1 Corinthians 12:27-31 Bible Teaching

WELCOME
PRAYER
SONG
SILENCE

1st Corinthians 12.27-end
September 30th 2018
Milk

Some of you have been with us long time and have seen me go through a number of changes – both personally and theologically. All of them have been the result of access to the Word of God through the Spirit – and if not, they have not stayed around long as both the Word and the Spirit have proved them incorrect.
When I look back – even to the early years of my life – I realize I have always had a desire to really truly love people and as I’ve gotten older I realize that I have sought to love them as God would have me love them.
In this realization I have come to see that in the face of my desire to love others as God would have me love them there have been some things in my life that have gotten in the way.
Desire

So we left off last week with Paul explaining the unity that should exist in the body of Christ and he does this through an illustration where he appeal to the unity that exists in the human body.

“Many parts, one body” – many extremely different parts – like the part that is brain compared to the part that is nose or elbow, and the part that is heart muscle to the part that is bone.

Freakishly diverse, freakishly unique, and if we personified all of those parts and put them in a room we would in no time at all have a war on our hands.

But Paul explains that within them there should be love, appreciation, unity – so much so that when one part is exalted the other parts should rejoice and when one part is injured the whole body mourn.

I haven’t experienced that in my Christian life – I’ve experienced – and personally justified – division, warfare, attacks within the body.

And looking back over Christian history the only parts I see generally getting along are the parts that muscles with muscles, brains with brains, teeth with teeth, and so on.

This teaching has led me to first look in the mirror and see guilt – extreme guilt as I believed that I had the right to be critical of parts of the body.

I have not – and I repent before you all for the error of my ways. I believed, in all honesty, that I SHOULD have been critical as a means to warn others.

I was wrong. That is not my job, my call, it was not on me or my right. That is all in the hands of God whom I love.

I seek your forgiveness and from the forgiveness of any and all that I have maligned and been openly critical – even if I believe I have good reason:

Rock concert Christians, tithe demanding pastors, mega-church appeals, Mormons, catholics – whatever – I was wrong and it has taken God several decades of work to get me to this point where I am now and forever done with any and all criticism of any and all people anywhere.

Please forgive me if you would.

Hand in hand with this observation of my need to personally change I have simultaneously, and paradoxically, wondered for decades why there is so darn much division in the faith people have in Jesus Christ.

Six years ago, God took me by the hand and began to take me on a tour of the Bible I did not think existed. While on this grand tour He taught me to understand the scripture in ways not traditionally accepted – though these ways are not unique to me nor originated by me.

I have asked and invited all of you here and at home to join with me as I express the results of this tour – and in sharing it with you I hope to finally answer why we have such a long and sordid history of infighting, hatred and death in the body – but more importantly to then offer a biblical solution to putting an end to it – beginning RIGHT here and now – today, this very minute – and hopefully in all of your hearts – if it is not already there.

In other words, today is an invitation to all in the sound of my voice to, in the name of Christ, to actually and from the heart, LOVE all people all the time – no exceptions, ever – and especially those who claim any sort of faith and hope in God -all differences aside.

Now those of you who attend CAMPUS regularly know that we have been in 1st Corinthians in Milk and 2nd Corinthians in Meat.

You also would know that in first Corinthians chapter 12, 13 and 14 the Apostle Paul enters into a discussion on spiritual gifts.

In chapter 12 he will present 17 of them, in chapter 13 he will insert a section on Christian love, and then in chapter 14 he will spend the whole time on the spiritual gifts of tongues.

Again and last week, he wrote all about how there are a diversity of gifts but that they are all by the SAME spirit – and then he launched into the parallel to the diverse parts of a human being that all belong to the same body.

Well wee ended with verse 26 where he summarized his point with

1st Corinthians 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.

From this point (at verse 27) Paul moves us a little deeper into his point and speaking practically, reminds his reader there in Corinth of their making up the Body of Christ by saying

27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Then spring-boarding off this verse he adds:

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Because we are faithful to a verse by verse analysis let’s jump back to verse 27 where he says:

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

Notice the emphasis from Paul: NOW, you ARE the Body of Christ, and YOU ARE members (specifically) or in particular.

He is continuing the allusion to the human body here but brings it all back to that Body having one common head so that all members are under the direction and influence of this one source, who is Christ.

And he adds an “AND” (ready)

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

This is a bit of a confusing passage because Paul mentions what were “New Testament appointments or callings” with spiritual gifts – and this has resulted in some believing that they are one and the same.

In any case, he starts off saying that God has (King James) “set some,” with the Greek being:

TITH AYMEE – which means God has appointed, constituted.

In other words, God wanted these things in the what Paul calls “the ekklasia of that day,” which best means, those or “the called out” and which is synonymous with the Bride that Jesus promised to come and take for His own.

So, for those who had been called out (by and through the Holy Spirit to faith in Christ, being reconciled to God, he appointed

“some in the church”

Not all, but some.

And how does Paul describe the some? Well, first of all, he gives us a list. Remember, when we come to lists in the scripture there is often (but not always) a hierarchy in terms of import).

So, God has appointed some among those called out . . .

FIRST, apostles, Second prophets, thirdly teachers . . . after that . . .
“miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

I do not think it is an accident that Paul writes this by saying FIRST, apostles, second prophets, thirdly teachers.

PROTON, DEUTEROS, TREETOS – first, second and third.

It is interesting that when some LDS literature appeals to this passage it will rearrange these and put “prophets” first . . .

Not proper because Paul though the Greek actually established an order. And it begins with Apostles. Why?

They were called and trained by Christ to first witness His resurrection, then to teach and to govern, guide and reach the lost sheep of the house of Israel (and then the gentiles of that age) before He returned.

Most of you know that staring these facts in the face we MUST decide something here and now as believers:

Is this material church that was apostolically lead, guided and protected still on earth and waiting for Jesus to return to take her up as His pure, righteous bride

OR

Was she taken up and saved from destruction in that age as Jesus and the Apostles promised?

(beat)

The implications are almost innumerable if He has already taken His bride away insuring that the gates of hell would NOT prevail against her.

And it seems that most believers today operate on the idea that we are in fact, still in this age, and therefore we are still required to apply and interpret the New Testament as if Paul and Peter and John were still with us.

Secondarily prophets.

Paul’s use of this term here seems to refer to those men and women who would receive revelation on things to happen in the future INSTEAD of teachers who instructed others on the meaning of Gods words and I say this because the next appointment he mentions is
Teachers . . .

So why had Paul mixed these three appointments here with what he earlier in this chapter described as spiritual gifts?

I would suggest that Paul, who has first described 17 different spiritual gifts earlier in this chapter, has now listed the offices or the appointments in order of those who embody the most spiritual gifts in the church-bride of that day.

In other word the Apostles had access and used most or all of the spiritual gifts he mentioned, prophets second, and teachers third.

After this, he continues to speak to “not- appointed people” who might bear singlular spiritual gifts, including

that of miracles (which he mentions next).

Interestingly, the King James translates this miracles, but the Greek terms is dunamis and it means power.

Presumably this means or refers to those who had the power of working miracles (which is how they are described in 1st Corinthians 12:10) and this might be why the King James translated dunamis this way.

Then he mentions the “gifts of healings,” which is the second time that the power of working miracles is separately described from those who have the power of healing.

And we talked about this last week, and then he write, “helps,” and strangely the Greek term does not appear anywhere else in the New Testament. The word seems to mean what we would think the gift of helps means – someone who – helps!

“Governments” is next which essentially means to govern or guide (and as mentioned last week) it was directly expressed to those who steered a ship.

And finally, Paul mentions “diversities of tongues,” meaning those endowed with the power of speaking various languages without having training in such languages.

At this point, after reiterating spiritual gifts and naming those appointees who perhaps possessed most of them, Paul asks (in verse 29-30)

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

This line of questioning seems to be referring indirectly to the unity that should be present in the human body among its diverse members, with Paul suggesting that not every member of the body will participate in every activity that goes on in the body, just as not everyone can be an apostle or prophet or teacher.

Then he concludes with a tremendously important line. He says

31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

The Greek for “covet earnestly,” means to “Be zealous after.”

This word, however, may be either in the indicative mood, (ye do covet earnestly,) or in the imperative, meaning as a direct command.

Some scholars believe that Paul wrote it in the indicative mood – and with some support.

For instance, the Syriac translation puts it like thist,

“Because you are zealous of the best gifts, I will show to you a more excellent way.”

But there is kickback (naturally) against this view. Why? Because there is ALWAYS kickback on things that need to be interpreted by more than more party.

That is why there was just one apostle to the Gentiles – Paul – and he did the interpreting of things for them then.

In the end, we note that Paul did not attempt to repress the presence of these spiritual gifts in the church-bride nor did he say that it was wrong to desire them.

He showed them that in the church-bride or church body all members are important and that all gifts of the spirit had purpose.

Then he winds up specifically mentioning specific appointments that were in the church in that day and after doing all of this, says:

31 So be zealous for the best gifts: and yet . . . and yet . . . I shew I unto you a more excellent way.

“I will show you a more excellent way of evincing your zeal than by aspiring to the place of apostles, prophets, teachers or workers of power and miracles.”

(BEAT)

In spite of all that I have said, and despite all the value in these gifts of the Spirit . . . AND yet in the face of apostles, and prophets, and teachers – some really important and influential and powerful appointments God had made in the church-bride in that age – and yet . . . and YET . . . I show unto you a MORE EXCELLENT WAY.

The Greek word translated “more excellent” is HOOPER-BO-LAY way . . .

It means “A way that is over thrown” – sort of like you are standing across the room to catch a ball, and I, Tom Brady, throw it nearly 100 yards past where you are standing.

Paul is plainly stating that in the presence of all these gifts, and in the presence of all of these appointments of apostles and prophets and teachers, there is a hooper-bol-aye way that simply reigns supreme over anything else . . .

Why would such a way exist?

Because even when members of the same body are together, there is STILL a way for them to fight, argue, and try and diminish the importance of others.

All of these gifts in that age were wonderful and purposeful, and so were the apostles and prophets and teachers, but Paul adds . . .

And yet I show you all a MORE (HOOPER-BOL-AYE) way for things to work.

(Whispers)

And this lead us right into the most profound chapter on . . . Christian love!

The “Hooperbolay” way.

Now, before we enter into chapter 13 I am going to share something I covered last week in Meat – so for those of you who were present it will be a repetition – but a necessary one and one so important to our solution of infighting in the world that I have asked you all to specifically consider what I am about to say.

Because what I am about to share will rock the very foundations of what almost every organized religion has been doing for at least the past 500 years and perhaps even the past 2000.

But is it so vitally and strongly supported by scripture – even the Apostle Paul himself that I must teach it – and you must then all decide if it speaks to your heart and soul as being true.

To accept it is to rise above the din and shouts of modern Evangelicalism, and to reject it will probably serve to keep you struggling to get along to some extent or another.

God knew this, and for this reason he said in Jeremiah 31 relative to after the day when the Old Covenant would end:

31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

So, the question, again, for us is

Are we waiting on this day to come OR has it come, and God did what He said He would do in this New Covenantal age?

Now, in 2nd Corinthians (chapter 3) Paul was writing to the believers at Corinth and he begins by saying that though it was the custom of that day, he didn’t care about provide letters written in ink that attested to His apostolic power and place in the world but that instead he was more inclined to allow his powerful works, reputation, miracles and followers to “speak” or attest for him as a real apostle.

Such letters of commendation or introduction (or recommendation) were common among the Greeks, Romans, and Jews in that age – and they still are today.

So in the first verses of chapter three Paul seems to be saying, “Letters of recommendation in ink? Whatever. I would rather have a better witness.

In harmony with this thinking, Paul turns the conversation to something really beautiful, saying that instead of letters written in ink, he says to them (verse 2)

2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

And this opens us up to a really important principle – may God be with us now and forever more in this.

So, again, according to Paul, actual people who came to Christ by virtue of His labors were far more valuable to him as epistles than some letter of commendation or of introduction which were so popular in that day and ours.

Having established this, Paul now sort or repeats his point, but in a more expanded way, saying: (verse 3)

3 Forasmuch as you are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

For it is plain, it is obvious, he says, that

“YOU (believers of Corinth and recipients of this letter) “are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ administered by us (the apostles).

You are obviously a follower of Christ, in fact., you are “the epistle of Christ.”

Greek = EPIST-O-LAY – YOU are a “written message of Christ.”

This makes a point very clear. He says that this letter (Listen) that both HE delivered and that THEY evidence in their lives (READY) was . . . “NOT written with ink.”

I suggest that this is a way of saying that they are not “lifeless figures scrawled out on pages will fade and tear, that can become unintelligible and that can be disputed as to their meaning.”

Not even close! Paul compliments them here by saying (albeit indirectly) that “they are epistles of far greater value.”

What kind of value? He tells us when he compares in a disparaging manner “letters written with ink” to epistles written “with the Spirit of the living God” on the actual hearts of human beings.

Now ask yourself, what has the most supreme power on a human being – the words of God that He has written on the minds and hearts by the Holy Spirit OR words written in ink on paper?

Paul answers this for us here! Now, just so we don’t get all freaked out – inspired words written in ink are of great value and have been for three thousand five hundred years.

I’m not demeaning their import. But I would suggest (listen) I would emphatically suggest that such words are absolutely INFERIOR – that’s right, I said it – they are INFERIOR to words written by the Holy Spirit on the hearts and minds of living epistles.

I can say this because Paul is saying this.
And I can also say this because this was and is, the “end goal” of God himself.

I’ve cited this end goal of God in Jeremiah 31 but this was repeated in the Apostolic Record too as God said in:

Hebrews 8:10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.”

Again, repeated in chapter 10

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;”

We must note that in these places God Himself said that, “THIS IS THE COVENANT/TESTAMENT . . . THAT I WILL MAKE . . .

AGAIN! THIS IS THE COVENANT (TESTAMENT) That God says that HE WILL MAKE.

What Covenant? What Testament did God say He would make?

He said that once the former age or Old Covenant was over that He would WRITE on both the minds and hearts of those who are His . . . His Laws . . . on hearts.

Now listen . . .

Laws written on stone and paper are impersonal to a certain extent – they require interpretation and deep analysis on the part of all readers with real consensus coming only by the Holy Spirit in abundance.

But when God said that He would write and put His laws directly in the hearts and minds – that He would, as the NEW TESTAMENT, WRITE them on the hearts and minds of His children, we are talking about a whole new level of understanding and knowing Him.

I realize that this breaks from the conventions most Christians today hold true – we also realize that we would not even be able to make the argument if we weren’t reading it in ink written on paper! Right!?

So, don’t get me wrong. The written word has tremendous value – It’s a fantastic tool and gift – but it is not the ultimate value in the world of faith today. In fact, and this is really radical – what we allowed ourselves to call “the New Testament” ready for this – it is NOT . . . the New Testament or Covenant.

How can I say this?

Because the New Testament, the NEW COVENANT, is NOT written with ink on paper. IT IS WRITTEN BY God on the hearts of those that are His.

That was his promise said in Jeremiah and repeated in Hebrews:

Let me explain by going back to verse 3 and re-reading it as Paul says

3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, . . . written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

It seems pretty apparent that Paul is referring to Moses who had the law engraved by God on tablets of stone.

Because the law had been engraved on stone by the hand of God himself, it was thought by many Jews (then and now) to be super strong proof of both eternal application.

See, that is the result of Laws written on stone and in ink – objective religion. Why?

Because people say: “Look! Its right here. It’s says it, I believe it, that’s all there is too it?” Right?

Here we go, friends – this is where we pretty much stand (and have stood) since the Protestant Reformation. All because we have made the Laws written with ink, and on stone, the New Testament and have let them reign over us which includes allowing them to inhibit our ability to LOVE.

This should not be! Not according to the words Paul shares here. Right here he is saying as clear as day that the most precious source of God’s laws is when He writes them NOT in stone or with ink but “in the fleshy tables of our hearts.”

To me, we are talking about the difference between Pinocchio the wooden boy and Pinocchio the boy of flesh and blood.

See, laws written in ink fade and laws written on stone break because they HAVE NO LIFE IN THEM!

In essence, they are completely DEAD WORDS unless they have been quickened by the Holy Spirit.

But when God inscribes His law, which are summarized completely in the first two great commandments of Love for God and Love for Neighbor, we have got something good going on.

How?

First, no hand but the hand of God can reach the heart, and inscribe these truths there.

Second, when written thereon, His words become living, animated in and through the lives of those who are His.

Third, when written by God in the heart and mind of a soul, they are permanent.

Where are the two tablets that were engraven by the finger of God in the Old Testament? Where are the original manuscripts of the Apostolic Record? Which of the surviving texts are we to trust?

And what do we do when we want to love everyone, all the time, with the love described in the book but the books suggests otherwise?

Again, not to besmirch the wonderful gift this Word is in our lives – but by comparison, there are ample reasons why in this age of fulfillment God would write on hearts and minds of individuals instead of with ink and perishable surfaces.

Now, jump with me to verse 6 (as four and five are not on this point) and here Paul shares something that ought to rock the very foundation of all we have accepted about the Apostolic Record that has been WRONGLY called our New Testament.

He says

6 Who (speaking of God) also hath made us (speaking of himself as an apostle and those with him in ministry – NOW LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS HERE) Who, (speaking of God) also has made us “able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Paul has made it clear that it is God who has made him able in ministry, so let’s get that out of the way right off.

But the important phrase of this passage is where he says, after admitting that, God has made them able ministers of WHAT?

Paul says:

Able ministers of the NEW TESTAMENT.

And then Paul adds:

Not(!) of the letter, but of the spirit: for . . . the . . . letter . . . killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Let me step back and preach it – because I believe what I am about to say is vital and important to the faith today.

Because Paul was writing to believers in that day and age he would reference the scripture of the Old Covenant or Testament to illustrate his points.

But the principles of that Covenant and age were wrapping up – and this included God writing laws on stone or with ink because God promised that He would (after that age ended) write His laws upon our minds and hearts.

So, I submit to you that the letters Paul wrote to them in that fading AGE were EVER intended to become new laws written with ink for believers.

NEVER.

Yes, there were epistles written to the believers of that age. Yes, they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and yes, they bear vital living insights to being a Christian today.

But they were never to take precedence over the laws written on the minds and hearts of God’s children and here is how you can know what I am saying is true:

When we take letters written with ink and try and use them as our guide IN PLACE of what God has written on our hearts, we discover that the results are the exact same results of when the Law written in stone with the COI! It produced

Anger
Hatred
Division
Judgments
Condemnation, and
Death

Right here tells us why (in this wonderful letter) he wrote to the believers at Corinth – he said . . .

BECAUSE THE LETTER KILLETH!
BECAUSE THE LETTER KILLETH!

The “letters” will always kill the Spirit of God which . . . bears the fruit of love.

Which always. Bears. The Fruit. Of Love – with love being defined by the scripture, NOT by man’s interpretation of what love is.

I want you to think about the Laws that God has written in your mind and heart for a minute. When they are really and truly at work in you with others.

THINK ABOUT THIS

And imagine that you are sitting with someone, anyone, everyone and they are not in a good place in life.

They have hurt you, stole from you, maligned your good name, stole your spouse, insulted you somehow – done something really wrong – and you are looking at them in the eyes – face to face.

Now, imagine that you are armed with the words of the New Testament apostles to the church in that day and age – the hard stuff – the stuff on hell and holiness and excommunication.

Imagine the justification these letters give you to malign that person. To kill them, to tell them they are going to burn, to hell, that they are not God’s, not Christian – whatever.

(BEAT)

Now imagine that you are filled with the Spirit of Love written on your heart and mind by God.

Its that love I have long sought to possess for all but have not allowed myself to have primarily in these last years of my life because of wanting to represent GOD!

What would be the result if you fully allowed yourself to respond in what God has put on your heart? How would you feel or think in having responded to the offender with this love?

This is why the Spirit is superior to the letter, and how and why the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life!

How far astray we have wandered through the tutelage of Men. They have taken liberties and established another New Testament that actually works AGAINST the central principles God established in us!

And we have been killing each other ever since!

Doesn’t our history of the Apostles Record make sense now – why God did not have those letters available for hundreds of years to the people, that there was debates over its authenticity, that there was limited access to the contents, that there were different translations, and that in the face of the Protestant Reformation that screamed Sola Scriptura humankind has NOT been able to get along relative to the Faith.

I mean when did we get the idea that the NEW TESTAMENT was a book instead of what God said it would be?

It all started with a guy named Tertullian in the second century – I mean more than a hundred years AFTER the last living apostle died.

And because the term OLD Testament occurs once in the Apostles Record in reference to the Jewish Tanakh, Tertullian decided to call the COLLECTION OF WRITINGS, THE NEW TESTAMENT!

It was not so. It was never so! Because God Himself in Jeremiah actually describes what the New Testament would be!

It would be when He would write His laws on the minds and hearts of people!

The really interesting fact is that it seems that Tertullian got the title New Testament from Jeremiah Himself – unfortunately he took only the title, and not what the title meant – to the point of even ignoring Paul who, after admitting that he was a minister of the “new testament” adds

“not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

Folks, for the past 1800 years Christians have allowed the letter to kill while ignoring that the Spirit gives life.

Life is synonymous with love, but I never realized what was “off” in my whenever I wanted to love all but continued to attack and wage war.

I never understood why I couldn’t reach my brothers Matt Slick, or James White, or accept pastors in other churches for their failures.

It was either because others refused to let love reign, or I did.

I pray, that all within the sound of my voice will today, let go of the floaties, and allow themselves to swim in the deep waters of His love, which can never be established in letters – they kill – but is entirely established in what He writes on the fleshly tables of our hearts.

(Beat)

Comments/Questions
Prayer

Please share this sermon to your family and friends if you are so inclined.