Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 14
Even when they were in church, the Christians in Corinth were acting in a selfish manner. Paul taught them in a gentle manner. They were young Christians; they needed to learn many things.
That was why Paul taught them about love in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. The Christians in Corinth liked very much the things that the Holy Spirit was doing among them. However, the use of the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 had often caused arguments. Those arguments were not of course the result of God’s work; the arguments were the result of their own selfish attitudes. So, in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, Paul teaches them how to use the gifts of the Holy Spirit with an attitude of love.
Although there had been these troubles, Paul did not tell the Christians not to use the gifts of the Spirit. He did not even tell them that they should only use these gifts in private. Clearly, Paul believed that their gifts genuinely were from God. He told them that they should desire to see the Holy Spirit’s work in their own lives. They should allow the Holy Spirit to work in their church.
However, they must now do these things with an attitude of love. They should pray for gifts that they can use to help other people (14:2-5). They should pray that God will speak through them to benefit other Christians.
When a person is proud about anything, even about God’s gifts to him, that person soon becomes selfish. When a person desires to help other people, selfish attitudes soon disappear.
Next part: Use of the gift of tongues in prayer (1 Corinthians 14:2)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.