It's an election year. Predictions and emotions abound in terms of what November's outcome will be. Although a plethora of predictive prophetic messages can be found regarding the election, such messages don’t interest me much. Here are three reasons why: The main purpose of the gift of prophecy is to strengthen, encourage, and comfort Christians as they face trials and difficulties together (1 Cor. 14:3). The main job description of a prophet is to equip followers of Jesus for ministry and help them unite and mature (Eph. 4:11). Predictions of the future are not a main theme Continue Reading
Does the Apostle Paul Tell Women to be Silent in Church?
There's a puzzling passage of Scripture in 1 Corinthians 14:33b-36 which may have caught your attention and raised some questions. Right after instructions regarding the use of spiritual gifts in church gatherings, the text says: “Like in all the churches of God’s people, the women should be quiet during the meeting. They are not allowed to talk. Instead, they need to get under control, just as the law says. If they want to learn something, they should ask their husbands at home. It is disgraceful for a woman to talk during the meeting.”[i] What does Paul mean by this sudden Continue Reading
What Did Paul Mean by “Word of Knowledge?”
In most books about the gift of prophecy, you’ll run across the term “word of knowledge,” followed by stories of people receiving detailed information from the Holy Spirit they would not have otherwise known. But what did Paul mean by this term? In 1 Corinthians 12:8, Paul lists “word of wisdom” and “word of knowledge” among the spiritual gifts distributed by the Spirit. He neither defines the terms nor uses them elsewhere, and may have coined them spontaneously.[i] Modern Pentecostals and Charismatics have understood these terms to mean divinely revealed insight into the how and Continue Reading
What Shall We Make of Paul’s Teachings on Head Coverings? (Part 2)
What does 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 tell us about male/female relationships? Is Paul concerned with male headship in this passage? Using a literary device called a chiasm, Paul argues from the creation account in verses 7-12.[i] While it is often assumed Paul is explaining how male headship came about, he is in fact talking about a man’s relationship to God. Plus, Paul's emphasis is not on man being God’s image, but on being God’s glory, a word not found at all in the Genesis account. Nothing in this text refers to its introductory statement, which makes the view that male headship Continue Reading