1 00:00:06,446 --> 00:00:08,908 Here's a question put forth 2 00:00:08,908 --> 00:00:15,487 by Mako Hughes. 3 00:00:15,487 --> 00:00:17,611 He says this, 4 00:00:17,611 --> 00:00:20,057 "So many people around the world 5 00:00:20,057 --> 00:00:23,338 say that Jesus is Lord 6 00:00:23,338 --> 00:00:26,696 and are probably not saved. 7 00:00:26,696 --> 00:00:31,488 I just don't understand 1 Corinthians 12:3." 8 00:00:31,488 --> 00:00:34,774 So we should all turn there. 9 00:00:34,774 --> 00:00:39,254 "I just don't understand 1 Corinthians 12:3." 10 00:00:39,254 --> 00:00:41,308 Now those of you familiar with your Bibles, 11 00:00:41,308 --> 00:00:42,567 you may already know 12 00:00:42,567 --> 00:00:45,896 what he's alluding to. 13 00:00:45,896 --> 00:00:50,630 1 Corinthians 12:3, 14 00:00:50,630 --> 00:00:52,126 The Apostle Paul speaking 15 00:00:52,126 --> 00:01:05,102 to the Corinthian church. 16 00:01:05,102 --> 00:01:07,913 "Therefore, I want you to understand 17 00:01:07,913 --> 00:01:11,296 that no one speaking in the Spirit of God 18 00:01:11,296 --> 00:01:14,759 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 19 00:01:14,759 --> 00:01:17,798 and no one can say, 20 00:01:17,798 --> 00:01:21,313 'Jesus is Lord,' 21 00:01:21,313 --> 00:01:26,537 except in the Holy Spirit." 22 00:01:26,537 --> 00:01:27,957 Now, do you all get that? 23 00:01:27,957 --> 00:01:31,181 "Therefore, I want you to understand 24 00:01:31,181 --> 00:01:36,409 that no one speaking in the Spirit of God 25 00:01:36,409 --> 00:01:39,113 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 26 00:01:39,113 --> 00:01:42,329 and no one can say, 27 00:01:42,329 --> 00:01:45,269 'Jesus is Lord,' 28 00:01:45,269 --> 00:01:49,818 except in the Holy Spirit." 29 00:01:49,818 --> 00:01:51,400 So now you all see the verse. 30 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:54,576 Now, let me just read this whole question. 31 00:01:54,576 --> 00:01:56,321 "So many people around the world 32 00:01:56,321 --> 00:01:58,695 say that Jesus is Lord 33 00:01:58,695 --> 00:02:01,910 and are probably not saved. 34 00:02:01,910 --> 00:02:04,521 I just don't understand 1 Corinthians 12:3 35 00:02:04,521 --> 00:02:07,669 which says, 'Therefore, I want you to understand 36 00:02:07,669 --> 00:02:09,626 that no one speaking in the Spirit of God 37 00:02:09,626 --> 00:02:11,200 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed,' 38 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:12,988 and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' 39 00:02:12,988 --> 00:02:14,340 except in the Holy Spirit." 40 00:02:14,340 --> 00:02:21,234 Please explain why many are not saved, 41 00:02:21,234 --> 00:02:22,733 yet they say, 42 00:02:22,733 --> 00:02:25,990 'Jesus is Lord.' 43 00:02:25,990 --> 00:02:31,986 I'm just confused." 44 00:02:31,986 --> 00:02:35,485 So what do you think? 45 00:02:35,485 --> 00:02:39,325 Paul says, 46 00:02:39,325 --> 00:02:46,533 "No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' 47 00:02:46,533 --> 00:02:49,549 except in the Holy Spirit." 48 00:02:49,549 --> 00:02:51,454 Let me ask you this question. 49 00:02:51,454 --> 00:02:52,917 When you were lost, 50 00:02:52,917 --> 00:02:57,288 could you verbalize those few words? 51 00:02:57,288 --> 00:03:00,324 Did you have it in your capacity to say those three words? 52 00:03:00,324 --> 00:03:03,782 Jesus is Lord. 53 00:03:03,782 --> 00:03:06,358 When you were lost? 54 00:03:06,358 --> 00:03:10,589 So, do you believe like Mako believes 55 00:03:10,589 --> 00:03:12,773 that a lot of lost people are saying, 56 00:03:12,773 --> 00:03:14,456 "Jesus is Lord"? 57 00:03:14,456 --> 00:03:19,242 When the Apostle Paul himself says, 58 00:03:19,242 --> 00:03:24,227 "No one can say 'Jesus is Lord,' 59 00:03:24,227 --> 00:03:28,960 except in the Holy Spirit." 60 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,255 I mean, I would think 61 00:03:31,255 --> 00:03:34,485 that most of us when we're first saved 62 00:03:34,485 --> 00:03:36,292 and we're reading through the Bible 63 00:03:36,292 --> 00:03:37,630 for the first few times, 64 00:03:37,630 --> 00:03:39,323 we come across that verse, 65 00:03:39,323 --> 00:03:43,034 and if you're reading with any level of discernment, 66 00:03:43,034 --> 00:03:45,117 if you're asking questions as you read, 67 00:03:45,117 --> 00:03:48,505 if you're trying to understand 68 00:03:48,505 --> 00:03:51,303 and comprehend as you read through Scripture, 69 00:03:51,303 --> 00:03:52,851 you come across that statement 70 00:03:52,851 --> 00:03:57,174 and it says that no one, 71 00:03:57,174 --> 00:04:01,639 no one can say "Jesus is Lord," 72 00:04:01,639 --> 00:04:03,185 except in the Holy Spirit, 73 00:04:03,185 --> 00:04:05,824 and you're thinking to yourself, 74 00:04:05,824 --> 00:04:08,395 well, that can't be true. 75 00:04:08,395 --> 00:04:10,254 There's lots of people that are lost 76 00:04:10,254 --> 00:04:13,428 and they can make statements like that. 77 00:04:13,428 --> 00:04:17,769 And yet, it doesn't sound like Paul 78 00:04:17,769 --> 00:04:20,097 is being anything but absolute here. 79 00:04:20,097 --> 00:04:21,813 I mean, it's not sounding like 80 00:04:21,813 --> 00:04:24,246 he's giving any exceptions to this. 81 00:04:24,246 --> 00:04:27,339 He says, "no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' 82 00:04:27,339 --> 00:04:32,924 except in the Holy Spirit." 83 00:04:32,924 --> 00:04:35,258 Well, okay. 84 00:04:35,258 --> 00:04:39,989 Let's think for a moment here. 85 00:04:39,989 --> 00:04:41,826 Let's pick this apart. 86 00:04:41,826 --> 00:04:44,098 What I'd like to do is actually read - 87 00:04:44,098 --> 00:04:45,905 of course, anytime you're going to try 88 00:04:45,905 --> 00:04:47,341 to understand Scripture, 89 00:04:47,341 --> 00:04:49,196 the thing that you want to do 90 00:04:49,196 --> 00:04:52,631 is you want to look at the context. 91 00:04:52,631 --> 00:04:54,610 That's always stressed. 92 00:04:54,610 --> 00:04:58,094 Any kind of faithful Bible interpretation, 93 00:04:58,094 --> 00:05:00,586 you've got to look at what's being said 94 00:05:00,586 --> 00:05:02,398 in the broader picture. 95 00:05:02,398 --> 00:05:05,151 You need to see what's being said 96 00:05:05,151 --> 00:05:08,316 around this verse. 97 00:05:08,316 --> 00:05:10,488 Now, let me ask you this. 98 00:05:10,488 --> 00:05:17,365 1 Corinthians 12 is a chapter 99 00:05:17,365 --> 00:05:21,065 that is primarily known for what? 100 00:05:21,065 --> 00:05:23,977 Spiritual gifts. That is true. 101 00:05:23,977 --> 00:05:28,669 1 Corinthians 12, 13, and 14 102 00:05:28,669 --> 00:05:31,458 is the most extensive treatment 103 00:05:31,458 --> 00:05:35,348 of spiritual gifts found anywhere in your Bibles. 104 00:05:35,348 --> 00:05:37,369 That ought to come to our mind right off. 105 00:05:37,369 --> 00:05:40,536 That is what is being dealt with. 106 00:05:40,536 --> 00:05:46,507 Now, let's read these first three verses together. 107 00:05:46,507 --> 00:05:52,849 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers..." 108 00:05:52,849 --> 00:05:56,678 Okay, see what the context does 109 00:05:56,678 --> 00:05:58,478 to help us here? 110 00:05:58,478 --> 00:06:01,856 It tells us where Paul's mind is going. 111 00:06:01,856 --> 00:06:05,526 Paul's mind is concerned 112 00:06:05,526 --> 00:06:08,005 with spiritual gifts. 113 00:06:08,005 --> 00:06:10,347 He's not just laying out 114 00:06:10,347 --> 00:06:13,550 any old general, generic statements 115 00:06:13,550 --> 00:06:17,150 about people's ability 116 00:06:17,150 --> 00:06:18,741 to say "Jesus is Lord" 117 00:06:18,741 --> 00:06:20,869 or "Jesus is accursed." 118 00:06:20,869 --> 00:06:27,044 He's very specifically got spiritual gifts in mind. 119 00:06:27,044 --> 00:06:29,367 And notice, 120 00:06:29,367 --> 00:06:34,692 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers..." 121 00:06:34,692 --> 00:06:36,479 Well, that's interesting. 122 00:06:36,479 --> 00:06:41,071 "Now concerning spiritual gifts..." 123 00:06:41,071 --> 00:06:46,308 This phraseology: 124 00:06:46,308 --> 00:06:48,998 "Now concerning," 125 00:06:48,998 --> 00:06:52,898 is found repeatedly in 1 Corinthians. 126 00:06:52,898 --> 00:06:55,298 Let's just look at some. 127 00:06:55,298 --> 00:07:05,057 Go to 1 Corinthians 7. 128 00:07:05,057 --> 00:07:08,450 "Now concerning the matters 129 00:07:08,450 --> 00:07:10,189 about which you wrote..." 130 00:07:10,189 --> 00:07:14,557 Okay, that's helpful. 131 00:07:14,557 --> 00:07:16,645 What did they write? 132 00:07:16,645 --> 00:07:18,485 Well, they wrote to him. 133 00:07:18,485 --> 00:07:21,090 And every place where you pick up 134 00:07:21,090 --> 00:07:23,090 "now concerning," 135 00:07:23,090 --> 00:07:26,158 he's just laid the table for us right there. 136 00:07:26,158 --> 00:07:28,643 "Now concerning the things about which you wrote..." 137 00:07:28,643 --> 00:07:30,988 And so every time you get that kind of verbiage, 138 00:07:30,988 --> 00:07:33,019 "now concerning," what Paul's doing 139 00:07:33,019 --> 00:07:35,159 is he's very specifically responding 140 00:07:35,159 --> 00:07:36,772 to what they wrote to him about. 141 00:07:36,772 --> 00:07:38,649 Let's just look at the things 142 00:07:38,649 --> 00:07:40,027 that they wrote to him about. 143 00:07:40,027 --> 00:07:41,447 "Now concerning the matters 144 00:07:41,447 --> 00:07:43,310 about which you wrote, 145 00:07:43,310 --> 00:07:44,932 it is good for a man not to have 146 00:07:44,932 --> 00:07:46,663 sexual relations with a woman." 147 00:07:46,663 --> 00:07:48,988 Now, understand this, 148 00:07:48,988 --> 00:07:52,480 Paul is not saying it's good for a man 149 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:55,022 not to have sexual relations with a woman. 150 00:07:55,022 --> 00:07:56,902 That's what they wrote him about. 151 00:07:56,902 --> 00:07:58,918 That's what they put on the table. 152 00:07:58,918 --> 00:08:02,246 And he says, now, hold on. 153 00:08:02,246 --> 00:08:04,956 Because of temptation to sexual immorality, 154 00:08:04,956 --> 00:08:07,878 each man better be touching his wife 155 00:08:07,878 --> 00:08:10,779 and each woman better be touching her husband. 156 00:08:10,779 --> 00:08:13,120 You see, they wrote to him, 157 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:17,873 and they put forth their own ideas 158 00:08:17,873 --> 00:08:20,707 about the things that they wrote to him about. 159 00:08:20,707 --> 00:08:22,088 And he's coming back 160 00:08:22,088 --> 00:08:24,808 and he's not only answering them, 161 00:08:24,808 --> 00:08:28,910 he's correcting their faulty thinking in things. 162 00:08:28,910 --> 00:08:32,594 And so, you have that here in 7:1. 163 00:08:32,594 --> 00:08:35,602 Look at 7:25. 164 00:08:35,602 --> 00:08:39,241 "Now concerning the betrothed..." 165 00:08:39,241 --> 00:08:42,232 See, this is very familiar language 166 00:08:42,232 --> 00:08:43,367 here in this letter. 167 00:08:43,367 --> 00:08:45,632 If you go to 8:1, 168 00:08:45,632 --> 00:08:49,708 "now concerning food offered to idols." 169 00:08:49,708 --> 00:08:52,214 You see, they're asking him about all these things. 170 00:08:52,214 --> 00:08:55,458 What do we do in this case? What do you about women? 171 00:08:55,458 --> 00:08:56,956 You know what? 172 00:08:56,956 --> 00:08:59,336 If you didn't have the New Testament, 173 00:08:59,336 --> 00:09:01,107 and you suddenly got converted, 174 00:09:01,107 --> 00:09:02,817 and you're thinking, well, we know 175 00:09:02,817 --> 00:09:03,971 Paul doesn't have a wife 176 00:09:03,971 --> 00:09:05,884 and we know Jesus doesn't have a wife. 177 00:09:05,884 --> 00:09:07,864 Maybe it's best to be single. 178 00:09:07,864 --> 00:09:09,834 Maybe it's best to put your wife away. 179 00:09:09,834 --> 00:09:11,613 What if I have a lost wife? 180 00:09:11,613 --> 00:09:14,190 You know he addresses that in 1 Corinthians 7. 181 00:09:14,190 --> 00:09:15,624 Those are valid questions. 182 00:09:15,624 --> 00:09:16,932 They have questions about 183 00:09:16,932 --> 00:09:18,974 all the kind of idolatry they came out of; 184 00:09:18,974 --> 00:09:21,416 do we eat the food? What do we do? 185 00:09:21,416 --> 00:09:23,857 He says, "Now concerning food offered to idols..." 186 00:09:23,857 --> 00:09:25,727 That would be a genuine question. 187 00:09:25,727 --> 00:09:27,462 Hey, that food was offered to idols. 188 00:09:27,462 --> 00:09:29,483 Is that really something that we should be 189 00:09:29,483 --> 00:09:31,688 participating or not participating in? 190 00:09:31,688 --> 00:09:33,870 What's the deal? 191 00:09:33,870 --> 00:09:35,130 If you go further, 192 00:09:35,130 --> 00:09:37,164 obviously when you get to 12:1, 193 00:09:37,164 --> 00:09:40,829 you get this: "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers..." 194 00:09:40,829 --> 00:09:42,106 Why would he say that? 195 00:09:42,106 --> 00:09:44,029 Because they wrote to him about that. 196 00:09:44,029 --> 00:09:46,623 They asked him questions about that as well. 197 00:09:46,623 --> 00:09:48,646 And that may help us 198 00:09:48,646 --> 00:09:51,018 as we dive in to understanding this 199 00:09:51,018 --> 00:09:54,276 to recognize that they had written to him 200 00:09:54,276 --> 00:09:56,900 about something. 201 00:09:56,900 --> 00:09:59,626 Just before we leave this, 202 00:09:59,626 --> 00:10:05,461 if you jump to chapter 16:1, 203 00:10:05,461 --> 00:10:08,016 you will see, 204 00:10:08,016 --> 00:10:10,657 "Now concerning the collection for the saints 205 00:10:10,657 --> 00:10:12,596 as I directed the churches..." 206 00:10:12,596 --> 00:10:16,690 V. 12, "Now concerning our brother Apollos..." 207 00:10:16,690 --> 00:10:17,937 Very interesting. 208 00:10:17,937 --> 00:10:23,190 He uses this terminology very often. 209 00:10:23,190 --> 00:10:25,339 It's not typical to his writing 210 00:10:25,339 --> 00:10:27,846 in most of his other epistles. 211 00:10:27,846 --> 00:10:29,174 Okay, anyway, 212 00:10:29,174 --> 00:10:32,469 I wanted to try to give you the backdrop 213 00:10:32,469 --> 00:10:35,643 that they had written to him. 214 00:10:35,643 --> 00:10:37,467 And they're asking questions 215 00:10:37,467 --> 00:10:39,318 about different things. 216 00:10:39,318 --> 00:10:41,314 And now, what he says here is, 217 00:10:41,314 --> 00:10:46,851 "now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers..." 218 00:10:46,851 --> 00:10:49,097 And the thing is 219 00:10:49,097 --> 00:10:50,701 if you go through and you read 220 00:10:50,701 --> 00:10:53,071 these three chapters, 221 00:10:53,071 --> 00:10:54,580 well, let me ask you guys. 222 00:10:54,580 --> 00:10:57,625 Do you know what spiritual gift 223 00:10:57,625 --> 00:11:04,847 gets talked about more than any other one? 224 00:11:04,847 --> 00:11:05,971 Tongues. 225 00:11:05,971 --> 00:11:08,136 Let's just look at this. 226 00:11:08,136 --> 00:11:12,730 Let's look at every place where "tongues" shows up. 227 00:11:12,730 --> 00:11:16,007 If you look at v. 10, 228 00:11:16,007 --> 00:11:18,086 "working of miracles, to another prophecy, 229 00:11:18,086 --> 00:11:20,558 another the ability to distinguish between spirits 230 00:11:20,558 --> 00:11:24,765 and other various kinds of tongues..." 231 00:11:24,765 --> 00:11:28,654 If you look at v. 28, 232 00:11:28,654 --> 00:11:30,426 "God has appointed in the church 233 00:11:30,426 --> 00:11:31,949 first apostles, second prophets, 234 00:11:31,949 --> 00:11:33,665 third teachers, then miracles 235 00:11:33,665 --> 00:11:34,799 and gifts of healing, 236 00:11:34,799 --> 00:11:36,230 helping, administrating, 237 00:11:36,230 --> 00:11:42,001 and various kinds of tongues." 238 00:11:42,001 --> 00:11:44,514 V. 30, "Do all possess gifts of healing? 239 00:11:44,514 --> 00:11:48,790 Do all speak with tongues?" 240 00:11:48,790 --> 00:11:51,621 So you see it showing up. Look at 13:1, 241 00:11:51,621 --> 00:11:54,388 "If I speak in the tongues 242 00:11:54,388 --> 00:11:58,159 of men and angels, but have not love, 243 00:11:58,159 --> 00:12:02,685 I'm a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 244 00:12:02,685 --> 00:12:06,027 If you look at 13:8, 245 00:12:06,027 --> 00:12:08,036 "Love never ends. As for prophecies, 246 00:12:08,036 --> 00:12:09,194 they will pass away. 247 00:12:09,194 --> 00:12:11,143 As for tongues, they will cease. 248 00:12:11,143 --> 00:12:12,444 As for knowledge, 249 00:12:12,444 --> 00:12:14,723 it will pass away." 250 00:12:14,723 --> 00:12:17,787 And then 14 - 14's just full. 251 00:12:17,787 --> 00:12:20,513 V. 2, "The one who speaks in a tongue 252 00:12:20,513 --> 00:12:22,502 speaks not to men but to God. 253 00:12:22,502 --> 00:12:23,995 For no one understands him, 254 00:12:23,995 --> 00:12:26,690 but he utters mysteries in the Spirit." 255 00:12:26,690 --> 00:12:28,931 V. 4, "The one who speaks in a tongue 256 00:12:28,931 --> 00:12:30,027 builds up himself, 257 00:12:30,027 --> 00:12:32,777 but the one who prophesies builds up the church." 258 00:12:32,777 --> 00:12:37,538 V. 5, "Now I want you all to speak in tongues, 259 00:12:37,538 --> 00:12:39,491 but even more to prophesy. 260 00:12:39,491 --> 00:12:41,175 The one who prophesies is greater 261 00:12:41,175 --> 00:12:43,063 than the one who speaks in tongues 262 00:12:43,063 --> 00:12:44,567 unless somebody interprets, 263 00:12:44,567 --> 00:12:46,389 so that the church may be built up. 264 00:12:46,389 --> 00:12:49,622 V. 6, "Brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues 265 00:12:49,622 --> 00:12:51,917 how will I benefit you unless I bring you 266 00:12:51,917 --> 00:12:53,384 some revelation or knowledge 267 00:12:53,384 --> 00:12:55,088 or prophecy or teaching?" 268 00:12:55,088 --> 00:12:59,183 So you see that tongues is all over. 269 00:12:59,183 --> 00:13:00,769 V. 9, "So with yourselves, 270 00:13:00,769 --> 00:13:03,945 if with your tongue you utter speech 271 00:13:03,945 --> 00:13:05,335 that is not intelligible, 272 00:13:05,335 --> 00:13:07,304 how will anyone know what is said? 273 00:13:07,304 --> 00:13:10,113 For you will be speaking into the air. 274 00:13:10,113 --> 00:13:12,935 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, 275 00:13:12,935 --> 00:13:14,314 and none is without meaning, 276 00:13:14,314 --> 00:13:16,746 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, 277 00:13:16,746 --> 00:13:18,519 I will be a foreigner to the speaker 278 00:13:18,519 --> 00:13:21,697 and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 279 00:13:21,697 --> 00:13:23,523 So with yourselves, since you're eager 280 00:13:23,523 --> 00:13:25,511 for manifestations of the Spirit, 281 00:13:25,511 --> 00:13:28,306 strive to excel in building up the church. 282 00:13:28,306 --> 00:13:31,057 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue 283 00:13:31,057 --> 00:13:34,370 should pray for the power to interpret." 284 00:13:34,370 --> 00:13:36,390 V. 14, "For if I pray in a tongue, 285 00:13:36,390 --> 00:13:39,288 my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful." 286 00:13:39,288 --> 00:13:42,910 V. 18, "I thank God that I speak in tongues 287 00:13:42,910 --> 00:13:44,186 more than all of you." 288 00:13:44,186 --> 00:13:46,070 V. 19, "Nevertheless, in church, 289 00:13:46,070 --> 00:13:48,268 I would rather speak five words with my mind 290 00:13:48,268 --> 00:13:49,732 in order to instruct others 291 00:13:49,732 --> 00:13:53,156 than 10,000 words in a tongue." 292 00:13:53,156 --> 00:13:55,002 V. 21, "In the law, it is written, 293 00:13:55,002 --> 00:13:57,513 by the people of strange tongues, 294 00:13:57,513 --> 00:13:59,799 and by the lips of foreigners 295 00:13:59,799 --> 00:14:01,340 I will speak to this people, 296 00:14:01,340 --> 00:14:04,156 and even then, they will not listen to Me, says the Lord. 297 00:14:04,156 --> 00:14:06,075 V. 22, "Thus tongues are a sign 298 00:14:06,075 --> 00:14:08,844 not for the believers, but for unbelievers. 299 00:14:08,844 --> 00:14:10,158 While prophecy is a sign 300 00:14:10,158 --> 00:14:12,521 not for unbelievers, but for believers." 301 00:14:12,521 --> 00:14:15,126 V. 23, "If therefore the whole church comes together 302 00:14:15,126 --> 00:14:17,074 and all speak in tongues, 303 00:14:17,074 --> 00:14:19,562 and outsiders or unbelievers enter, 304 00:14:19,562 --> 00:14:23,308 will they not say that you're out of your minds?" 305 00:14:23,308 --> 00:14:26,508 So, you can see, v. 26, v. 27. 306 00:14:26,508 --> 00:14:28,038 "If any speak in a tongue, 307 00:14:28,038 --> 00:14:30,114 let there be only two or three at the most 308 00:14:30,114 --> 00:14:32,405 and each in turn and let someone interpret." 309 00:14:32,405 --> 00:14:34,429 V. 28, "If there is no one to interpret, 310 00:14:34,429 --> 00:14:36,600 let each one of them keep silent in church 311 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:43,717 and speak to himself and to God." 312 00:14:43,717 --> 00:14:47,712 (incomplete thought) 313 00:14:47,712 --> 00:14:50,840 Anyways, I read the wrong verses there, 314 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:52,806 but you get the idea. 315 00:14:52,806 --> 00:14:55,407 You get the idea that this is here a lot. 316 00:14:55,407 --> 00:14:58,137 V. 39, "So brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy 317 00:14:58,137 --> 00:15:01,308 and do not forbid speaking in tongues." 318 00:15:01,308 --> 00:15:03,741 This is key. 319 00:15:03,741 --> 00:15:05,775 Now, you go back to chapter 12. 320 00:15:05,775 --> 00:15:07,978 "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, 321 00:15:07,978 --> 00:15:11,575 I do not want you to be uninformed." 322 00:15:11,575 --> 00:15:15,636 Well, whatever their question is, we don't know. 323 00:15:15,636 --> 00:15:19,405 It's not told to us. 324 00:15:19,405 --> 00:15:21,689 But it probably has to do with tongues. 325 00:15:21,689 --> 00:15:24,342 And it probably has to do with how they're using it. 326 00:15:24,342 --> 00:15:26,639 And the idea that we get 327 00:15:26,639 --> 00:15:29,919 is that you see how he hits them with tongues. 328 00:15:29,919 --> 00:15:32,789 Look, you guys need to use your spiritual gifts 329 00:15:32,789 --> 00:15:34,517 in a way that builds up. 330 00:15:34,517 --> 00:15:36,305 You need to use your spiritual gifts 331 00:15:36,305 --> 00:15:38,525 in a way that manifests love. 332 00:15:38,525 --> 00:15:41,242 Love builds up. 333 00:15:41,242 --> 00:15:43,328 You can have the tongues of men and angels, 334 00:15:43,328 --> 00:15:44,632 but if you don't have love, 335 00:15:44,632 --> 00:15:46,275 you are nothing. 336 00:15:46,275 --> 00:15:49,676 And so, again, he not only answers their questions, 337 00:15:49,676 --> 00:15:52,484 he tends to be corrective. 338 00:15:52,484 --> 00:15:54,906 They had wrong ideas about things. 339 00:15:54,906 --> 00:15:56,964 And they're coming to him 340 00:15:56,964 --> 00:16:00,121 and so often this was the case with Jesus too, 341 00:16:00,121 --> 00:16:01,765 people would ask questions 342 00:16:01,765 --> 00:16:04,816 and it's like Jesus would answer, 343 00:16:04,816 --> 00:16:08,025 but you get the feeling that He wasn't answering their question 344 00:16:08,025 --> 00:16:10,403 because their question wasn't right. 345 00:16:10,403 --> 00:16:12,521 They have to be corrected. 346 00:16:12,521 --> 00:16:16,124 They have to have things set right. 347 00:16:16,124 --> 00:16:21,195 And here's the thing about tongues 348 00:16:21,195 --> 00:16:23,430 that I think you and I need to think about. 349 00:16:23,430 --> 00:16:25,486 Remember where we're going with all this: 350 00:16:25,486 --> 00:16:27,787 Nobody says "Jesus is accursed" 351 00:16:27,787 --> 00:16:29,903 by the Spirit of God. 352 00:16:29,903 --> 00:16:32,478 And nobody can say "Jesus is Lord" 353 00:16:32,478 --> 00:16:36,550 except in the Spirit. 354 00:16:36,550 --> 00:16:38,720 The thing about tongues 355 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,297 is most people today have this idea 356 00:16:41,297 --> 00:16:44,409 that you can turn it on and turn it off. 357 00:16:44,409 --> 00:16:47,301 That you can basically speak in tongues at will. 358 00:16:47,301 --> 00:16:49,239 And you know why most people think that? 359 00:16:49,239 --> 00:16:51,182 Because most people that claim to have 360 00:16:51,182 --> 00:16:52,528 the gift of tongues 361 00:16:52,528 --> 00:16:55,852 don't really have the gift of tongues. 362 00:16:55,852 --> 00:16:58,192 And they speak all manner of gibberish 363 00:16:58,192 --> 00:16:59,327 and they can turn it on 364 00:16:59,327 --> 00:17:01,088 and turn it off like a faucet. 365 00:17:01,088 --> 00:17:04,563 (incomplete thought) 366 00:17:04,563 --> 00:17:06,715 I was just listening to something recently 367 00:17:06,715 --> 00:17:12,375 Martyn Lloyd-Jones did - 368 00:17:12,375 --> 00:17:14,694 he was speaking about tongues. 369 00:17:14,694 --> 00:17:17,407 And he said that when he gets people 370 00:17:17,407 --> 00:17:19,854 that claim that they can speak in tongues, 371 00:17:19,854 --> 00:17:21,258 he says, 372 00:17:21,258 --> 00:17:23,419 "Can you speak in tongues any time you want?" 373 00:17:23,419 --> 00:17:25,153 And they say yes they can. 374 00:17:25,153 --> 00:17:27,357 And he says, "Okay, speak in tongues for me." 375 00:17:27,357 --> 00:17:29,519 And he said typically, they rattle off. 376 00:17:29,519 --> 00:17:30,984 And he says, "You don't have 377 00:17:30,984 --> 00:17:32,695 the biblical gift of tongues." 378 00:17:32,695 --> 00:17:36,938 Because, he said the corrective verse 379 00:17:36,938 --> 00:17:38,445 in Scripture for that 380 00:17:38,445 --> 00:17:46,147 is found in 1 Corinthians 14:18. 381 00:17:46,147 --> 00:17:50,359 1 Corinthians 14:18, Paul says, 382 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,021 "I thank God that I speak in tongues 383 00:17:54,021 --> 00:17:57,965 more than all of you." 384 00:17:57,965 --> 00:18:00,608 Well, as Lloyd-Jones was saying, 385 00:18:00,608 --> 00:18:04,337 that is a totally useless verse 386 00:18:04,337 --> 00:18:08,309 if we can just speak in tongues any time we want to. 387 00:18:08,309 --> 00:18:09,970 Because you see what he's saying? 388 00:18:09,970 --> 00:18:11,752 He's saying, "I thank God 389 00:18:11,752 --> 00:18:14,349 I speak in tongues more than you." 390 00:18:14,349 --> 00:18:16,485 Well, certainly, he wouldn't say that 391 00:18:16,485 --> 00:18:18,576 if speaking in tongues was just a matter 392 00:18:18,576 --> 00:18:20,468 of doing it or not doing it. 393 00:18:20,468 --> 00:18:22,309 Because if it was something that he 394 00:18:22,309 --> 00:18:24,786 or they could do anytime they wanted, 395 00:18:24,786 --> 00:18:26,223 how could he even be certain 396 00:18:26,223 --> 00:18:28,118 about a statement like this? 397 00:18:28,118 --> 00:18:29,779 He couldn't be certain. 398 00:18:29,779 --> 00:18:31,034 Because how does he know 399 00:18:31,034 --> 00:18:33,178 one of those Corinthians didn't just go out 400 00:18:33,178 --> 00:18:35,347 and just jabber in tongues 401 00:18:35,347 --> 00:18:37,507 endless for weeks at a time? 402 00:18:37,507 --> 00:18:38,901 And do it more than him? 403 00:18:38,901 --> 00:18:40,333 You see what he's saying is 404 00:18:40,333 --> 00:18:41,671 this is a gift - 405 00:18:41,671 --> 00:18:44,467 now there's a mystery here, 406 00:18:44,467 --> 00:18:46,687 because clearly even when you 407 00:18:46,687 --> 00:18:48,469 have the gift of tongues, 408 00:18:48,469 --> 00:18:51,192 you can stop yourself from doing it. 409 00:18:51,192 --> 00:18:53,662 As he says - if there's not an interpreter present, 410 00:18:53,662 --> 00:18:55,301 don't do it. 411 00:18:55,301 --> 00:18:57,310 And even as somebody who has 412 00:18:57,310 --> 00:18:59,115 prophecy revealed to them, 413 00:18:59,115 --> 00:19:01,048 they can give place if something 414 00:19:01,048 --> 00:19:02,727 is revealed to another person. 415 00:19:02,727 --> 00:19:04,552 So on the one hand, it's not something 416 00:19:04,552 --> 00:19:06,782 you can just manufacture and make happen, 417 00:19:06,782 --> 00:19:08,117 but it is the kind of thing 418 00:19:08,117 --> 00:19:10,841 that when the Spirit is prompting you to do, 419 00:19:10,841 --> 00:19:13,484 there is a measure of control there. 420 00:19:13,484 --> 00:19:15,035 That's the mystery that we get 421 00:19:15,035 --> 00:19:17,698 from the things that are said here. 422 00:19:17,698 --> 00:19:22,467 But I think one of the corrective verses 423 00:19:22,467 --> 00:19:26,227 on a proper understanding of tongues is this. 424 00:19:26,227 --> 00:19:28,319 It is something that the Spirit gives. 425 00:19:28,319 --> 00:19:30,284 It is something that people 426 00:19:30,284 --> 00:19:32,136 don't just turn on and off. 427 00:19:32,136 --> 00:19:34,689 It is something that the Spirit of God has to give 428 00:19:34,689 --> 00:19:37,308 and enable the person to do 429 00:19:37,308 --> 00:19:42,739 when that gift is being activated. 430 00:19:42,739 --> 00:19:44,968 And it's probably that the Corinthians 431 00:19:44,968 --> 00:19:48,115 were asking a question 432 00:19:48,115 --> 00:19:50,454 about something - perhaps, 433 00:19:50,454 --> 00:19:51,889 they were asking a question 434 00:19:51,889 --> 00:19:53,395 about something that was said. 435 00:19:53,395 --> 00:19:57,510 Perhaps, this is where their confusion was. 436 00:19:57,510 --> 00:20:00,490 They said wait a second. 437 00:20:00,490 --> 00:20:04,296 People in the Corinthian church 438 00:20:04,296 --> 00:20:08,415 were experiencing all sorts of supernatural gifts. 439 00:20:08,415 --> 00:20:09,578 We see it. 440 00:20:09,578 --> 00:20:12,935 We see it in 1 Corinthians 12. 441 00:20:12,935 --> 00:20:15,271 All manner of gifts. 442 00:20:15,271 --> 00:20:19,056 Healing, tongues, interpretation, 443 00:20:19,056 --> 00:20:23,510 prophesying, miracles, healing, 444 00:20:23,510 --> 00:20:27,405 administration - we see that all of these things 445 00:20:27,405 --> 00:20:29,233 were being done in the church. 446 00:20:29,233 --> 00:20:31,246 All sorts of things were happening. 447 00:20:31,246 --> 00:20:33,855 And perhaps their question was 448 00:20:33,855 --> 00:20:40,701 about something happened in their midst 449 00:20:40,701 --> 00:20:42,786 with regards to tongues, 450 00:20:42,786 --> 00:20:49,882 (incomplete thought). 451 00:20:49,882 --> 00:20:54,868 Perhaps what we can glean from this happened 452 00:20:54,868 --> 00:20:59,179 is that they had the same mindset 453 00:20:59,179 --> 00:21:03,169 so many in the charismatic movement have. 454 00:21:03,169 --> 00:21:05,941 That so many people today have. 455 00:21:05,941 --> 00:21:15,045 Look, if you can simply do the supernatural, 456 00:21:15,045 --> 00:21:20,225 you can typically fool 99% of the people. 457 00:21:20,225 --> 00:21:23,926 And in fact, there seems to be the supernatural 458 00:21:23,926 --> 00:21:25,516 that even if it was possible, 459 00:21:25,516 --> 00:21:28,996 the elect themselves would be deceived. 460 00:21:28,996 --> 00:21:33,207 The supernatural is quite convincing to people. 461 00:21:33,207 --> 00:21:36,204 And I believe that that's what tongues is 462 00:21:36,204 --> 00:21:38,864 by Paul's very words there in 14:18, 463 00:21:38,864 --> 00:21:41,616 that he thanked God that he did it more than others 464 00:21:41,616 --> 00:21:44,790 because it was something supernaturally being given to him 465 00:21:44,790 --> 00:21:47,078 and that's what that gift is like. 466 00:21:47,078 --> 00:21:48,677 And I have a feeling people 467 00:21:48,677 --> 00:21:51,065 were given these utterances 468 00:21:51,065 --> 00:21:54,676 in the church at Corinth, 469 00:21:54,676 --> 00:21:57,360 and something was said 470 00:21:57,360 --> 00:22:02,353 where people thought, 471 00:22:02,353 --> 00:22:05,020 well, that was supernatural, 472 00:22:05,020 --> 00:22:07,207 but it didn't maybe seem 473 00:22:07,207 --> 00:22:10,139 to honor Christ so much. 474 00:22:10,139 --> 00:22:14,429 What do we do with that? 475 00:22:14,429 --> 00:22:17,557 That is probably something along the line of the question. 476 00:22:17,557 --> 00:22:19,151 We get two chapters that deal 477 00:22:19,151 --> 00:22:22,666 very emphatically about tongues. 478 00:22:22,666 --> 00:22:25,817 And you get this idea about speaking. 479 00:22:25,817 --> 00:22:30,904 Listen, look at this. 480 00:22:30,904 --> 00:22:33,266 Go back to 1 Corinthians 12. 481 00:22:33,266 --> 00:22:35,339 "Concerning spiritual gifts, brothers..." 482 00:22:35,339 --> 00:22:37,411 You guys wrote to me about these things. 483 00:22:37,411 --> 00:22:40,020 Now concerning those, let me talk to you about them. 484 00:22:40,020 --> 00:22:42,913 "I don't want you to be uninformed." 485 00:22:42,913 --> 00:22:45,045 About what? Not about just somebody 486 00:22:45,045 --> 00:22:46,372 out here on the street. 487 00:22:46,372 --> 00:22:48,717 Whether you can go across to the neighbor's house 488 00:22:48,717 --> 00:22:51,250 and get somebody to say "Jesus is Lord" or not, 489 00:22:51,250 --> 00:22:52,983 that's not what he's talking about. 490 00:22:52,983 --> 00:22:55,584 He says, guys, now concerning spiritual gifts, 491 00:22:55,584 --> 00:22:58,201 I want you to be informed. 492 00:22:58,201 --> 00:23:00,138 So that's what he's got on his mind. 493 00:23:00,138 --> 00:23:01,959 And tongues is a big deal here. 494 00:23:01,959 --> 00:23:05,112 He's got speaking gifts in mind. 495 00:23:05,112 --> 00:23:08,540 And so he says - 496 00:23:08,540 --> 00:23:10,444 and this is interesting too - 497 00:23:10,444 --> 00:23:13,360 he says guys, I want you to remember 498 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:15,623 when you were pagans. 499 00:23:15,623 --> 00:23:20,823 Why? What happened when we were pagans? 500 00:23:20,823 --> 00:23:23,204 Well, supernatural things happened back then. 501 00:23:23,204 --> 00:23:27,332 Do you remember that? 502 00:23:27,332 --> 00:23:29,489 "You know that when you were pagans, 503 00:23:29,489 --> 00:23:36,065 you were led astray to mute idols, 504 00:23:36,065 --> 00:23:41,435 however you were led." 505 00:23:41,435 --> 00:23:44,302 Now, what does that mean? 506 00:23:44,302 --> 00:23:47,475 What's all that about? 507 00:23:47,475 --> 00:23:49,812 Why even bring that in? 508 00:23:49,812 --> 00:23:51,249 I want you to know, guys, 509 00:23:51,249 --> 00:23:55,269 about spiritual gifts, 510 00:23:55,269 --> 00:23:59,069 but let me take your minds back. 511 00:23:59,069 --> 00:24:01,028 Remember back. 512 00:24:01,028 --> 00:24:07,799 Go back in your minds. 513 00:24:07,799 --> 00:24:10,600 Remember, you were pagans. 514 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:16,119 You were led astray to these mute idols. 515 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:18,580 They couldn't talk, 516 00:24:18,580 --> 00:24:20,105 but however you were led... 517 00:24:20,105 --> 00:24:23,007 However you were led? 518 00:24:23,007 --> 00:24:25,081 Some kind of leading. 519 00:24:25,081 --> 00:24:26,946 They have mute idols, 520 00:24:26,946 --> 00:24:29,808 but they're being led. 521 00:24:29,808 --> 00:24:31,008 What's that about? 522 00:24:31,008 --> 00:24:34,024 You know what, if you go back not far; 523 00:24:34,024 --> 00:24:35,824 if you go back to chapter 10. 524 00:24:35,824 --> 00:24:41,098 In fact, it's right in the middle 525 00:24:41,098 --> 00:24:57,211 of chapter 10:19. 526 00:24:57,211 --> 00:25:01,970 We're only talking a chapter and a half before this. 527 00:25:01,970 --> 00:25:04,386 "What do I imply then? 528 00:25:04,386 --> 00:25:07,247 That food offered to idols is anything?" 529 00:25:07,247 --> 00:25:09,059 Here's the idols. They were pagans. 530 00:25:09,059 --> 00:25:14,277 They went after these mute idols. 531 00:25:14,277 --> 00:25:16,425 He's talking about food that was offered 532 00:25:16,425 --> 00:25:18,901 in their pagan idolatries 533 00:25:18,901 --> 00:25:21,005 before they were converted. 534 00:25:21,005 --> 00:25:22,413 He says, 535 00:25:22,413 --> 00:25:24,999 "Am I implying that food offered to idols is anything? 536 00:25:24,999 --> 00:25:27,770 Or that an idol is anything?" 537 00:25:27,770 --> 00:25:30,091 They're just these mute, dumb idols. 538 00:25:30,091 --> 00:25:31,007 They're nothing. 539 00:25:31,007 --> 00:25:33,717 Am I implying that they're anything? No. 540 00:25:33,717 --> 00:25:38,385 "I imply that what pagans sacrifice, 541 00:25:38,385 --> 00:25:42,888 they offer to demons and not to God. 542 00:25:42,888 --> 00:25:44,965 I do not want you to be participants 543 00:25:44,965 --> 00:25:47,058 with demons." 544 00:25:47,058 --> 00:25:48,622 You see the issue here? 545 00:25:48,622 --> 00:25:52,357 Their pagan religion - these mute idols - 546 00:25:52,357 --> 00:25:55,658 but there's idea that they were being led. 547 00:25:55,658 --> 00:25:57,125 However you were led. 548 00:25:57,125 --> 00:25:59,169 There's these leading spirits. 549 00:25:59,169 --> 00:26:01,750 What is it that leads the pagans 550 00:26:01,750 --> 00:26:03,066 to bow down? 551 00:26:03,066 --> 00:26:05,868 Brethren, there's more in idolatry 552 00:26:05,868 --> 00:26:07,708 than just what meets the eye. 553 00:26:07,708 --> 00:26:11,286 It's more than just somebody decides. 554 00:26:11,286 --> 00:26:15,375 There's something compelling in idolatry. 555 00:26:15,375 --> 00:26:17,628 There's something supernatural 556 00:26:17,628 --> 00:26:19,547 in idolatry. 557 00:26:19,547 --> 00:26:21,488 That's what makes it so convincing. 558 00:26:21,488 --> 00:26:23,525 Listen, the people that are bowing down 559 00:26:23,525 --> 00:26:25,698 to all the statues of Mary, 560 00:26:25,698 --> 00:26:27,538 and these things can weep blood 561 00:26:27,538 --> 00:26:29,065 and do all sorts of things, 562 00:26:29,065 --> 00:26:30,543 that's real. 563 00:26:30,543 --> 00:26:31,768 People feel things. 564 00:26:31,768 --> 00:26:32,933 People have dreams. 565 00:26:32,933 --> 00:26:34,206 People are led. 566 00:26:34,206 --> 00:26:37,408 Supernatural things happen - they really do. 567 00:26:37,408 --> 00:26:39,650 The Catholic church has all manner 568 00:26:39,650 --> 00:26:43,678 of supernatural things happen. 569 00:26:43,678 --> 00:26:45,702 We ought not to be amazed. 570 00:26:45,702 --> 00:26:47,887 You know, when we were watching 571 00:26:47,887 --> 00:26:50,408 on Sunday, Ariandes was showing us 572 00:26:50,408 --> 00:26:52,367 some clips from Cuba, 573 00:26:52,367 --> 00:26:53,930 and they were talking about 574 00:26:53,930 --> 00:26:55,444 carrying around these statues 575 00:26:55,444 --> 00:26:56,938 and how heavy they are. 576 00:26:56,938 --> 00:26:58,720 Well, you know, in India, 577 00:26:58,720 --> 00:27:00,197 same kind of thing. 578 00:27:00,197 --> 00:27:01,155 You know what? 579 00:27:01,155 --> 00:27:03,464 You go to a different country? Different idol. 580 00:27:03,464 --> 00:27:05,694 Same thing. They carry around their gods. 581 00:27:05,694 --> 00:27:07,722 Well, James Dali told us 582 00:27:07,722 --> 00:27:09,527 that they have one certain festival 583 00:27:09,527 --> 00:27:11,611 where they carry the god around 584 00:27:11,611 --> 00:27:13,615 on some kind of platform 585 00:27:13,615 --> 00:27:16,312 and they say that the longer they go 586 00:27:16,312 --> 00:27:18,573 on the parade, the heavier it gets. 587 00:27:18,573 --> 00:27:20,912 Heavier, heavier... till it's almost so heavy 588 00:27:20,912 --> 00:27:23,477 they can't bear it up and they throw it in the river. 589 00:27:23,477 --> 00:27:25,626 I mean, that's what they do with their god. 590 00:27:25,626 --> 00:27:29,203 It gets heavy, heavy, heavy, and then they throw it in the river. 591 00:27:29,203 --> 00:27:32,634 But there's demons - that's what he says here. 592 00:27:32,634 --> 00:27:34,523 There's demons behind this. 593 00:27:34,523 --> 00:27:36,054 And he's reminding them. 594 00:27:36,054 --> 00:27:37,437 Why would he remind them? 595 00:27:37,437 --> 00:27:39,473 Probably because he's saying, look, 596 00:27:39,473 --> 00:27:41,556 if you go back to your pagan days, 597 00:27:41,556 --> 00:27:43,678 you know people said things then; 598 00:27:43,678 --> 00:27:46,155 people got stirred up; people went into trances, 599 00:27:46,155 --> 00:27:47,545 people said things. 600 00:27:47,545 --> 00:27:51,222 There were supernatural things that happened then. 601 00:27:51,222 --> 00:27:52,604 Do you guys remember that? 602 00:27:52,604 --> 00:27:54,647 That's probably what he's saying here. 603 00:27:54,647 --> 00:27:57,268 He's saying, "concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, 604 00:27:57,268 --> 00:27:59,232 I don't want you to be uninformed. 605 00:27:59,232 --> 00:28:02,113 You know that when you were pagans..." 606 00:28:02,113 --> 00:28:04,623 Something happened. Remember your pagan days. 607 00:28:04,623 --> 00:28:06,501 Remember. Probably, remember, 608 00:28:06,501 --> 00:28:09,624 there were some kind of inspired utterances that took place, 609 00:28:09,624 --> 00:28:11,241 but not inspired by God; 610 00:28:11,241 --> 00:28:12,604 inspired by demons. 611 00:28:12,604 --> 00:28:14,856 Things that happened supernaturally 612 00:28:14,856 --> 00:28:17,033 that they were part of your idol worship. 613 00:28:17,033 --> 00:28:19,019 And it's demons behind all that stuff. 614 00:28:19,019 --> 00:28:21,527 Do you guys remember that? From your pagan days? 615 00:28:21,527 --> 00:28:27,066 It seems like that's the idea here. 616 00:28:27,066 --> 00:28:28,375 Listen, brethren, 617 00:28:28,375 --> 00:28:30,777 the thing you and I need to recognize 618 00:28:30,777 --> 00:28:32,727 is just because something's supernatural 619 00:28:32,727 --> 00:28:34,825 doesn't mean it's from God. 620 00:28:34,825 --> 00:28:36,543 Just because it's supernatural 621 00:28:36,543 --> 00:28:38,404 and happens in the church 622 00:28:38,404 --> 00:28:40,586 does not mean that it's from God. 623 00:28:40,586 --> 00:28:42,113 And you see, that's probably 624 00:28:42,113 --> 00:28:43,295 the bigger issue here. 625 00:28:43,295 --> 00:28:45,514 They're saying, well, Paul, 626 00:28:45,514 --> 00:28:47,638 something happened with regards to tongues 627 00:28:47,638 --> 00:28:49,715 in the service. 628 00:28:49,715 --> 00:28:50,835 And he's saying, 629 00:28:50,835 --> 00:28:52,946 you have to be discerning. 630 00:28:52,946 --> 00:28:54,449 What? How? 631 00:28:54,449 --> 00:28:56,393 Well, when subjective things happen, 632 00:28:56,393 --> 00:28:59,189 you better check them with the objective. 633 00:28:59,189 --> 00:29:00,904 What? 634 00:29:00,904 --> 00:29:03,187 The objective is biblical doctrine. 635 00:29:03,187 --> 00:29:06,049 You hear something supernatural in the church, 636 00:29:06,049 --> 00:29:09,705 if it's not exalting Christ, 637 00:29:09,705 --> 00:29:11,532 there's the red flag. 638 00:29:11,532 --> 00:29:14,634 Don't be led away by the supernatural 639 00:29:14,634 --> 00:29:17,278 even when it happens in the church. 640 00:29:17,278 --> 00:29:18,779 You need to be discerning. 641 00:29:18,779 --> 00:29:22,408 That seems like where he's driving in all this. 642 00:29:22,408 --> 00:29:25,773 I mean, the whole idea in all this 643 00:29:25,773 --> 00:29:29,486 is the Spirit (v. 3), 644 00:29:29,486 --> 00:29:31,449 "Therefore I want you to understand, 645 00:29:31,449 --> 00:29:35,685 no one speaking in the Spirit of God..." 646 00:29:35,685 --> 00:29:38,750 Now, remember, we're talking about spiritual gifts. 647 00:29:38,750 --> 00:29:41,637 We're not just talking about being a Christian. 648 00:29:41,637 --> 00:29:43,267 Or, not a Christian. 649 00:29:43,267 --> 00:29:45,901 We're speaking about spiritual gifts. 650 00:29:45,901 --> 00:29:49,831 He says, "Concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, 651 00:29:49,831 --> 00:29:52,142 I do not want you to be uninformed." 652 00:29:52,142 --> 00:29:56,635 Not about just what's possible if you're lost. 653 00:29:56,635 --> 00:29:59,029 But when a gift - 654 00:29:59,029 --> 00:30:03,289 a true spiritual speaking gift 655 00:30:03,289 --> 00:30:05,514 from the Spirit 656 00:30:05,514 --> 00:30:09,079 is always going to exalt Christ. 657 00:30:09,079 --> 00:30:11,166 Always. 658 00:30:11,166 --> 00:30:13,270 And you could say, well, is it always 659 00:30:13,270 --> 00:30:14,677 going to say He's Lord? 660 00:30:14,677 --> 00:30:17,609 I say it more broadly it's always going to exalt Christ. 661 00:30:17,609 --> 00:30:19,097 You know why I say that? 662 00:30:19,097 --> 00:30:21,278 Because when you go over to 1 John, 663 00:30:21,278 --> 00:30:23,068 1 John hits on the same thing. 664 00:30:23,068 --> 00:30:27,302 1 John gives us a test - why don't you guys turn over there? 665 00:30:27,302 --> 00:30:29,583 1 John 4. 666 00:30:29,583 --> 00:30:30,949 We dealt with this recently 667 00:30:30,949 --> 00:30:43,962 when we went through 1 John. 668 00:30:43,962 --> 00:30:48,263 1 John 4:2, 669 00:30:48,263 --> 00:30:52,770 "By this you know the Spirit of God, 670 00:30:52,770 --> 00:30:55,013 every spirit that confesses 671 00:30:55,013 --> 00:30:59,112 that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh 672 00:30:59,112 --> 00:31:00,614 is from God, 673 00:31:00,614 --> 00:31:07,139 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus 674 00:31:07,139 --> 00:31:09,446 is not from God." 675 00:31:09,446 --> 00:31:11,315 What does that mean? Confess Him? 676 00:31:11,315 --> 00:31:13,016 Well, confess Him for what He is. 677 00:31:13,016 --> 00:31:14,285 Throughout this letter, 678 00:31:14,285 --> 00:31:17,593 we see confessing that Jesus is the Christ, 679 00:31:17,593 --> 00:31:19,916 confessing that Jesus has come in the flesh, 680 00:31:19,916 --> 00:31:22,438 confessing that Jesus is the Son of God. 681 00:31:22,438 --> 00:31:24,505 Over in 1 Corinthians 12, 682 00:31:24,505 --> 00:31:26,976 it's confessing that Jesus is Lord. 683 00:31:26,976 --> 00:31:28,255 But in all of them, 684 00:31:28,255 --> 00:31:34,874 it is proclaiming the Christ of Scripture. 685 00:31:34,874 --> 00:31:38,548 Look, the Spirit inspired the Word. 686 00:31:38,548 --> 00:31:41,232 The Spirit carried holy men along. 687 00:31:41,232 --> 00:31:44,134 And this book came as a result of that. 688 00:31:44,134 --> 00:31:47,032 That Spirit that carried men along 689 00:31:47,032 --> 00:31:48,805 to pen this book 690 00:31:48,805 --> 00:31:51,285 is never going to contradict this book 691 00:31:51,285 --> 00:31:55,028 when He gives spiritual gifts to people. 692 00:31:55,028 --> 00:31:57,235 And when He gives unique and special 693 00:31:57,235 --> 00:31:59,253 and supernatural speaking gifts, 694 00:31:59,253 --> 00:32:02,500 He is not going to inspire people 695 00:32:02,500 --> 00:32:06,100 to speak against Christ. 696 00:32:06,100 --> 00:32:07,784 Remember your pagan days. 697 00:32:07,784 --> 00:32:09,722 Yeah, people got led along, 698 00:32:09,722 --> 00:32:11,192 but did they say things 699 00:32:11,192 --> 00:32:12,924 that exalted Jesus Christ? 700 00:32:12,924 --> 00:32:13,997 No, they didn't. 701 00:32:13,997 --> 00:32:16,734 Behind those mute idols 702 00:32:16,734 --> 00:32:19,085 that you were led along to worship 703 00:32:19,085 --> 00:32:20,253 were demons. 704 00:32:20,253 --> 00:32:21,870 It seems like that's the issue. 705 00:32:21,870 --> 00:32:24,403 But brethren, I think the thing 706 00:32:24,403 --> 00:32:27,598 that we have to remember more than anything here 707 00:32:27,598 --> 00:32:32,332 is where Paul takes this whole thing. 708 00:32:32,332 --> 00:32:39,002 It's like the ultimate manifestation 709 00:32:39,002 --> 00:32:40,344 of the Spirit; 710 00:32:40,344 --> 00:32:43,779 the ultimate identification 711 00:32:43,779 --> 00:32:49,256 of the Spirit's work is to be found 712 00:32:49,256 --> 00:32:54,346 in the exaltation of Jesus Christ. 713 00:32:54,346 --> 00:32:57,465 And what's so critical about that 714 00:32:57,465 --> 00:33:02,003 is that these people 715 00:33:02,003 --> 00:33:04,472 even when they were using 716 00:33:04,472 --> 00:33:08,707 the true gift of tongues, 717 00:33:08,707 --> 00:33:12,780 we can tell, they weren't doing it out of love. 718 00:33:12,780 --> 00:33:16,020 We know the Corinthians were contentious. 719 00:33:16,020 --> 00:33:17,701 They were factious. 720 00:33:17,701 --> 00:33:21,187 They were suing one another. 721 00:33:21,187 --> 00:33:23,121 Everything he's saying, 722 00:33:23,121 --> 00:33:24,664 he's having to tell them, 723 00:33:24,664 --> 00:33:29,820 look, when you use your spiritual gifts - 724 00:33:29,820 --> 00:33:34,320 if you go back to 1 Corinthians, 725 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,102 what he's correcting is 726 00:33:38,102 --> 00:33:42,906 this using of spiritual gifts 727 00:33:42,906 --> 00:33:46,495 for their own self-exaltation. 728 00:33:46,495 --> 00:33:49,764 The idea here is in 1 Corinthians 12 729 00:33:49,764 --> 00:33:52,215 is look, v. 7, 730 00:33:52,215 --> 00:33:55,457 "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit 731 00:33:55,457 --> 00:33:58,477 for the common good." 732 00:33:58,477 --> 00:34:01,613 You can speak in the tongues of men and angels, 733 00:34:01,613 --> 00:34:05,999 but if you're not focused 734 00:34:05,999 --> 00:34:09,431 on helping, encouraging, and building up God's people, 735 00:34:09,431 --> 00:34:11,534 it's all wrong. 736 00:34:11,534 --> 00:34:14,053 They truly had the gift of tongues. 737 00:34:14,053 --> 00:34:15,305 The true gift of tongues, 738 00:34:15,305 --> 00:34:17,318 which is a manifestation of the Spirit, 739 00:34:17,318 --> 00:34:19,960 has been given them for the common good, 740 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:22,198 but they weren't using it for the common good. 741 00:34:22,198 --> 00:34:24,416 That's why they have to be exhorted like this. 742 00:34:24,416 --> 00:34:28,426 And even when it's a manifestation of the Spirit 743 00:34:28,426 --> 00:34:30,399 and it's the true gift, 744 00:34:30,399 --> 00:34:32,193 and when it is the true gift, 745 00:34:32,193 --> 00:34:33,962 it's going to exalt Christ. 746 00:34:33,962 --> 00:34:36,522 But when you have people using the gift 747 00:34:36,522 --> 00:34:39,397 who are using it to show how great they are 748 00:34:39,397 --> 00:34:40,751 and how gifted they are 749 00:34:40,751 --> 00:34:42,921 and they want applause from people 750 00:34:42,921 --> 00:34:44,725 and people to pat them on the back, 751 00:34:44,725 --> 00:34:46,574 they want to get attention for it, 752 00:34:46,574 --> 00:34:48,726 you see how it's all lost. 753 00:34:48,726 --> 00:34:51,223 He's saying, no, guys. No. 754 00:34:51,223 --> 00:34:55,324 You need to be building each other up. 755 00:34:55,324 --> 00:35:00,342 The thing is the Spirit's primary intention 756 00:35:00,342 --> 00:35:03,021 is the exaltation of Jesus Christ. 757 00:35:03,021 --> 00:35:05,149 And as we're showing and using 758 00:35:05,149 --> 00:35:07,789 these gifts to God's people 759 00:35:07,789 --> 00:35:09,861 in a way that is exalting Christ, 760 00:35:09,861 --> 00:35:12,535 that's really how we're going to build people up. 761 00:35:12,535 --> 00:35:13,970 Using your spiritual gifts. 762 00:35:13,970 --> 00:35:15,500 If you're given a teaching gift, 763 00:35:15,500 --> 00:35:16,653 an administrative gift, 764 00:35:16,653 --> 00:35:18,530 a gift to do whatever, 765 00:35:18,530 --> 00:35:22,163 it's never to be: look at me. 766 00:35:22,163 --> 00:35:24,495 It's always: look at Christ. 767 00:35:24,495 --> 00:35:28,406 If those gifts are given, you can tell 768 00:35:28,406 --> 00:35:30,745 the Spirit's fingerprints are on it 769 00:35:30,745 --> 00:35:33,190 when Christ is the one being exalted. 770 00:35:33,190 --> 00:35:34,841 And the thing is, 771 00:35:34,841 --> 00:35:36,112 what he's saying is, 772 00:35:36,112 --> 00:35:40,233 look, when he says, 773 00:35:40,233 --> 00:35:43,377 "No one speaking in the Spirit 774 00:35:43,377 --> 00:35:44,981 ever says, 'Jesus is accursed.' 775 00:35:44,981 --> 00:35:46,522 No one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' 776 00:35:46,522 --> 00:35:48,406 except in the Holy Spirit." 777 00:35:48,406 --> 00:35:54,146 I think it's "in the Spirit" that we have to see here. 778 00:35:54,146 --> 00:35:57,654 It's got to do with v. 1 concerning spiritual gifts. 779 00:35:57,654 --> 00:36:00,008 V. 7, "To each is given the manifestation 780 00:36:00,008 --> 00:36:05,051 of the Spirit for the common good." 781 00:36:05,051 --> 00:36:06,789 This is what he's talking about. 782 00:36:06,789 --> 00:36:09,441 This is what he has in mind. 783 00:36:09,441 --> 00:36:11,223 We can always tell the Spirit of God. 784 00:36:11,223 --> 00:36:12,742 I've said this, 785 00:36:12,742 --> 00:36:14,863 people oftentimes wonder about 786 00:36:14,863 --> 00:36:17,911 a good church or a healthy church, 787 00:36:17,911 --> 00:36:19,906 and the sign of a good church 788 00:36:19,906 --> 00:36:21,394 or a healthy church is a church 789 00:36:21,394 --> 00:36:25,077 where the Spirit of God is operative. 790 00:36:25,077 --> 00:36:28,139 But the sign of that is not 791 00:36:28,139 --> 00:36:31,172 where they make much of the Spirit, 792 00:36:31,172 --> 00:36:33,564 which that's what's true in charismatic circles. 793 00:36:33,564 --> 00:36:35,815 They talk all the time about the Spirit. 794 00:36:35,815 --> 00:36:39,075 But you know where the true Spirit of God is found, 795 00:36:39,075 --> 00:36:41,516 it isn't the Spirit that's magnified, 796 00:36:41,516 --> 00:36:44,208 it's Christ Who's magnified. 797 00:36:44,208 --> 00:36:46,345 Show me a church where Christ is exalted, 798 00:36:46,345 --> 00:36:48,023 Christ is central to the ministry, 799 00:36:48,023 --> 00:36:50,322 He's central in the preaching, 800 00:36:50,322 --> 00:36:51,741 then you will see a place 801 00:36:51,741 --> 00:36:54,423 where the Spirit of God is very active. 802 00:36:54,423 --> 00:36:57,363 Whatever you think about whether tongues still exists today, 803 00:36:57,363 --> 00:37:00,275 the truth is that in whatever capacity 804 00:37:00,275 --> 00:37:02,310 the Spirit of God operates, 805 00:37:02,310 --> 00:37:05,239 He always operates in capacities 806 00:37:05,239 --> 00:37:08,926 that bring great glory to Jesus Christ. 807 00:37:08,926 --> 00:37:10,944 When He sanctifies us, 808 00:37:10,944 --> 00:37:13,191 Christ is the mold. 809 00:37:13,191 --> 00:37:15,393 He's the model. He's the pattern. 810 00:37:15,393 --> 00:37:17,283 What are being transformed into? 811 00:37:17,283 --> 00:37:18,334 His likeness. 812 00:37:18,334 --> 00:37:21,753 Predestinated to be conformed to the image of Him. 813 00:37:21,753 --> 00:37:23,591 That's what the Spirit does. 814 00:37:23,591 --> 00:37:26,795 When the Spirit transforms us, 815 00:37:26,795 --> 00:37:31,565 it's always as we behold the Lord. 816 00:37:31,565 --> 00:37:35,987 The Spirit is supplied by faith. Galatians 3. 817 00:37:35,987 --> 00:37:38,197 Faith in Jesus Christ. 818 00:37:38,197 --> 00:37:40,553 The fruits of the Spirit 819 00:37:40,553 --> 00:37:43,104 are always provided by faith. 820 00:37:43,104 --> 00:37:45,286 The Spirit is supplied by faith, 821 00:37:45,286 --> 00:37:47,315 but that faith is in Jesus Christ. 822 00:37:47,315 --> 00:37:49,412 It's looking to Him. 823 00:37:49,412 --> 00:37:52,680 This is how the Spirit operates. 824 00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:54,830 (incomplete thought) 825 00:37:54,830 --> 00:37:56,371 Can anybody think of a place 826 00:37:56,371 --> 00:37:58,387 where Jesus said, 827 00:37:58,387 --> 00:38:05,154 "He will glorify Me"? 828 00:38:05,154 --> 00:38:08,234 In John. 829 00:38:08,234 --> 00:38:13,627 He will glorify Me. About John 16. 830 00:38:13,627 --> 00:38:18,843 He will glorify Me. 831 00:38:18,843 --> 00:38:20,649 In fact, that's worth looking at. 832 00:38:20,649 --> 00:38:22,234 I hear some of you turning there, 833 00:38:22,234 --> 00:38:23,445 so let's look at it. 834 00:38:23,445 --> 00:38:33,699 John 16:14, 835 00:38:33,699 --> 00:38:38,689 "He will glorify Me." 836 00:38:38,689 --> 00:38:42,742 That's what the Spirit does. 837 00:38:42,742 --> 00:38:49,603 That's His hallmark. 838 00:38:49,603 --> 00:38:51,487 And so we can always look for it. 839 00:38:51,487 --> 00:38:55,978 So, look, I believe it should be obvious to us now. 840 00:38:55,978 --> 00:38:58,985 That 1 Corinthians 12 is not dealing 841 00:38:58,985 --> 00:39:01,053 with just what any unbeliever 842 00:39:01,053 --> 00:39:02,764 can do or can't do 843 00:39:02,764 --> 00:39:04,986 any more than in 1 John. 844 00:39:04,986 --> 00:39:08,268 1 John is saying that wherever you find 845 00:39:08,268 --> 00:39:09,850 the Spirit of God, 846 00:39:09,850 --> 00:39:12,384 you're going to find people 847 00:39:12,384 --> 00:39:18,173 who have a right theology of Christ. 848 00:39:18,173 --> 00:39:19,638 That's the idea, 849 00:39:19,638 --> 00:39:22,131 that the Spirit is always going to lead us 850 00:39:22,131 --> 00:39:23,829 into that right theology. 851 00:39:23,829 --> 00:39:25,748 Now whether somebody actually stood up 852 00:39:25,748 --> 00:39:28,200 in the church and said, "Jesus is accursed," 853 00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:30,686 or whether they just had a question about it, 854 00:39:30,686 --> 00:39:33,238 and he's saying remember your pagan days 855 00:39:33,238 --> 00:39:35,626 because that's the kind of thing you heard then. 856 00:39:35,626 --> 00:39:38,706 You know, exactly what happened; exactly what their question is, 857 00:39:38,706 --> 00:39:40,703 it's hard to know exactly what happened, 858 00:39:40,703 --> 00:39:42,121 but you can be sure of this, 859 00:39:42,121 --> 00:39:44,894 the Spirit of God is not going to tear Christ down. 860 00:39:44,894 --> 00:39:46,637 He's not going to present a Christ 861 00:39:46,637 --> 00:39:49,032 that's contrary to the doctrine of Scripture. 862 00:39:49,032 --> 00:39:51,468 We need to test. 863 00:39:51,468 --> 00:39:52,783 This is the principle 864 00:39:52,783 --> 00:39:56,672 that we need to derive from this. 865 00:39:56,672 --> 00:40:00,833 We need to test the spirits. 866 00:40:00,833 --> 00:40:04,726 Test all the subjective by the objective. 867 00:40:04,726 --> 00:40:06,017 Subjective? I mean, 868 00:40:06,017 --> 00:40:07,464 when you have things happen; 869 00:40:07,464 --> 00:40:09,083 when you have people do things; 870 00:40:09,083 --> 00:40:10,368 when there's teachings; 871 00:40:10,368 --> 00:40:12,720 when you get subjective things happening 872 00:40:12,720 --> 00:40:13,808 in certain churches 873 00:40:13,808 --> 00:40:16,753 or gifts being manifested from certain people, 874 00:40:16,753 --> 00:40:19,900 or teachings coming forth from certain places, 875 00:40:19,900 --> 00:40:22,087 then everything needs to be tested 876 00:40:22,087 --> 00:40:25,199 and checked by objective truth 877 00:40:25,199 --> 00:40:26,528 of God's Word. 878 00:40:26,528 --> 00:40:32,875 Objective truths about Jesus Christ 879 00:40:32,875 --> 00:40:36,710 must govern everything in the subjective realm. 880 00:40:36,710 --> 00:40:37,882 Everything. 881 00:40:37,882 --> 00:40:40,645 That's how you test spirits. 882 00:40:40,645 --> 00:40:43,244 And the objective is found right here. 883 00:40:43,244 --> 00:40:44,726 The objective is here. 884 00:40:44,726 --> 00:40:46,238 And by the way, 885 00:40:46,238 --> 00:40:48,735 it ought not to surprise us 886 00:40:48,735 --> 00:40:53,475 that the critical points have to do 887 00:40:53,475 --> 00:40:57,852 with the Person of Jesus Christ. 888 00:40:57,852 --> 00:41:00,257 Because that's what the Spirit came to do: 889 00:41:00,257 --> 00:41:04,002 glorify Him, exalt Him. 890 00:41:04,002 --> 00:41:07,844 He is the centerpiece of our Christianity. 891 00:41:07,844 --> 00:41:09,310 And the truth about Him, 892 00:41:09,310 --> 00:41:12,017 His Person, and His works - 893 00:41:12,017 --> 00:41:13,622 brethren, that's life and death. 894 00:41:13,622 --> 00:41:15,415 If you don't have the right Christ, 895 00:41:15,415 --> 00:41:20,121 you don't have life. 896 00:41:20,121 --> 00:41:22,232 So it's not a suprise that Paul 897 00:41:22,232 --> 00:41:25,335 is hitting with the very core, 898 00:41:25,335 --> 00:41:32,176 the very essential, the heart of the matter. 899 00:41:32,176 --> 00:41:33,497 What do you think? 900 00:41:33,497 --> 00:41:36,663 Does that sound like a proper interpretation of that? 901 00:41:36,663 --> 00:41:38,031 It makes sense. 902 00:41:38,031 --> 00:41:43,243 It certainly doesn't lead us believing 903 00:41:43,243 --> 00:41:46,213 that it's impossible for anybody 904 00:41:46,213 --> 00:41:50,492 who's not saved and filled with the Holy Spirit 905 00:41:50,492 --> 00:41:51,941 to say "Jesus is Lord." 906 00:41:51,941 --> 00:41:54,352 Obviously, people can willingly give 907 00:41:54,352 --> 00:41:55,878 lip service to that. 908 00:41:55,878 --> 00:41:58,247 Lost people can do that all day long. 909 00:41:58,247 --> 00:42:00,388 Just because you stand to look in the mirror 910 00:42:00,388 --> 00:42:01,813 and watch your lips say that 911 00:42:01,813 --> 00:42:05,602 doesn't attest to your spiritual condition. 912 00:42:05,602 --> 00:42:13,580 This is a matter of some kind of supernatural 913 00:42:13,580 --> 00:42:18,272 impartation of a Spirit-given gift 914 00:42:18,272 --> 00:42:22,176 that is being put on the table here. 915 00:42:22,176 --> 00:42:23,454 James: Even Matthew 7 916 00:42:23,454 --> 00:42:24,881 where they say - many say, 917 00:42:24,881 --> 00:42:26,120 "Lord, Lord," 918 00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:28,090 and then He says, "I never knew you." 919 00:42:28,090 --> 00:42:29,314 Then He even says there 920 00:42:29,314 --> 00:42:31,423 they did mighty works - 921 00:42:31,423 --> 00:42:33,369 prophesied - and so maybe 922 00:42:33,369 --> 00:42:35,650 some of the people in this church 923 00:42:35,650 --> 00:42:41,282 fit that description in the end. 924 00:42:41,282 --> 00:42:43,078 Tim: Well, and you know, 925 00:42:43,078 --> 00:42:45,293 one of the things that's interesting 926 00:42:45,293 --> 00:42:48,757 about these Corinthians? 927 00:42:48,757 --> 00:42:52,477 He said "I speak in tongues more than all of you." 928 00:42:52,477 --> 00:42:54,224 And yet what's interesting is 929 00:42:54,224 --> 00:42:57,417 he is acknowledging that they speak in tongues. 930 00:42:57,417 --> 00:43:02,912 And if we go back to 1 Corinthians 1, 931 00:43:02,912 --> 00:43:04,604 he says to that church 932 00:43:04,604 --> 00:43:06,713 you come behind in no gift. 933 00:43:06,713 --> 00:43:09,466 They had the full gamut of spiritual gifts. 934 00:43:09,466 --> 00:43:13,300 What's very interesting is they're carnal. 935 00:43:13,300 --> 00:43:17,520 He said you guys are acting like mere men. 936 00:43:17,520 --> 00:43:18,801 You're carnal. 937 00:43:18,801 --> 00:43:19,961 You're immature. 938 00:43:19,961 --> 00:43:21,244 You're suing one another, 939 00:43:21,244 --> 00:43:23,146 there's sexual sin, you've got people 940 00:43:23,146 --> 00:43:24,781 that need to be disciplined out of the church 941 00:43:24,781 --> 00:43:25,884 that you haven't disciplined. 942 00:43:25,884 --> 00:43:27,485 You guys get together, there's divisions 943 00:43:27,485 --> 00:43:28,592 among the rich and the poor 944 00:43:28,592 --> 00:43:30,010 when you take the Lord's Supper. 945 00:43:30,010 --> 00:43:31,428 You've got issues going on there 946 00:43:31,428 --> 00:43:33,495 with their heads covered, 947 00:43:33,495 --> 00:43:35,473 eating food offered to idols. 948 00:43:35,473 --> 00:43:38,550 They're having all manner of problems. 949 00:43:38,550 --> 00:43:40,959 They've got factions. 950 00:43:40,959 --> 00:43:43,979 "I'm of Apollos." "I'm of Cephas." 951 00:43:43,979 --> 00:43:46,764 All sorts of things going on in this church 952 00:43:46,764 --> 00:43:48,831 that they're carnal. 953 00:43:48,831 --> 00:43:49,686 They're carnal. 954 00:43:49,686 --> 00:43:51,078 They've got some real issues. 955 00:43:51,078 --> 00:43:52,772 But you know what's interesting? 956 00:43:52,772 --> 00:43:54,744 Their spiritual gifts 957 00:43:54,744 --> 00:43:56,792 seem to be flourishing. 958 00:43:56,792 --> 00:43:58,919 Paul doesn't come along and say to them 959 00:43:58,919 --> 00:44:00,713 in chapters 12, 13, and 14, 960 00:44:00,713 --> 00:44:03,032 well, the gifts you guys are doing aren't real 961 00:44:03,032 --> 00:44:04,365 because you guys are carnal 962 00:44:04,365 --> 00:44:06,467 and the Spirit of God only does His gifts 963 00:44:06,467 --> 00:44:09,115 where people are mature and not carnal. 964 00:44:09,115 --> 00:44:11,401 What's very interesting is 965 00:44:11,401 --> 00:44:14,733 the spiritual gifts were true. 966 00:44:14,733 --> 00:44:19,092 They were being exercised by carnal people. 967 00:44:19,092 --> 00:44:24,728 You know what that ought to tell you? 968 00:44:24,728 --> 00:44:26,254 Just because somebody's gifted 969 00:44:26,254 --> 00:44:28,515 doesn't mean they're godly. 970 00:44:28,515 --> 00:44:31,164 Beware. 971 00:44:31,164 --> 00:44:33,352 There is not necessarily 972 00:44:33,352 --> 00:44:36,655 a direct correlation between 973 00:44:36,655 --> 00:44:40,891 gift and holiness 974 00:44:40,891 --> 00:44:42,333 as is evident here. 975 00:44:42,333 --> 00:44:43,735 Sometimes we think that way. 976 00:44:43,735 --> 00:44:46,266 And look, I'm not going to argue the fact 977 00:44:46,266 --> 00:44:49,362 that you take a guy that goes 978 00:44:49,362 --> 00:44:50,894 and preaches every week, 979 00:44:50,894 --> 00:44:52,871 and he starts playing too much golf 980 00:44:52,871 --> 00:44:55,385 and he's giving his life to these kinds of things, 981 00:44:55,385 --> 00:44:59,284 I'm not saying that the people in the assembly 982 00:44:59,284 --> 00:45:04,049 may not recognize that there's something wrong 983 00:45:04,049 --> 00:45:05,662 and there's emptiness 984 00:45:05,662 --> 00:45:07,923 and they feel that the fire's gone out. 985 00:45:07,923 --> 00:45:10,313 I'm not saying that people can't discern 986 00:45:10,313 --> 00:45:12,519 when ungodliness creeps in to a life. 987 00:45:12,519 --> 00:45:14,251 I'm not saying even necessarily 988 00:45:14,251 --> 00:45:16,054 that when ungodliness creeps in, 989 00:45:16,054 --> 00:45:17,988 God might not stop using them. 990 00:45:17,988 --> 00:45:19,832 I mean, that definitely could happen, 991 00:45:19,832 --> 00:45:22,281 but what I can tell you from this account 992 00:45:22,281 --> 00:45:25,890 is they had spiritual gifts and they were using them, 993 00:45:25,890 --> 00:45:30,186 and yet they were carnal. 994 00:45:30,186 --> 00:45:32,923 So, we just want to be careful 995 00:45:32,923 --> 00:45:35,388 that we ever make a direct correlation 996 00:45:35,388 --> 00:45:40,905 between gift and godliness 997 00:45:40,905 --> 00:45:48,263 because it may or may not be the case. 998 00:45:48,263 --> 00:45:50,722 Any other thoughts about this?