The recent events at Asbury University (dare we say Awakening?), have prompted me to think again about 1 Corinthians 14. As many of you are, I am an heir of the American Restoration Movement, also called the Stone-Campbell Movement. At least within the churches of Christ, the movement became solidly cessationist (the “miraculous” gifts of the Spirit ceased).[1] This is somewhat surprising since one branch of this movement goes back to Barton Stone, and he was hardly a cessationist. He was part of the Cane Ridge Revival, and he never quit believing that the Holy Spirit gave “miraculous” gifts then. Interestingly, Cane Ridge, Kentucky is only 50 miles from the present campus of Asbury University.

As cessationists, many in our heritage found 1 Corinthians 14 as grounds for debate about spiritual gifts and the silencing of women in worship, and little else. The main ongoing relevance, which was often repeated, was that worship must be done “decently and in order.” Since my college days, I have never been convinced of the cessation of gifts, and especially of our use of 1 Corinthians 13:10 to prove it.[2] The questions regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit go well beyond this blog[3], but I will make a couple of points:

What makes something a “miracle,” is not always clear. The term used that’s translated “miraculous” is simply “powers.” I consider the conception and birth of a child part of God’s miracle of life, as natural as it may seem. An infusion of courage or peace may be as “miraculous” as a sudden and profound healing, in that God is the Source of each.
We need to be humble before our Sovereign God. Who are we to say what God will or will not do? Unless He sets His boundaries, I will not say what they are, except that they are holy, loving, and just.

So, what about 1 Corinthians 14?

It begins with love, and love permeates the passage.
Speaking in tongues, whatever it looked and sounded like, seemed to be a status marker in the church in Corinth. Exercising real gifts (and the gift of tongues was real, and one which Paul experienced) for the wrong reason was not good. And what was the right reason? In the assembly, gifts were to be used to build up the church, not give private inspiration. Without interpretation, speaking in tongues might just be showing off, or making outsiders think you’re crazy. Again, love guides the use of gifts.
Everyone should desire spiritual gifts (14:1). Each has a gift (14:26). All should exercise the gifts given them and be allowed to do so (I’ll discuss the issue of the disruptive speech of some of the wives, next week).
The Spirit moved through people, but not overpowering them. They were gifts, not coercions, given to bless each, but especially to bless the body of Christ.

This is hard stuff for us who have drunk deeply from the well of the Enlightenment. We tend toward the limits of natural law, rather than the will of the Creator of natural law. God does not ask our permission to move through history, and will do so at His pleasure, until He brings it to its joyful end. Is Asbury such a movement? I will certainly not deny that it is, and frankly pray that the Spirit spreads it throughout our land. My fear is that people will insist on being in charge and try to manage God’s moving.

In the meantime, we would do well to pray about our own worship in the body. Has our concern for order inhibited those who might bless us through their gifts?[4] The priesthood of all believers was not a Reformation invention, but God’s will all along (1 Peter 2:9-10, among other passages). Worshiping points us to God and then others, not to our own status or pride. Some of us may need to step back, in order that others may step forward to bless us all through the gifts the Spirit has given them. In all, may God be praised and His glory shine!

Tim Kelley

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[1] I will leave it to church historians to trace the complicated history of Alexander Campbell and the work of the Holy Spirit. It is clear, at least, that he was no fan of revivals.

[2] “…but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.” (ASV) We argued that the purpose of the gifts was to confirm the Word, and the “perfect” was the completion of the New Testament. This meaning would have been incomprehensible to Paul’s readers, but the return of Jesus was part of the oldest strand of Christian teaching, and climaxes chapter 15.

[3] I found this video by Sam Storms very balanced and helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H4j-hOKaYY

[4] I say this, being aware of many excesses when charismatic churches focus on gifts, while placing experience as authoritative over Scripture. All experience must be tested by the Word, yet that need not exclude what Paul encourages in 1 Corinthians 14.