“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.”

What about the remainder of the list of spiritual gifts itemized in this passage? Any study of the gifts must include all the delineations given in Scripture, but Paul does not include them all in this letter. If this is indeed an ordered list, then the apostles’ being first would contravene the apostles’ experience: “God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men” (1 Cor. 4:9, see also 4:13).

Yet the gift listed last, tongues, was the most prominent in Corinth, as evidenced by the space given it in 1 Corinthians 13:1 and chapter 14. The use of the words “first,” “second,” and so on lends support to the order of prominence or importance. Furthermore, the apostles and prophets are to be considered foundational gifts, as depicted in Ephesians 2:20. Teaching is the gift that builds on that foundation. Tongues is clearly downplayed in chapter 14.

Of the remaining gifts, there is a mix of miraculous (or sign) gifts and non-miraculous gifts. “Helps” and “administrations” are not usually argued and cause little controversy among Christians today. That leaves miracles, healings, and tongues, the usual ones for debate. Some say these gifts were done away with once the NT came to be written and confirmed, based on a given interpretation in the next chapter: “… if there are gifts ofprophecy, they will be done away; if there aretongues, they will cease; if there isknowledge, it will be done away” (1 Cor. 13:8). Others say this interpretation is strained and that Paul in his letter regulates to reduce the abuses, but in fact encourages them: “… desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues” (1 Cor. 14:39).

We agree that the Scripture does not explicitly teach that the sign gifts are done away with. Yet we also agree that they were given to confirm the truth of God—and to build up the body, not for personal edification (more about this later). Further, we assert that God is free to use any of the gifts at any time for His purposes—He is not limited by our interpretations. Finally, we propose that not all that is claimed to be the miraculous is in fact what the Bible teaches. Genuine miracles are indisputable and verifiable, not just based on third- or fourth-hand reports, amounting to Christian legends. Many suffer shipwreck, thinking they lacked faith to personally experience the miraculous, when really God was working in subtle ways that they could see if only they would believe.

Lord, help me not be distracted by the misuse of gifts and miss Your real work.