Teaching each other the gospel will strengthen the kingdom. (1 Corinthians 14-16)

Marci & Eric
Sep 6, 2023
10 min read

14:1

Is there a single quality that we should all be pursuing? Yes. It is charity. "Follow after charity..." We should be chasing the gift of charity. Are we seeing the world through the lens of charity? For me, a good questionnaire would be:

Do you see poor drivers as "idiots?" How do you respond?
Are you patient with others who are delivering poor customer service?
How do you handle other people who don't display basic common sense?
Are you willing to drop your plans when someone needs help? How easy is it to give up an afternoon nap and serve someone?
How do you handle your employees when they aren't performing according to clearly outlined expectations?
Does Marci's needs outweigh your own?
Do you deeply listen to people when they are talking?
Are you able to empathize well with someone who is struggling?
Are you always on the lookout for opportunities to bless others?
Could more of your time be outwardly focused rather than inwardly?
How willing are you to reach out to someone that you're prompted to call?

Your list may be different than mine. Make your own that can act as a personal inventory of how your charity levels are rising. To "follow after charity," I should be actively practicing and tracking progress. Reassessing myself through asking these questions regularly could be a good start.

This verse continues: "...and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." In this case, Paul is not telling readers to actually prophecy in the way that we attach to prophets. Here, Paul is simply talking about teaching others the gospel of Jesus Christ. He's talking about our ability to understand and expound on the scriptures. Being able to understand and teach the gospel is important. This is a key way that we strengthen others. This is the method for helping others come unto Christ.

14:4-5, 12, 19, 26

"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying." It appears that there were members who were really into speaking in tongues. Paul thought this was fine but encouraged them, rather, to speak in ways that are understandable.

When we teach clearly, it edifies the church. If every member is interested and able to edify other church members, how great would this church be? "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." If we all looked to inspire each other through some point of doctrine in our interactions, we'd be a much stronger congregation.

Being able to teach the gospel is one of the greatest gifts that can be given. "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church." Essentially, this is what Paul was doing with his letters. He was using words to teach, correct and edify.

Paul was able to speak in tongues and he was grateful for that ability. "I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all." However, he valued his ability to teach much more than his ability to speak in tongues. "Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." The key is to speak in a way that is understandable. Most of us don't speak in tongues at church. We aren't speaking different languages at each other. However, we may be attempting to seem deep and intelligent by using words and phrases that the average person cannot understand. We may insist on teaching principles that are unknown or speculation. Instead, we should speak basically, in a way that is easily understood by the weakest of saints.

14:33, 40

Church is not meant to be a place to be confused. We aren't supposed to hear people talk at a level that is beyond what we can begin to understand. Thankfully, the gospel is very simple and easy to understand. God wants it that way. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." Confusion doesn't bring peace. Understanding and seeing reality clearly is what brings peace to our souls. "Let all things be done decently and in order."

15:2

"By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you." How do we keep principles in our memory? I have a terrible memory? We had a General Authority come speak in our stake last week and I can't tell you what he said. It's very sad that my brain works this way. So, am I not able to be saved because I can't remember what people preach to me?

I think this is about having the gospel in front of us most of the time. Studying the scriptures regularly is key. The scriptures cover the same basic principles from various angles. We are able to read about faith and repentance and the Spirit from different perspectives. Our understand can grow and deepen. The principles can become a part of us. This has happened for me. By studying regularly, I am able to understand principles deeply and can call upon that knowledge when needed.

Salvation isn't about memory. Salvation is about making good choices based on the gospel. Every gospel principle is reinforced when we follow what we learn. What we learn isn't only embedded in our memory, it impacts us again and again as we become a stronger and stronger disciple of Christ.

15:10

What makes a man great? I think there are always to two components to every truly great, spiritual man:

Submitting truly to God's will and being valiant. A great man makes good, selfless choices over and over again.
The grace of God. None of us can muster the willpower and intelligence to progress to become like the Savior. The ability to be a disciple comes mainly from the grace of God. Truly, our salvation is a gift of grace!

Paul is illustrating this in verse 10. "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." He's saying that who he has become is by the grace of God. He does say that he has labored more abundantly than the other apostles but reminds us that even that labor is a gift of grace.

None of us that experience spiritual success should pat ourselves on the back and consider ourselves great. If we could see reality clearly, we would truly understand that our greatness was built on the grace freely given by our Heavenly Father. We are standing on the top of a giant hill of mercy and gifts and providence and opened doors and subdued opposition and god-given talents.

15:29

This verse is used by many missionaries. It is used to argue the point that temple work is of God. We are supposed to do work for the dead, including baptisms. Paul's letter references baptisms for the dead. "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" He was actually arguing the principle of the resurrection using the ordinance of baptisms for the dead. He's asking why we are baptized for the dead if there isn't a resurrection. It reinforces that we are the restored gospel that we are the only religion on earth that performs baptisms for the dead.

15:30

Paul also argues that there is a resurrection by asking this question. "And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?" He is making the point that it would be ridiculous for him to put his life in constant jeopardy if there was no resurrection. If we just simply end when we die, all of this preaching and risk would be futile. Instead, it would be "eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die."

Our knowledge of the next life should guide our behavior the same way that it did Paul. We know there is a resurrection. We know that we will inherit a degree of glory based on the mercy and grace of God and the choices we make - including the choice to continue to progress.

Knowing all of this should place our weekly plans in perspective. Knowing this should impact how we talk with our friends. Knowing this should guide what we watch and how we entertain ourselves. Knowing this should impact how much we want to serve.

We aren't putting our lives in jeopardy by living this gospel. But we are asked to minister effectively and be valiant in our callings and develop charity, etc. The perspective we have (the same one that Paul had) should be making us willing to do all that we can to gather Israel.

15:33

Pauls gives some good advice about who we hang around. "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." The New Inspired Version is helpful with this verse. "Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character." If you take a good person and put him with a rebellious group of friends, he will likely settle to their level.

It is so important to surround ourselves with those who understand the purpose of life. We should choose friends who are uplifting. Our friends should be allies in our mission to become like Jesus Christ. We have some great friends in our ward. A few nights ago, we were with them and the parents needed to run an errand. Before they left, they challenged us to share some thoughts about charity with their two daughters. They asked the girls to share a scripture with us. HOW GREAT IS THAT? We ended up having a meaningful conversation with these two young women that uplifted all of us. When the parents returned, we kneeled together for a prayer. It was a beautiful evening. We left six inches above the ground! These are the kinds of friends who will help us be better disciples of Christ. We should all seek after friends like that.

15:50-4

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." In our current state, we cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We are corruptible flesh. All of the hard work and effort and obedience that we can muster will NEVER get us into the kingdom of God independent of the merciful transformation that will occur to each of us.

Death temporarily separates our bodies from our spirits. For many, it is going to be an awesome release. Those who were suffering will not suffer any longer. There won't be pain and hunger and mental or physical handicaps. Spirits do not have deformations or missing chromosomes. Our spirits are borne of perfect parents.

However, we will begin to miss our bodies. We will long for the sensations and power that come from possessing physical bodies. We will look forward to the day when we will be reunited with our bodies. Except, now, those bodies will be incorruptible. We will all be victorious over death. That victory was won by a single person, Jesus Christ.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." There is no fear of death for the righteous. The sting of death, the fear of death, comes from dying without making good choices in our mortal probation. Rebellious souls fear death. To rebel is to go against what you know to be true. If we waste our time in this life, and know we are wasting our time, we fear death. We want our lives extended in the hope that we will eventually repent and get back on track. An early death inspires fear in those who are procrastinating their repentance.

However, if we are continually repenting, we don't fear death. We desire to follow Jesus. We are WILLING to take his name upon us and remember him and be obedient. The imperfect need not fear death - everyone who has died (except one) has died an imperfect man. There should be no fear for a repentant person at death's door. Death can have no sting.

We can confidently die through faith in the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. We can face our death with courage and enthusiasm as we progress to the next stage of our existence. If we desire to progress, we won't ever be damned. If we lose that desire to progress, damnation begins that instant. We can choose to be saved. The good news of the gospel is that, if we make the right choice, salvation is ours through Jesus. Paul says is well. "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

16:13-14

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." There are four directions as Paul is ending this letter to the Corinthians. Let's look at each.

"Watch ye." Be on the lookout. There is an enemy who is attempting to pull us down to hell. We are in a battle. We cannot be asleep. Everyone must put their spiritual armor on daily.
"Stand fast in the faith." We shouldn't give up ground. We should be immovable. Our feet should be planted. Our faith should be what strengthens and guides us through whatever trial we experience.
"Quit you like men." This is an interesting phrase that simply means "be men." We need to be mature souls. We need to take our covenants seriously. We are responsible. We are committed. We are men of our word. Our hearts shouldn't fail us.
"Be strong." We are not simply to hold ground. We are to gather Israel. We strengthen ourselves through actively practicing our religion. We aren't just asleep but are proactive in building our spiritual strength.

Having said all of that, Paul reminds them that this work should be done with love and kindness. "Let all your things be done with charity." There is never an excuse to be unkind to anyone. The urgency of the fight does not trump showing love for each other. We can fight against Satan and develop charity for our fellow men and women who are in the same fight. Sometimes, when men are anxiously engaged in work or a struggle, they can become abrupt and even rude to others. We should be men who are fighting vigorously and having charity woven into all of our actions.

Christ was the ultimate example of this. There were many examples of him being in pressure situations but always showing concern and love for those around him. Whether it was encouraging his apostles to "sleep on" when it was clear they couldn't stay awake to support him in his greatest hour of need or telling his apostles "peace be unto you" the night before his crucifixion or being considerate of his mother while he was hanging on the cross. Truly, all things that he did were "done with charity."