1st Californians: A Love to Bind Us (ch 11-14)
The next four chapters of 1 Corinthians contain some of the most controversial passages in the Bible - no joke. I could spend a lot of time and cyberspace on this blog trying to give my opinions and interpretations of the sections concerning women in ministry and the spiritual gifts. In fact, I would rather enjoy that. I think it certainly matters what we believe about these issues.
However, I also think that there is a definite reason that one of the Bible's most eloquent and beautiful passages on love is found sandwiched between these infamous chapters of long-standing debate. Love, the Scriptures are telling us, is the key.
What would we believe about women in ministry if love guided our theology? A love for Jesus and His Truth, first and foremost, but also a love and honor for women themselves and the unique and powerful gifts they carry? I wonder if we would so easily relegate them to the background of church government with our pat answers and quick judgments...
What if our views on spiritual gifts were utterly soaked and saturated in the love of Christ in the place of worship and prayer? Love for the Holy Spirit, who longs to equip us with such things, and love for the people around us - those who need our gifts, don't believe in gifts, and over-exalt our gifts?
The point is that we were never meant to figure out Christianity without love, and we will never live it out without love either. It's the oil in the spokes. It's the blood running through the veins of the body of Christ. It's the best motivation, the purpose, the method, and the goal. Without it, our best efforts are annoying, useless, and even harmful (see chapter 13). With it, everything comes into focus.
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:14)
Above all...love. All the doctrine, all the gifts, all the kingdom strategies, bound together perfectly with the cords of divine love.
With that in mind, let's do a quick overview of the next three chapters. Don't worry, I'd love to wrestle with the theological issues in this section another time.
He starts in chapter 11 by giving instructions concerning their public worship times. Remember, this had been a problem with the Corinthian church - they were divided, binging on communion food and drink, and abusing the gifts. Seriously, these guys were wild.
The key to understanding a good portion of this section is that Paul is writing into a very specific cultural context. No, I do not believe that women must wear shawls every time they want to give a prophetic word. In our American society, that would be...weird. But in that culture, it would've been shocking and dishonoring if they didn't. So he encourages them to do what is most loving - act within the decency that is accepted in their culture so as to not make anyone stumble in the faith. The same principle from the earlier chapters, remember?
The same would go for the length of a man's hair. If Niel were to walk into the first century Corinthian Church, well then, they would probably deliver him over to Satan.
He continues to apply the principle of love to the Lord's Supper in the latter half of chapter 11, and then to the use of spiritual gifts in chapter 12.
As you read chapters 12-14, there is a tension you must see. First, Paul stresses the importance of the gifts. They edify the user of the gift, they encourage and build up the receiver of the gift; they even give a powerful witness to unbelievers (14:24-25)! These gifts are not meant to be debated over - they are meant to be used! Imagine soldiers on the brink of battle, arguing with one another about proper sword usage and whether shields and armor are for "today" or only for the past, while the enemy rushes at them head first. Yes, silly. And so are some of the theological arguments that have been going around for centuries (in my opinion).
Secondly, he stresses the futility of the gifts when abused, misappropriated, and quite simply, done without love. This is an important tension with which we must grapple.
Thankfully, like a good teacher, he does stop to summarize his point, though. He does this at least twice in this section, and I'll finish this with these verses:
"Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." (14:1)
"So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order." (14:39-40)
However, I also think that there is a definite reason that one of the Bible's most eloquent and beautiful passages on love is found sandwiched between these infamous chapters of long-standing debate. Love, the Scriptures are telling us, is the key.
What would we believe about women in ministry if love guided our theology? A love for Jesus and His Truth, first and foremost, but also a love and honor for women themselves and the unique and powerful gifts they carry? I wonder if we would so easily relegate them to the background of church government with our pat answers and quick judgments...
What if our views on spiritual gifts were utterly soaked and saturated in the love of Christ in the place of worship and prayer? Love for the Holy Spirit, who longs to equip us with such things, and love for the people around us - those who need our gifts, don't believe in gifts, and over-exalt our gifts?
The point is that we were never meant to figure out Christianity without love, and we will never live it out without love either. It's the oil in the spokes. It's the blood running through the veins of the body of Christ. It's the best motivation, the purpose, the method, and the goal. Without it, our best efforts are annoying, useless, and even harmful (see chapter 13). With it, everything comes into focus.
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:14)
Above all...love. All the doctrine, all the gifts, all the kingdom strategies, bound together perfectly with the cords of divine love.
With that in mind, let's do a quick overview of the next three chapters. Don't worry, I'd love to wrestle with the theological issues in this section another time.
He starts in chapter 11 by giving instructions concerning their public worship times. Remember, this had been a problem with the Corinthian church - they were divided, binging on communion food and drink, and abusing the gifts. Seriously, these guys were wild.
The key to understanding a good portion of this section is that Paul is writing into a very specific cultural context. No, I do not believe that women must wear shawls every time they want to give a prophetic word. In our American society, that would be...weird. But in that culture, it would've been shocking and dishonoring if they didn't. So he encourages them to do what is most loving - act within the decency that is accepted in their culture so as to not make anyone stumble in the faith. The same principle from the earlier chapters, remember?
The same would go for the length of a man's hair. If Niel were to walk into the first century Corinthian Church, well then, they would probably deliver him over to Satan.
He continues to apply the principle of love to the Lord's Supper in the latter half of chapter 11, and then to the use of spiritual gifts in chapter 12.
As you read chapters 12-14, there is a tension you must see. First, Paul stresses the importance of the gifts. They edify the user of the gift, they encourage and build up the receiver of the gift; they even give a powerful witness to unbelievers (14:24-25)! These gifts are not meant to be debated over - they are meant to be used! Imagine soldiers on the brink of battle, arguing with one another about proper sword usage and whether shields and armor are for "today" or only for the past, while the enemy rushes at them head first. Yes, silly. And so are some of the theological arguments that have been going around for centuries (in my opinion).
Secondly, he stresses the futility of the gifts when abused, misappropriated, and quite simply, done without love. This is an important tension with which we must grapple.
Thankfully, like a good teacher, he does stop to summarize his point, though. He does this at least twice in this section, and I'll finish this with these verses:
"Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." (14:1)
"So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order." (14:39-40)
Comments