Quench not the Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:1
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
The word spiritual is from the Greek word PNEUMATIKOS, it means the things of the spirit. He is saying, concerning this, I will not have you ignorant. You can’t understand the bible if you are in a hurry, you won’t learn anything. The word spiritual is Pauline. Peter used it 2 times, Paul in Romans used it 28 times more than the apostles put together. By saying spiritual, he had mentioned it earlier, it’s a letter to Corinth, it wasn’t written in chapters and verses he expects us to maximize the information he has been giving since chapter 1.
1 Corinthians 2:13
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
He mentioned it here, the second spiritual explains spiritual men, and he uses the word spiritual for information.
1 Corinthians 2:15-16, 3:1 He used it here for a state of growth, it’s a figure of speech. 3 things he used spiritually for are man, information, and state of growth.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4;
Spiritual milk, spiritual meat, it refers to the gospel. The word spiritual must be looked at in context.
1 Corinthians 12:1; The use of spiritual here will be information, he already used ignorance that is I want to educate you concerning the things of the spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:37; That will be a status.
The use of the word spiritual changes, you can’t give a blank cheque to every word in the bible.
I Corinthians 12:4
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
He says there are diversities, diversities is from the Greek word DIARESIS, it means different kinds but the same spirit. Our first view of the word ‘spirit’ in the bible is Genesis.
Paul mentions the 9 gifts. The 9 gifts are classified into 3 groups; power gifts, utterance gifts and revelational gifts. In the church, the power gift is not primary, the wonder, and sign is for men to believe. In Acts 3, Peter used the opportunity to preach, a sign from us, a wonder for the world that they may believe. God didn’t make us to have our sustenance on miracles, to live by miracles, that’s why Moses says man shall not live by bread alone. What is primary in the church is utterance, then the revelational gifts.
He mentions the gifts and then says quench not the spirit. Let’s examine Paul’s prescription of not quenching the spirit;
1 Corinthians 12:31
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you in a more excellent way.
Paul says covet earnestly the gift, it’s your duty to covet the gifts; he will not help you speak in tongues, you will choose to covet the gift. Covet is used for a strong desire. Paul says to have that strong desire for the gifts of the spirit, something that nobody can change.
1 Corinthians 14:1
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
Desire is the same word as covet. If you don’t covet, you aren’t obeying God. You don’t call God to move, You move. The word desire has to do with zeal and passion.
1 Corinthians 14:39;
It’s an ongoing practice, don’t stop speaking in tongues. He says forbid not, if he says so that means it’s possible to stop tongues. But Paul instructs to not stop speaking in tongues, only you can hinder your tongue. You determine whether you will get blessed in a meeting or not, God will not determine it, you will choose to edify, to get blessed.
1 Corinthians 14:18 He already said I can speak in tongues more than them all, he tells you what tongues can do. You must always speak in tongues, forbid not to speak.
Daily Bible Reading Plan:
Bible Reading — Hebrews 8-10
TEACHING OF THE DAY
Where are you?