1 Corinthians 14:1 (KJV) Profit the Whole

1 Corinthians 14:1 (KJV)
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

Concerning spiritual gifts, the Apostle writes of three separate gifts and three responses Christian ought to have relating to them:

Pursue CharityNot love, but charity. This is a particular kind of love a Christian has for his church. I note that this is an active participation. We are to follow after this. We are to go for it. This is the only one of the three that every Christian can have because every Christian can work for it

Desire spiritual giftsThis is a passive case. We may desire certain spiritual gifts (speaking in tongues for instance, which is the issue being addressed) but we can’t work for them. They are gifts. They are given, not obtained by purchase or by effort.

Prefer that ye may prophesyJohn Gill reminds us that this is the forth telling of the Word of God and not the foretelling of new revelations. Much of what follows is a description of this prophesying and its benefits. Being itself a gift, it cannot be actively obtained. The Spirit gives it to one and not the other. In the church we can and should lift up the prophesying/preaching above the other spiritual gifts (especially tongues) because it is the one most profitable to the whole church.

To my readers:
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1 Corinthians 14:1 (KJV) Profit the Whole

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