. For today, that paints an entirely different picture, although the heart of the matter is still the same.
In chapter 14, verses 34-35, Paul says, “Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.”
This passage has been quite a source of contention in the church for centuries! Was Paul saying that women were to have no part in the service at all? He had just said three chapters before that women were to cover their heads when they prayed, and now he is saying the women were to keep silent. Is that a contradiction?
Again, context is always crucial for interpreting Scripture. In this passage, Paul is addressing order in the church. It appears that Paul is simply instructing women to be quiet so they will quit distracting the service. It was their inappropriate talking aloud during the worship service that was adding to the chaos, not their participation in the service. This was not about praying aloud or preaching in church that Paul was addressing. It is the same as telling our children to hush and be respectful during the service.
The other piece of context here is concerning the culture’s view of women. While women are still to be submissive today, the specifics of how that is practiced are not necessarily the same as it was back then. In the early church in Corinth, it was a time that women were treated as second class citizens. Men and women sat in separate sections in the worship service. Historical sources indicate that the women were talking across the church to ask their husbands questions, which was a disruption to the service. If that is the case, then it makes perfect sense that Paul was giving practical instructions about maintaining order in the church, and not that he was condemning women from serving in ministerial roles in the church. Jesus Himself told a woman to share the good news of His resurrection. That is proof that women are permitted to speak and share the Gospel.
To tie it all together, however, let’s zero in for a moment on the most beautiful chapter of the entire book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, or The Love Chapter. Right in between the chapters on spiritual gifts and order in the service, God reminds us that love is what binds us all together. We can have all kinds of spiritual gifts, abilities, or powers, but without love, we are nothing. Love is the greatest of all, and it stands far above all the other pieces that can divide us. It is love that holds us together!
If we are to be the church, God has given us something of far more value than His wonderful spiritual gifts. He gave us love and taught us that it was the highest of them all! Paul said in chapter 13, verse 8, “Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!” That is our priority!
In just four short verses, Paul gives us one of the most valuable and beautiful guides in all of Scripture for our relationships in the body of Christ:
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT
As in the motto of our study:
In essentials, UNITY;
In non-essentials, or opinions, LIBERTY;
In all things – LOVE!
My friends, while we continue to yield more and more to the Holy Spirit in our lives, and as we do well to seek and be used by Him through His gifts, may we allow love to be our ultimate goal!
God bless you all, my brothers and sisters!
