April 21, 2024 -- I Corinthians 14:12 -- An infant in evil and maturing in Jesus
/So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit,
strive to excel in building up the church.
I Corinthians 14:12 ESV
Dear family in our Lord Jesus Christ today is Sunday. What a joy it is to gather with the people of God and praise the Living God Who is forever blessed! Tucked into the middle of a passage dealing with the controversies of the gathered people is this important instruction. For the instruction to make sense, one needs to understand the context.
The people in the Corinthian church were focused on speaking in tongues, that is, a heavenly language that is unintelligible except to God and those who have the gift of interpreting it. However, in their immaturity, some of the Christians were so excited by their ability to speak in tongues, they were disrupting worship services because they were not waiting with speaking in tongues until they were sure an interpretation would be forthcoming. The same Spirit Who gifts believers to speak in tongues also informs such persons whether this is for intimate conversation between the believer and God, or for the congregation to hear and that interpretation would follow. Without such direction, the speaker should be silent. Others were focused on prophesy. We think of prophesy as telling about the future. The Bible shows something different. Prophesy is telling the people the word of God, applying it so directly to their lives that sins are exposed, comfort is given, the Bible is made comprehensible. Among the Corinthians those who had certain gifts were becoming proud. That explains why Paul taught them the way of love, I Corinthians 13. It is the way of Jesus, the way of humble service to build up the body.
Now the critical point is this: whatever gift one has it is to be used to build up the body of Christ. Are you a giver? Help those who are in financial need. Are you a prayer warrior? Pray earnestly that God’s gift of unity become for the people their goal as well, so the unity received by the Spirit will be exercised among the people. Are you an administrator. Excellent. Help with organization. Are you a teacher? Great teach the new believers. Teach Sunday School. Teach the mature to keep on studying and growing. Ask yourself these two questions:
Are you eager for the manifestations of the Spirit? (Manifestations means the signs within your life and evidenced by the way you act and speak that the Spirit is working in you).
Are you building up the body of Jesus Christ so that fellow saints are growing in maturity? If not—then ask yourself if you are really working in the power of the Spirit or for your own ego.
Ah, Father of Love and Mercy, thank You for the extravagant salvation You have revealed in Jesus Christ. Send Your Spirit among Your people so that we will put off childish ways and will mature growing up in Christ, Who is the Head of the Body and King and of the Church. In whatever ways I have been destructive or self-serving, I confess it now. Direct me, and work so powerfully in me that I will be an infant in evil but a mature man in the ways of Jesus. Amen.
https://youtu.be/y0ac4sT-4-o?si=AzKA8QoHoY8Hr1_s When We See Your Face
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