1Co14

"Since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church." How important is building up the community of faith (the church) to you? Are you seeking to use your spiritual gifts to strengthen your church. If not, you are missing the purpose of spiritual gifts.

Most conversations about spiritual gifts are not oriented around building up others and the local church. Generally conversation about "gifts" are aimed at personal discovery and individual attention. Paul was clear that this kind of attention because of "gifts" was a distraction from the gospel, not an advancement of it.

The most desired gift for the church to have is prophecy. But what is that? From this chapter we can see that it is speaking in an understandable way the word(s) of God in order to edify, encourage and console the church. That is not generally how people speak about that gift. Usually someone who claims the gift of prophecy is generally wanting to speak authoritatively in a manner that is critical or judgmental. Clearly, that is missing the boat.

Paul used his words to build up God's people. We should use our words to do the same. Loving people means speaking in a manner that has God's purposes and other's best interest in mind.