Spirituality rules.
In one sense, that means spirituality is
wonderful. Life with the Holy Spirit is real, personal, and full of abundance.
The Holy Spirit is not merely a feeling or an atmosphere; he is a person with
whom we have a genuine relationship.
But spirituality also has rules. The Holy Spirit
inspired Paul to teach the Corinthian church how to handle the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Those instructions were not given to suppress the Spirit’s work.
They were given so that the whole church could be strengthened through it.
Paul states the governing principle plainly:
“Everything is to be done for building up.”
—1 Corinthians 14:26 (CSB)
The gifts of the Spirit are not given to make
one person appear impressive. They are given so that the body of Christ may be
instructed, encouraged, and built up.
Childlike Faith or
Childish Spirituality?
To understand Paul’s instructions, we first need
to understand the problem in Corinth. Earlier in the chapter, he writes:
“Brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your
thinking, but be infants in regard to evil and adult in your thinking.”
—1 Corinthians 14:20 (CSB)
The Corinthian believers were spiritually
gifted, but they were not always spiritually mature. Their gatherings had
become infected by selfishness. People talked over one another. Some used
spiritual gifts to display their supposed superiority. Even the Lord’s Supper
had become an occasion for division rather than unity.
There is an important difference between being
childlike and being childish. Childlike faith is filled with wonder, trust, and
adoration of the Father. Childish spirituality makes everything about
ourselves—what we want, what we received, and whether the gathering met our
preferences.
It is easy to leave a worship service and
evaluate it entirely by asking, “What did I get out of it?” But the worship
service is not our service. It is service offered to God. We come not merely to
be served, but to give Jesus the adoration he deserves and to serve the people
he loves.
Spiritual maturity means becoming mindful of
others. It means recognizing that the Spirit’s work through us is intended to
bless someone beyond us.
Come Ready to Contribute
Paul assumes that every believer has something
to bring when the church gathers—a song, an instruction, a revelation, a
tongue, or an interpretation. Not everyone will speak from the stage, but
everyone can arrive ready to participate in the Spirit’s mission.
What would change if we came to church asking,
“Holy Spirit, whom can I encourage today?”
If you notice someone who is discouraged, you
may be the person God intends to use to strengthen them. You might offer a
prayer, an encouraging word, a listening ear, or an invitation to lunch. Much
of the ministry of the church happens before the first song begins and after
the final prayer ends.
That is why it can be helpful to become a 15–30
Christian: arrive fifteen to thirty minutes early and remain fifteen to thirty
minutes afterward. Those unhurried minutes create room to notice people, hear
their stories, pray with them, and share what God has placed on your heart.
Come with a holy confidence that says, “God can
use me today.”
But join that confidence with humility:
“God also wants to use my brothers and sisters
in my life.”
If we do all the talking—or listen only while
preparing to prove our superiority—we have returned to the childish
spirituality Paul confronted. Mature believers know when to speak and when to
listen.
Freedom Flourishes
Within Order
Paul then gives practical instructions for
tongues and prophecy in the gathered church. A public message in tongues must
be interpreted so that everyone can be built up. Speakers must take turns
rather than compete to be heard.
Prophetic messages must be weighed carefully by
other mature believers.
These instructions show that receiving something
from the Spirit does not remove our self-control. Paul says, “The prophets’
spirits are subject to the prophets” (1 Corinthians 14:32). A person can
wait for the appropriate moment, submit a message to trusted leadership, and
remain quiet when speaking would create confusion.
That does not necessarily mean the person failed
to hear from God. It may mean they are obeying God’s written Word by handling
what they received with wisdom.
At Christ Church, someone who believes
they have a public word can bring it to an elder, who helps discern its content
and timing. That process is not intended to obstruct the gift but to care for
both the person and the congregation. A prophetic message will never contradict
Scripture, and mature, biblically grounded believers should carefully weigh
what is shared.
Because God still speaks clearly, we
should expect him to lead his people. But because we do not always listen
perfectly, we need one another. Spiritual accountability protects the church
from both unrestrained excess and isolated certainty.
Order Is Not the Enemy of the Spirit
Rules about spiritual gifts can make us cautious—and biblical caution is good. Yet if caution becomes fear, we may leave no room for the Spirit to work through the congregation at all.
Paul does not conclude his teaching by telling the church to avoid spiritual gifts. He says:
“So then, my brothers and sisters, be eager to
prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything is to be done
decently and in order.”
—1 Corinthians 14:39–40 (CSB)
Biblical order should produce greater freedom, not less. When loving, attentive leaders are present to discern what is shared, believers can step out without feeling that every imperfect attempt will become a disaster. If the timing is wrong or a message is inaccurate, correction can be given with humility, and the church can continue together in love.
We do not abandon one another when someone makes a mistake. Patience, humility, and love preserve our unity while we learn to hear and obey the Spirit together.
God is not a God of disorder but of peace. His
peace does not make the church passive; it creates the environment in which
every gift can serve its proper purpose.
Let’s Get Unglued
Being dismissive of prophecy or tongues can be just as harmful as being excessive with them. The answer is neither chaos nor silence. It is a spiritually alive church in which people eagerly contribute, humbly listen, carefully discern, and lovingly submit to one another.
Every gathering carries a mission for every believer. Come ready to pray. Come ready to listen. Come ready to encourage. Come ready to receive from someone else. Trust the Holy Spirit to lead, and trust the body of Christ to discern together.
Spirituality rules—and spirituality works best
together.
A Prayer
Jesus, thank you for your Word, which brings
life and order. Teach us to follow the biblical boundaries you have given us.
Keep us from becoming so excessive that we lose your peace, and from becoming
so cautious that we resist your Spirit. Lead us to build one another up so that
Christ may be glorified through his church. Amen.