Please Explain The Gift Of Prophecy

Please Explain The Gift Of Prophecy

Bro. Waddey:
Can you shed some light on the gift of prophesying and pursuing it as was advised by Paul to the Corinthian church (1 Cor 14:1ff). After reading the preceding chapter around about verses 8-13, it gives you something to consider : when did prophesying cease ? I need a proper explanation to further my discussions with members of the Seventh Day Adventist church.
-Levi

Dear Levi:
The gift of prophecy was a supernatural gift given to some members of congregations in the early days of the church, before the teachings of Christ had been recorded and preserved in book form.

Paul defines the meaning of the gift in I Corinthians 14:3. "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, and exhortation, and consolation." If you think about it this is exactly what a preacher does in his teaching. He edifies, exhorts and consoles those in his audience. The difference is the prophets of whom Paul spoke, having no New Testament in hand, were given their knowledge and understanding of what to say, by the Holy Spirit. Today a preacher has the message of Christ in hand and must study and prepare his lessons based on that study.

Supernatural gifts were received in two ways. The Apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit and this enabled them teach God's Word, fully and without error. Others received the various gift when an apostle laid his hands upon them (Acts 19:6).

In Corinth an ugly situation had develop as those who had the gift of speaking in foreign languages they had not studied, were demanding to stand before the church and speak. Of course no one could understand what they were saying. That gift was intended for missionary outreach to other nations. Evidently there was some unholy competition between those with the gift of tongues and the prophets.(14:1-9). Even among the prophets there was competition and confusion that Paul had to correct (14:31-33). Evidently there was a obviously lack of love between the competitors (I Cor. 13:1-2).

In I Corinthians 13:8-11 Paul explained that all the supernatural gifts were partial and temporary in nature. They were destined to cease when that perfect thing arrived. When he says "that which is perfect" he has reference to the finished revelation of Christ which would from that day forward guide the churches. The pronoun "that" is neuter in gender. It cannot refer to Christ for he would have a masculine pronoun. Nor can it refer to the church for she always receives a feminine pronoun. It refers to some perfect object, neither male or female in nature. The New Testament fills that role. It is indeed the perfect law of liberty in Christ (Jas. 1:25). When the final book was penned by John the Apostle and the various books were been circulated among the churches the gifts faded away as one by one those who had been so blessed died. By the middle of the second century the supernatural gifts were no longer found among the churches.

Sincerely,

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