02 December

Bible In 365 Days 

1 Corinthians 12-14

1 Corinthians 12

Now the Apostle turned from the corrective section of his letter to the constructive as he proceeded to deal with the spiritualities which negative the carnalities. These are those of the unifying Spirit, the unfailing law of love, and the ultimate triumph of resurrection.

In the establishment of the Lordship of Jesus is the creation of a new unity. This unity, however, has its perfect variety. The unifying force is God, in the three Persons of His Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit The variety in the unity is created by gifts, ministrations, workings. For this great service of co-operation the Church is gifted by the Spirit, directed by the Lord, energized by God.

The Apostle emphasized under the figure of the body the union of those who minister with the Lord. There is diversity of function in the unity of the body. The key statement is, "for the body is not one member, but many." This fact is again simply stated in conclusion. The body is one in its totality of separate members. Christ the Head directs all the activity of the whole of the members, and so of the body itself. The members, responding to that central authority in the power of their own functions created by the Spirit, at once fulfil their ministry, contribute to the fulfillment of the ministry of the body, and exhibit the glorious wisdom of the directing Lord.

The section closes with the injunction, "Desire earnestly the greater gifts," and, said the Apostle, in effect, I will show you the most excellent way to obtain them. What, then, is the most excellent way? The answer comes in the two chapters following. It is the way of love.

1 Corinthians 13

The Apostle dealt with love, its values in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, its virtues in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, and its victory in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13. The values of love are discovered in the fact that, apart from it, all the best things are worthless.

Its virtues are shown with force and beauty. Every sentence is simple and sublime, and the whole contains a perfect analysis of love.

Passing from this description of the virtues of love, the Apostle now showed how it is supreme because of its victory. The first element is its duration -"Love never faileth." The thought in the word translated "faileth" is falling off, like the leaves of a flower. Love never loses its life principle. To emphasize the truth of his affirmation, the apostle now put love into comparison with excellent things, things indeed to be desired as gifts; and showed how, while they are transient, love is permanent. He added the final word in demonstration of the proof when he compared love no longer with the things that pass, but with the things that abide, and yet declared it to be the greatest-"Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love."

It is the greatest because it is the reason and strength of the others. If it were possible to lose it, faith would fail, and hope would die. It is the greatest, moreover, because it is the real heart of the spirit's union with God and the light of its understanding of Him.

1 Corinthians 14

The Apostle now submitted certain gifts to the test of love. Prophesying is desirable because it edifies others. Then as to Tongues. It was a gift that enabled men to speak to God, perhaps in prayer, perhaps in praise, most probably in both ways; its effect on the man who had the gift was to strengthen his spiritual life. Its effect on others was valueless unless it was accompanied by interpretation. The Apostle declared that if he came to them speaking with tongues it would not profit them. If a man had the gift of tongues, he should also pray for the gift of interpretation.

He then declared the effect produced by the wrong principle of desiring gifts. Where, instead of the most excellent way of love, the desire was glorification of self, malice most certainly crept into the heart. Against this the Apostle especially warned them, urging them to the simplicity and ignorance of childhood as to malice, and to the maturity of men in mind.

Definite instructions for the orderly exercise of the gifts follow. These consist of general principles, which may be tabulated thus:

(1) The test of the possession of a gift is subordination to authority.

(2) The man who is ignorant is hopeless; let him be ignorant. (Some of the texts read, "Let him be ignored.")

(3) The "most excellent way" is to love.

(4) The gift of tongues is not, however, to be despised nor denied.

(5) Then, finally, a word covering the whole. "Let all things be done decently and in order." The word "decently" means with comeliness, with beauty. Thus the organization of the Church is to carry on all its exercises with that beauty which issues from the impulse of love, and that orderliness which is the result of law.