SPIRITUAL GIFTS - I CORINTHIANS 12-15

1 Corinthians 12:1-25 Tongues and Prophecy. What are they and how do we use these gifts?

Tongues:
Paul suggests there are different kinds of tongues in 1 Cor 12:10 and so the gift of tongues is either:
(a) an earthly language (E.g. Turkish, Japanese, Arabic) that God supernaturally gives you for a reason – e.g. Pentecost (Acts 2)

(b) a heavenly language with which we speak to God – maybe it is the language of angels (mentioned in chapter 13 and ) but it is definately a heavenly language that isn’t just gibberish but words given spontaneously by the holy spirit that the speaker doesn’t understand (unless there is an interpretation) that form a prayer or worship to God. 1 Cor 14:2 “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God”

So, Tongues are a form of prayer, a way of speaking to God (14:2, 28), a way of praying ‘in the spirit’ or ‘by the spirit’ which by-passes the mind (14:14-15).  It is a means of communication with God to praise him with heartfelt gratitude (14:16), but which may also be used for supplication, petition and intercession.
The Apostle Paul didn’t think that everyone will speak in tongues - 1 Cor 12 says one gift is given to someone and another gift is given to someone else. “29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret?”

Prophecy:
What is the gift of Prophecy?
Prophecy is telling something that God has spontaneously brought to mind.  It’s saying something that God thinks or feels about a situation that is inspired by the Holy Spirit. 
It’s about being encouraged and inspired in your walk with God. It helps us fall more and more in love with Jesus.  That’s what Paul means in 1 Cor 14:3 when he says ‘everyone who prophesies speaks to men for there strengthening, encouragement and comfort.’

Prophecy also convicts and exposes sin (14:24-25); and to teach (14:31). It seems that it was also used for direction for ministry (Acts 13:1-3); predicting the future (Acts 11:28); and identifying or imparting spiritual gifts (1 Timothy 4:14).

The Bible talks about 2 types of prophecy:

1)High Level
God’s word revealed to man through the Prophets and Apostles. The words God breathed out through the various writers in the bible that became scripture.  High level prophecy generates scripture. 
Since the bible is complete, there is no more high level prophecy

2)Low level
This is the level of prophecy we experience today - doesn’t have the authority of high level and therefore doesn’t generate scripture.  In fact, low level prophecy is fallible and needs to be weighed according to high level – scripture. 

Different types of scripture found in the Bible:
Individual: Acts 21:10-12 where Agabus prophesies over Paul before he returns to Jerusalem to be handed over to the authorities.
Corporate: 1 Cor 14:31 where Paul gives some instructions on how to bring prophecy’s in a group situation.
Predictive: Acts 11:27-30 Agabus prophesies a huge famine which results in the churches collecting money via Paul and Barnabus to support the church in Judea
Conviction of sin: 1 Cor 14:24 where if people who are not Christians may realize they need to repent from sin if prophesy reveals what’s really going on in their hearts

Using the gifts of Tongues, interpretation of Tongues and Prophecy in corporate meetings:

The thrust of the passage is that Paul wants to encourage the gift of Tongues only when there is an interpretation and the gift of Prophecy.  1 Cor 14:4 “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.” Tongues without interpretation is like playing random notes on an instrument, you’ll never understand the melody.

Paul also wants to appeal to the presence of unbelievers in corporate worship to promote order and intelligibility.  He says in 1 Corinthians 14:22 “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.” But he also warns against the public use of tongues (without interpretation) precisely because unbelieving guests will not understand what was said and ask “surely you are out of your mind?” 
What then does Paul mean when he says on the one hand that tongues are a sign to unbelievers and on the other hand, they must avoid their public use as unbelievers won’t understand them?
The answer is found in Paul’s quotation from Isaiah 28:11 (which alludes to Deuteronomy 28:49).  Where God says that, as a sign of his displeasure with unbelieving and rebellious Israel, he will speak to them by the lips of foreigners (Assyrians) whose language they can’t understand.  Thus being ruled over by a people whose language you cannot understand means God has come in judgment, handing his people over to foreign powers.

In the same way, Paul says, if a guest comes into the assembly of the church and hears unintelligible speech, they will be driven away and never understand the gospel. The church in Corinth would have given them ‘a sign’ that eventually leads to judgment. Yet at the same time, Paul is enthusiastic about the use of prophecy in public settings.  He suggests that unbelieving guests will hear the revelation and “will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”  So tongues without interpretation is a sign to unbelievers, negative sign, they’ll leave confused and away from gospel.

But prophecy’s can bring revelation of Jesus and a person’s need to repent and receive Jesus into their lives.

Questions:
Talk about your experiences (good and bad) about the gift of Tongues and Prophecy?
Was there anything in the passage you did not understand?
Why do we not see more Tongues and Prophecy at Mosaic (either in mission group or Sunday gatherings)?
What can stop you from contributing during a worship gathering?
How can you practice using the gifts at Mission group?