SPIRITUAL GIFTS: The Gift of Prophecy (Pt. 2)

Gary Nelson

MEMORIAL DRIVE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP

Spiritual Gifts • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago • Presented 4 years ago • 44:42

1 Corinthians 14:1

1 Thessalonians 5:19–21

1 Corinthians 14:29–38

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If the New Testament "spiritual gift of prophecy" isn't equivalent to the Old "office" of prophet, who are the equivalent New Testament speakers and writers of God's "Thus saith the Lord" words? And is there evidence that this gifting is NOT authoritative as are the Scriptures? We continue to unfold a biblical understanding of this gift that Christians are told to "earnestly desire" and not to "despise."

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﻿Memorial Drive
6/21/20
THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF PROPHECY (Part 2)
Various Texts

Review ...

	Are these gifts, including prophecy, for today, or only for earliest days of church?

	Is the N.T. spiritual gift of prophecy equivalent to the O.T. office of prophet?

... ARE THERE NEW TESTAMENT COUNTERPARTS TO THE OLD TESTAMENT 
     PROPHETS, AND IF SO, WHO WERE THEY?

	Luke 6:13 Our Lord calls and appoints these men and calls them "apostles"

	Luke 11:47 He acknowledges O.T. opposition to the prophets and declares that their N.T. 
                               counterparts will be opposed as well 

	Luke 11:49 He calls the N.T. counterparts to the O.T. prophets "apostles"

	Romans 1:1-2 As Paul writes God's authoritative words in Romans he declares himself 
                                   an "apostle"

	II Corinthians 2:11-12 Those who are false WANT to be known as "apostles"

  	Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1 Paul writes authoritatively as an "apostle"

	I Peter 1 and 2 Peter likewise writes authoritatively as an "apostle"

... ARE THERE OTHER SCRIPTURES THAT DEMONSTRATE THAT N.T. 
     "PROPHECIES" OR "UTTERANCES" ARE NOT AUTHORITATIVE AS 
     SCRIPTURE?

	Acts 21:4 "... through the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem"

	I Thessalonians 5:19-21 DON'T quench the Spirit!  DON'T despise prophetic utterances! 
                                                    DO examine everything carefully and keep what is good!

* Prophetic "utterances" aren't biblically authoritative!  If so, Paul would have obeyed!

* Believers are to be actively engaged in coming to a conclusion about any prophetic utterance!

* There can be (will be) "prophetic utterances" that are NOT "good" and therefore should be rejected!

If we're confused about the NATURE and INTENDED USE of the New Testament spiritual gift of prophecy, we're going to find ourselves in trouble!

	I Corinthians 14:29-38

		Vs. 29 - Let two or three prophets speak and let others weigh what was said

* There are SOME that exercised this gifting enough that they were known as "prophets" (Though not in the same way as the O.T. prophets!)

* Their words AREN'T on a par with Scripture because they're to be weighed

* That one prophet can interrupt another indicates these are not "Thus saith the Lord" words

* None of these "gifted" Corinthian "prophets" spoke with authority like Paul

Do we believe that God's Spirit has given this (and other) gifts to build up the body and to enable all to express God's grace to the church?  Do we believe that the gift of prophecy can "edify, exhort, and console" other believers as the gifts are to do?  Can we refrain from swinging either to the extreme of "despising" this gift OR allowing it to supplant God's written Word or by uncritically accepting everything that looks "miraculous" as being from the Spirit?  Will we allow abuses to convince us to neglect this gift or are we willing to do the "hard work" of understanding the gift and making room for its biblical, God-honoring, and church-building (rather than church-destroying) intended purpose?

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