Edifying the Church: Understanding Spiritual Gifts and Order

Devotional

Day 1: Prophecy as Timely Edification

Prophecy in the New Testament is not about dictating divine revelation but about speaking the right words at the right time to build up the church. This requires discernment and humility, recognizing that our gifts are not for self-promotion but for the collective growth of the body of Christ. The focus is on edification, encouragement, and consolation, aligning with the purpose of spiritual gifts as outlined by Paul. As believers, we are called to use our gifts in a way that benefits the community, ensuring that our actions and words contribute to the church's overall health and unity. [10:22]

1 Corinthians 14:3-4 (ESV): "On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you can speak words of encouragement or consolation to someone in your church community today. How can you ensure that your words are timely and edifying?

Day 2: The Necessity of Gathering

Regular gathering of believers is assumed in Scripture, as it provides the context for exercising spiritual gifts. Participation in these gatherings is crucial for the church's growth and health, emphasizing community over individualism. The act of coming together allows each member to contribute in various ways, whether through teaching, singing, or other forms of service. This collective participation is essential for building up the church, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose among believers. [16:34]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: Reflect on your current level of participation in church gatherings. What is one specific way you can contribute to your community this week, whether through service, encouragement, or another form of involvement?

Day 3: Order and Roles in Church Leadership

Paul's instructions on women being silent during the evaluation of prophecy are about maintaining order and adhering to the roles God has established. This directive is not about inferiority but about respecting the structure of church leadership. Understanding these roles within the context of church governance helps maintain order and ensures that the focus remains on edification and unity. It is important to approach these instructions with a mindset of humility and respect for the established order, recognizing the value of each role within the church. [42:47]

1 Timothy 2:11-12 (ESV): "Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet."

Reflection: Consider how you view the roles within your church. How can you support and respect the structure of leadership while contributing to the church's mission and unity?

Day 4: Aligning with Scriptural Authority

We must guard against the tendency to prioritize personal revelations or feelings over scriptural authority. True spiritual guidance aligns with the collective wisdom of the church and the teachings of Scripture. This requires a commitment to discernment and humility, ensuring that our actions and beliefs are grounded in biblical truth. By aligning ourselves with scriptural authority, we can avoid the pitfalls of unhealthy autonomy and ensure that our spiritual journey is guided by the wisdom and teachings of the Bible. [49:50]

2 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV): "Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision or belief you hold. How can you ensure that it aligns with scriptural authority and the collective wisdom of your church community?

Day 5: Striking a Balance in Correction

In our efforts to correct past errors, we must avoid swinging too far in the opposite direction. Balance is key, ensuring that all spiritual gifts are used appropriately and in accordance with God's design for the church. This requires a careful evaluation of our actions and beliefs, avoiding overcorrection while striving for a balanced approach that honors the teachings of Scripture. By maintaining this balance, we can ensure that our spiritual journey is marked by growth, unity, and a commitment to the edification of the church. [52:00]

Ecclesiastes 7:18 (ESV): "It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them."

Reflection: Think of an area in your life where you may have overcorrected in response to past mistakes. How can you find a balanced approach that aligns with God's design and the teachings of Scripture?

Sermon Summary

In today's exploration of 1 Corinthians 14, we delved into the complexities of spiritual gifts, particularly prophecy and tongues, and their role in the church. Paul, in his letter, emphasizes the importance of these gifts being used for the edification of the church, rather than personal glorification. The chapter challenges us to consider how we define and apply these gifts today, urging us to avoid the extremes of claiming direct divine revelation or dismissing God's guidance outside of Scripture entirely.

Paul's discussion on prophecy highlights its purpose: to build up, encourage, and console the church. Unlike Old Testament prophecy, New Testament prophecy is not about dictating God's words but rather speaking the right words at the right time to edify the church. This requires discernment and humility, recognizing that our gifts are not for self-promotion but for the collective growth of the body of Christ.

The text also underscores the assumption that Christians will gather regularly, as community is essential for the exercise of spiritual gifts. Participation in these gatherings is expected, with each member contributing in some way, whether through teaching, singing, or other forms of service. This participation should always aim to build up the church, aligning with the overarching theme of order and edification.

Paul's instructions about women being silent in the church have often been misunderstood. It's crucial to interpret this within the context of public evaluation of prophecy, where Paul is addressing the roles within church leadership and maintaining order. This directive is not about inferiority but about adhering to the structure God has established for church governance.

Finally, Paul warns against unhealthy autonomy and overcorrection. We must be cautious not to let personal preferences override scriptural teachings or to swing too far in our attempts to correct past errors. The ultimate goal is to ensure that all things are done decently and in order, for the building up of the church.

Key Takeaways

1. Understanding Prophecy: Prophecy in the New Testament is about speaking timely words that build up the church, not dictating divine revelation. It requires discernment and humility, recognizing that our gifts are for the church's edification, not personal glory. [10:22]
2. The Importance of Gathering: Regular gathering of believers is assumed in Scripture, as it provides the context for exercising spiritual gifts. Participation in these gatherings is crucial for the church's growth and health, emphasizing community over individualism. [16:34]
3. Roles and Order in the Church: Paul's instructions on women being silent during the evaluation of prophecy are about maintaining order and adhering to the roles God has established. This is not about inferiority but about respecting the structure of church leadership. [42:47]
4. Avoiding Unhealthy Autonomy: We must guard against the tendency to prioritize personal revelations or feelings over scriptural authority. True spiritual guidance aligns with the collective wisdom of the church and the teachings of Scripture. [49:50]
5. Guarding Against Overcorrection: In our efforts to correct past errors, we must avoid swinging too far in the opposite direction. Balance is key, ensuring that all spiritual gifts are used appropriately and in accordance with God's design for the church. [52:00]
** [52:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:35] - Setting the Context
[07:03] - Defining Prophecy
[08:34] - Avoiding Extremes
[10:22] - Purpose of Prophecy
[12:03] - Challenges in Understanding
[14:05] - Main Point of the Text
[16:34] - Assumption of Gathering
[20:56] - Participation in Gatherings
[25:26] - Building Up the Church
[27:32] - Regulations for Gifts
[31:29] - Control and Humility
[33:41] - Evaluating Participation
[39:12] - Dangers in Gatherings
[42:47] - Women and Church Roles
[45:15] - Understanding Gender Roles
[49:50] - Unhealthy Autonomy
[52:00] - Avoiding Overcorrection

Sermon Clips

1) "So to make the most sense of this text, we really have to know a couple things. Number one, we have to know that Paul is using terms that he doesn't take time to define. Okay? We talked about a little bit of that with tongues last week. He's using terms that he hasn't really taken time to define. And the second thing we need to know is that we need to keep in mind the main point. The main point of chapters 12 through 14. That's what we're going to have to keep in mind. Okay? So let me talk about those two things by way of introduction really quickly here. First of all, how Paul uses his terms. And when it comes to prophecy, it's really not the same as Old Testament prophecy. It's just a completely different idea in many ways." [05:35] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "And so, like, I remember hearing one preacher who very respected, I really respect this preacher, he once said something to the effect of, if you think that God is speaking to you, write it in the Bible because it belongs there because it's divine revelation. Otherwise, zip it. You know, I don't go that far, okay? Now, in all transparency, where am I at in that? I have, like, one foot in one of these ditches, okay? And that is that one I just mentioned before because I do believe that God has given us the Scriptures, and that's what we have to base, that's His revelation. I'm not as comfortable saying, though, that God doesn't do any type of direction or leading outside of the Scripture because, I mean, we know from Romans, one, that God uses even nature to communicate something." [08:34] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "So the assumption is that we're going to gather together. So you, in talking about spiritual gifts, you're not going to fully use the gifts that God's given to you if you're not gathering together with other believers. Because the main point, as we said before, right, is the main point is all things should be done decently in order. the building up of the church, how are we going to do that for that gathering together? Okay, I need to move on because point number two is going to take a little bit longer to go through. So if the assumption was that we're going to gather together, the expectation is that all Christians are going to participate in those meetings." [20:56] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "Our participation should contribute to the building of the church. That really is let all things, at the end of verse 26, let all things be done for building up. So it's not so much about just getting people active. It's not just so much about people starting to be busy and do busy work. That's not what the point is here. We're not just handing out jobs to keep people busy. It's the idea of building up the church. So what we need to ask ourselves is, is my participation in the gathering, is that intentionally being used to try to build the church up? To be a more healthy church? To be a church that represents Christ well? And to be a lighthouse in this community?" [25:26] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "So any gifts that God's given to you, it has to be always with the mentality of, we've got to be building the church for Christ. We've got to be representing Christ well here. So our participation should contribute to the building of the church. But we see that in the text. But we also see in the text that our participation should follow the Lord's regulations for the church. So this is when we get into verse 27 and following. when he starts to say things like, okay, if any speak a tongue, let there be two or three, let there be only two or at the most three, and each in turn, let someone interpret. If there's no one to interpret, each of them keep silent in the church and speak himself to God." [29:24] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "So what does he mean? So if he's made allowances or an expectation that women are going to be speaking in the church service in chapter 11, he's not talking about inferiority. Why in the world does he bring this up here? On first reading of it, it seems so out of place, doesn't it? When you're reading through it, it just seems like, whoa, where did that come from, you know, type thing. But actually, it fits really well when you understand what he's talking about here. See, what he's talking about here, so I said right idea, wrong execution. The right idea is for the prophecies to be evaluated publicly. That's what he's saying there. He said they got to be evaluated. That's what he's talking about there." [42:47] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "So unhealthy autonomy is a danger to avoid. And a common example of unhealthy autonomy today would be, you know, well, you know, I made a decision and I have peace about it. And you have godly people telling you it's a bad idea. And you're like, well, I have peace about it. That's an example, a common one that I've had. I remember having someone sit in my office, a married person tell me that it was okay to leave their spouse. someone else because they had peace about it. It's okay. I have peace about it. I wish I would have thought to say at the time, I didn't at the time. I said something else. But I wish I would have thought to say at that time, you know, Jonah had a lot of peace when he was asleep in the boat as well." [49:50] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "So again i come back to the main point here and the main point of this section here is this that all things should be done decently in order for the building up of the church so as we end this section and it has been a ride in this section i've enjoyed the study and the pushback and in the interaction and and and i welcome that that respectful dialogue and what about this and that is it's great you know as long as we come back to the scriptures and let the scriptures guide us here um you know where could we go wrong in this and applying this i'll tell you how we could go wrong we could go wrong if we stop prioritizing gathering together that's where we could go wrong we're not using our gifts if we're not gathering and we're hindering other people from using their gifts to the fullest extent when we don't gather together all the one and others in scriptures that that necessitates us being together okay so we could go wrong by not prioritizing the gathering together we could assume attendance is equal as as participation that would be another way we could go wrong well i show up okay but how are you participating who are you ministering to who are you trying to build up in the church it doesn't necessarily have to be in a public way but what conversations are you intentionally having with other people in the church to build them up okay how are you trying to use the gift in this and you don't need a program in the church to use your gifts by the way okay how are you using your gifts to build the church up just showing up does not necessarily equal participation so that's another way we could go wrong and then the last way we could go wrong is when we use our gifts for our own benefit and really with no regard of what's best for the church" [52:00] (102 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip | )

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