Spiritual Gifts

Dear Diary,

Just completed reading Genesis 29 – 37, hence very much on track and in fact, completed tomorrow’s readings too! ;-) It was a pretty nice day today, although I realised that waking up for the 8am church service is very challenging! I think I hit the “snooze” button many times before I dragged myself out of bed. Attended the service and at the end of it, a particular priest asked to speak to me with regards to the comments I gave to him on one of his earlier sermons. I happened to have something on shortly after church and hence declined his invitation. I will arrange to speak to him again but it always seems like our schedules just can’t coincide. Oh well... doctrinal issues... so not that pressing.

Oh yes, I went for the John Little sale at Expo and that was that “urgent” thing I had to attend this afternoon... paiseh, haha... With one swop, I got a couple of new shirts and even snacks! Now, I am all ready to face the upcoming Chinese New Year after one well-planned shopping trip. ;-) Later, I joined Mum and Dad as they visited Tampines, the town I grew up from 1987 to 1994. We walked through the familiar rows of shops; many of which had already changed owners or renovated. Even managed to see some familiar faces of hawkers whose stalls we used to frequent. It really got me thinking how time flies. Wondered what were the thoughts flashing in Dad’s and Mum’s minds at that moment. Ageing is a process no one can escape but yet many times we usually think we are younger than we really are. The reason is that our family and friends age together with us! However, when you go back to old places or meet up long-lost friends, that is when the ageing process becomes clearly evident.

Yesterday, I was kinda taken aback when an Anglican friend shared that he may take up monastic vows. I was like... huh? Is there even an Anglican monastery in Singapore? In Asia? He said, “Sabah.” Oh... ok... I told him to think properly and to seek the counsel of a priest. May God guide him. Monastic vows are almost unheard of in the Anglican circle, at least in Singapore. However, it just reminded me about a female friend who told me that many males in her Roman Catholic church, studied in seminaries and took up celibate priesthood. She, herself, did also wonder at times if she was supposed to serve God in the convent, after a short stint with the Canossian sisters. Perhaps, celibacy and monastic living aren’t such an anomaly? Let’s see what that priest told this Anglican friend.

Okay, let’s take a look into 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 today. In 1 Cor 13: 1-3, we see that love is important for any spiritual gifts to be of value. Without love, they (prophesising, knowledge, faith, sacrifice...) are nothing. Then from v. 4 – 7, Saint Paul defines the nature of love. Do we have love? Are we patient and kind? Are we not jealous and pompous? Are we rude and seek self-interest? Are we quick-tempered and rejoicing over wrong-doings? Are we as such? Love never fails (v.8). Prophecies, tongues and even knowledge are temporal and will fade away. At present, because we know God and things partially, we act like children and see indistinctly. But when the entire truth and knowledge is clear to us when we meet God, partially-limited gifts like prophecies, tongues and knowledge will be of no use. In fact, amongst the fundamentals (hope, faith and love), love stands out as superior too (v.13)! When we come face-to-face with God in heaven, we don’t need to hope anymore. We don’t need faith anymore either since believing God when you see Him is inevitable. What we need through eternity is love. God is the encompassment of love.

Now, in 1 Cor 14: 1-5, Saint Paul tells us to pursue love (v.1) but strive for spiritual gifts too. He explained that the gift of prophecy is superior to the gift of tongues because the former builds up the church while the latter only builds up that individual (v. 4-5). So don’t speak in tongues when there is no interpreter for it, as no one will have any knowledge of what is being spoken. Seek the spiritual gifts not for self-gain but because of love... love of the Church and to build it up (v.12). This is emphasized again in v.19 that instructions to the masses in the church should be intelligible. So if you want to pray in the Spirit in front of the church, maybe you can throw in some intelligible prayers at the same time like those memorised ones (eg. Pater Noster).

Saint Paul taught about the functions of these spiritual gifts from v.20 – 25. He started by asking the Christians not to be childish in thinking! We are to be child-like in the good stuff or not doing evil, but we must be like adults in our thinking! To be matured! (v.20). In v.23, Saint Paul warned that non-Christians may leave upon hearing the tongues and not understanding them. They may not stay on long enough to listen more about God. Hence, for the unbelievers, prophecies will be a better way to reach out to them than tongues. Prophecies are intelligible, hence may touch a non-believer’s heart and mind. When that happens, they may come to know God and glorify Him (v.24 – 25).

Saint Paul talked about orderliness in the church service. “Everything must be done for building up,” said Saint Paul (v. 26). For the issue on tongues, if there is no interpreter, the person speaking in tongues should speak softly to himself and God (v.28). For v.29 – 33, Saint Paul addressed on prophecies and he reminded the need to discern them (v.29). The prophets are actually in control of their spirits and should not speak falsely (v.32). One of the ways to discern is to see if the prophecies lead to disorder or peace. True prophecies from God are peaceful and orderly (v.33).

Apparently, in v.34 – 36, we see that the teaching roles in the church belong to the men only. Traditionally and even biblically, only men are called to diaconates and priesthood. Frankly, I don’t know why Anglican churches started ordaining women and even consecrating bishops out of them when it is so clearly forbidden in the bible! I have nothing against women and I love women, okay? Haha... But I believe God has a role for each gender to play and all those equal gender rights’ issues are championed by feminist without regards to divine purpose of each gender.

So in conclusion (v.37 – 40), do not stifle the speaking of tongues or prophecies but they must be according to the truth and in order. These spiritual gifts should build up the church in love, and show the love of God as first in our lives. May God help us, amen.

God Bless,

Andrew