(a) What was Paul's counsel concerning the use of spiritual gifts in the Church? [12 marks] (b) List three ways in which spiritual gifts are misused today. ...

Answer Details

(a) Paul's counsel concerning the use of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14):

• Spiritual gifts have one Source. There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; varieties of service, but the same Lord. Every gift is given by the one Spirit as He wills.
• Gifts are given for the common good. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all, not for personal display.
• The gifts are diverse. They include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
• The Church is one body with many members. Just as the body has many parts that need one another, so believers with different gifts belong to one body of Christ; no member should feel inferior or despise another.
• No gift is to be despised or over-exalted. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you." The seemingly weaker members are indispensable.
• Love is the greatest and most excellent way. Without love, tongues, prophecy, knowledge, and even sacrifice profit nothing. Love is patient, kind, not jealous or boastful, and never ends.
• Prophecy is to be preferred to tongues in the assembly, because prophecy edifies, exhorts, and consoles the whole church, whereas uninterpreted tongues edify only the speaker.
• Tongues must be interpreted. If anyone speaks in a tongue, there should be an interpreter; otherwise he should keep silent in church.
• All things must be done decently and in order, for God is not a God of confusion but of peace. Two or three may speak in turn, and others weigh what is said.
• Believers should earnestly desire the higher gifts that build up the church.

(b) Three ways spiritual gifts are misused today:

• They are used for personal display and pride, to draw attention to oneself rather than to edify the church.
• They are commercialised, used to extort money from gullible people through false healing and prophecy.
• They are used to cause disorder and division, including uninterpreted tongues and confusion in worship.