In Chapters 12-14 of his First Letter to the Corinthians (recently featured on The Blessed Hope Podcast), Paul addresses a number of matters often associated with contemporary charismatics and Pentecostals. What follows are the issues covered in the five episodes of the Blessed Hope listed below.
Some of the Ground Covered In the Blessed Hope Episodes
Paul’s approach to properly understand spiritual things begins with an acknowledgment of Christ’s Lordship (1 Corinthians 12:3).
He addresses spiritual things (especially the Corinthian misunderstanding of them) before discussing spiritual gifts. It is clear that Paul’s concern is to correct the Corinthian’s erroneous views of spiritual matters (which, in Corinth, was often tied to pagan practices—like ecstatic religious experience, and conduct in the churches sadly reflecting what goes on in the pagan temples in and around the city).
Paul is not a strict cessationist, since chapters 12-14 of First Corinthians give practical instructions to the church about the use, function, and purpose of spiritual gifts. Paul exhorts the Corinthians to desire these gifts (especially the higher ones), since they build up the body of Christ, equip church officers for service, and enable us to better love our brothers and sisters in Christ.
But Paul does imply that the apostolic office is not a perpetual one (1 Corinthians 12:28-32—especially in light of of 1 Timothy 3:1-12), and those gifts typically associated with that office (miracles and healing) have ordinarily ceased. Extraordinary manifestations of these gifts certainly remains possible—but rare.
After enumerating a list of the various gifts given by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), Paul is clear that love for our fellow believers is the glue which holds the church (unity) with its diversity of spiritual gifts together (1 Corinthians 13:1-13).
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