Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
As we've mentioned many times before, our goal in these devotionals is not to persuade readers to adopt our specific theological perspective. Instead, this is a personal journey through the Bible that we have invited readers to join. We aim to understand the text as the original recipients would have, within their historical context.
To be transparent, our theological background is rooted in Pentecostal/charismatic ideology. This means we cannot completely approach the text without some bias, but we strive to do our best!
In today’s devotional, we will examine a passage that is highly controversial in Christian circles. Our focus will be to look at the text, determine its meaning, and consider its application for today.
When looking at today’s text, it’s clear that there are two major views within Christian theology regarding the gifts of the Spirit, such as speaking in tongues and prophecy. One group believes these gifts ceased in the first century, while the other believes that the gifts of the Spirit continue today and are active in the lives of believers.
"Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy."
Coming from a background that believes in the continuation of the gifts of the Spirit, we have encountered many people who overlooked the imperative Paul lays out at the beginning of this chapter. Many focused more on pursuing spiritual gifts than on being loving. However, the most important pursuit is love, as emphasized by Jesus and throughout 1 Corinthians.
If we are honest, if given the choice, would we rather have the ability to move a mountain with little faith or to forgive a brother or sister? Many of us would have chosen the former over the latter. Yet, Paul instructs us to pursue love and desire spiritual gifts. From a hermeneutic standpoint, it would be pointless to desire something that is no longer available.
Paul starts this chapter with two powerful words: "Pursue" and "Desire." The Greek terms for these are “diokete” and “zeloute.” Diokete comes from "dioko," meaning to run after, chase, or pursue—emphasizing active and persistent effort. Zeloute comes from "zeloō," meaning to be zealous or earnestly desire—implying a passionate intensity in one's aspirations or goals. By using both words, Paul emphasizes a combination of active effort and passionate longing in their spiritual journey.
In previous devotionals, we discussed the two main views regarding the gifts of the Spirit. Some believe these gifts ceased in the first century after the apostles' deaths or with the canonization of the New Testament. According to 1 Corinthians 13, when "that which is perfect" has come, gifts like tongues and prophecies will cease. For cessationists, "that which is perfect" refers to the completion of the Bible.
An Honest Challenge to the Cessationist View
From a cessationist standpoint, which holds that certain spiritual gifts ceased with the apostolic age, 1 Corinthians 14:1 presents several challenges:
Ongoing Relevance: The verse explicitly encourages believers to "desire spiritual gifts," suggesting these gifts are still relevant and accessible. This contradicts the cessationist view that these gifts were specific to the early church.
Value of Prophecy: The instruction to "especially that you may prophesy" highlights prophecy as particularly desirable. For cessationists, who believe prophecy ceased with the apostles, this is difficult to reconcile.
Cessationists argue that Paul’s instructions were specific to the early church's foundational period when miraculous gifts were necessary. Once the New Testament was completed, the need for gifts like prophecy diminished, as the Bible became the final revelation of God’s will. Some propose that "prophesy" means preaching or inspired teaching, not revelatory prophecy.
Balancing Views on Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 14:1 poses significant challenges to the cessationist view, as it endorses the ongoing relevance and desirability of spiritual gifts. Cessationists must navigate these challenges by contextualizing the verse historically or reinterpreting the nature of the gifts.
As we go through 1 Corinthians 14, we will also address the extreme practices of those who hold to the continuous view. While we find it difficult to agree with the cessationist interpretation that the Bible is “that which is perfect,” we acknowledge valid criticisms against some charismatic practices.
It's tempting to dismiss the entire notion of spiritual gifts due to these extremes, but we cannot. The text was clear to the first readers: pursue love as your priority and desire spiritual gifts in that order. When we pursue spiritual gifts without prioritizing love, we end up with neither genuine love nor genuine gifts but instead with "fake healings and gifts." Each Sunday becomes a study in the emperor's new clothes.
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