In First Corinthians 14 Paul describes the organization and the purpose of the church meeting together.
The focus of the believers meeting together and sharing their gifts with the church is “so that
everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” The first of two reasons the church meets is for “instruction” (manthanōsin) which means “learning key facts” and “gaining fact-knowledge.”
The word is related to mathetes, or “disciple,” and can refer to someone who learns from
experience and reflection. The second reason Paul gives for the church meeting together is
to be “encouraged” (parakalōntai) which means “exhort,” “admonish,” “comfort,” “encourage,”
and “console.”
The manifestation of the gifts can be expected to be organized, without chaos
and balanced without self-exaltation is because, “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” There is never a time when the Holy Spirit is manifesting through a person that the
person loses control. The gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit, not demon possession.
If it were appropriate for a prophet to lose control of his own gift, then it would not be possible
for Paul to require an orderly gathering of the church, since there would always be the possibility
that the Holy Spirit might cause someone to lose control of their gift.
Instead, the church was to gather in an orderly fashion with the Holy Spirit manifesting through
believers for the purpose of instructing and encouraging the servants of God. |
