What's The Church ?

Studying the gifts of the Spirit (charismata), it struck me long ago that we are exhorted to "...earnestly desire the greater gifts" (I Corinthian 12:31).  Paul explained a few verses later what he meant by a greater gift: "...greater is one who prophesies...so that the church may receive edifying" (I Corinthians 14:5).

In this context, relative "greatness" is nothing about the person to whom the Spirit gives a word of prophecy.  There are certainly some members of the congregation recognized as "prophets:" but Paul's "all may prophesy" (I Corinthians 14:31) may be open-ended, that the Spirit can give His word to anyone among the gathered Church.  That would certainly be consistent with the teaching that The Spirit Sovereignly ",,,distributes [charismata] to each one, just as he determines" (I Corinthians 12:11).

A charismata is "great" relative to its edifying ("building up") the Church, the Bride Jesus loved so much He gave His Life for her (Ephesians 5:25).  The "love chapter" (I Corinthians 13) is literally at the center of scripture's primary teaching on charismata i(n Chapters 12 and 14); and we manifest Jesus' love for the Church when we minister His Life-giving Spirit to build her up.

A charismatic understanding of the Church re-orders our operative view of the church.  It also fundamentally re-orders our view of each other...the Church...that any one of us may, at any time The Spirit chooses, speak out God's word of "...edification or exhortation or consolation" (I Corinthians 14:3).

Amen.