# 24 2016 Dev. I Cor. 14:1 The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God by memorizing selected passages of Scripture. Further, to view the passage in context and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living with family, friends and others. All passages are taken from the NIV.
I Corinthians 14:1
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”
This introductory verse to Ch.14 points back to Ch.13 as the basis for unity in the church and points forward to a comparison of speaking in tongues and prophesying by church members. Ch.14 is a long and diverse discussion of the pros and cons of speaking in tongues and prophesying and the need for order in church services. Paul tells us this chapter is a command and he expects spiritual discerning church members to “acknowledge what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command” (v.37).
This chapter also includes the principle of married women to defer to their husbands instead of speaking in church assembles, ignored today by 99% of churches. The discussion of authority in the church is beyond the scope of this devotional.
This chapter also includes the call for “good order in worship”. This is about exercising our spiritual gifts in an orderly way to allow individuals to speak and to be able to hear and discern the working of the Holy Spirit among us. Is that how we worship today?
The main principle in chapter 14 is spiritual gifts and how they are used. Verse 1 summarizes that principle and drawing on ch.13 puts Paul’s discussion on the foundation of love, the Love of Jesus Christ. Further, we are commanded to “eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit.” The fruit (gifts) of the Spirit is included here Gal 5:22-23. Also, Paul proclaims that “God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues”, (Ch.12:28) but the greater gifts are faith, hope, and love (Ch. 13:13).
These three Ch. 12,13,14 are very much connected one to an other and are part of the discussion of unity in the church. Obviously the diversity of the gifts, the perceived importance of each gift and the personalities of those blessed with Spiritual gifts is the root of disunity in the church in Paul’s time. So what do we take away from this verse and the context in which we find Paul’s discussion/command?
1st. Love: spiritual gifts are practiced in the Love for God, love for each other, love for one’s self and love for those who do not know Jesus. You will recognize this first statement as the definition of “Christian Charity”.
2nd. “Eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit”. Paul says be excited about the Spiritual gifts of God, find them in yourself, develop them, practice them, don’t be afraid to use them. Use them or lose them, there is no room for being lukewarm!
3rd. Tongues is one of the lesser gifts. It teaches us that all gifts are from the same Spirit so there is not an order of importance, all that we do in Jesus’ Name is important in terms of eternity but there is a difference in impact of each gift. That is what Paul is saying here, prophecy has a greater impact when compared to speaking in tongues that many thought was the most important gift, a position some people still hold today.
4th. We also learn that today we need the gift of prophecy, we again need to hear the voice of God that is being minimized in our approach to the Word of God, the Holy Scriptures. Let us pray for God to give the Spiritual gifts to make clear the truth of God and to reject the half truths that have deceived some of us.
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