The Gift of Prophecy

Bible Study

I Corinthians 12:10b ESV

The Apostle Paul also wrote to the church in Corinth about the gift of prophecy.

I Corinthians 12:10b tells us, Give “to another prophecy.”

Years and years ago unbeknownst to me I was drawn into a discussion about the gifts of the Spirit and which gifts are given to us today.

I was young and was  terribly confused so I did what I always did and I went to my dad. I told him both arguments I heard were from different Christian friends.

Some said gifts a b and c were still given out by God.

Others said gifts d e and f were still given out by God.

My dad laughed and then he looked at me in the way he did when he meant business and he asked me, “is it in the Bible?”

Well…says I “yes” but…

Then he stopped me and asked, “is it in the Bible?”

I answered, “yea…but…”

He held up his hand…”IS it in the Bible?”

I answered, “yes”. Then I was expecting him to ask me to show him chapter and verse where it was in the Bible. One of the gifts being disputed was prophecy. I knew that was listed in I Corinthians somewhere but I didn’t remember exactly where.

He smiled and he said…yes I’ve read it and I know that is listed as one of the gifts. He went on to say I didn’t need to be specific or find the verse. He told me his point was that if it’s listed in the Holy Bible as one of the gifts it is still a gift now.

I asked him if all the gifts in the Bible are still active and he smiled and said, “yes, prophecy is still a gift.”

Many years later in Seminary we studied various schools of thought related to the gifts.

Today Continuists believe the gifts listed in the Bible are all given by God and are active today. That told me my dad was a continuist.

Cessationists believe many of the gifts ceased to be available after the last Apostle died. There are some gifts, teaching, mercy, and giving that are universally accepted as still being given and used today. But cessarionists believe other gifts ceased to be active after the last apostle died.

Since that initial discussion with my dad and long after he went to be with the Lord, I have been part of many discussions about the use of gifts today.

It’s no surprise that I still go back and remember my dad’s response. That’s partially because of my dad’s question and partially because years later Seminary was much more than studying about scripture. It was also about preparing Pastors and Spiritual Directors for the knowledge needed to serve.

We had to struggle and pray, struggle and pray, and continuously struggle and pray to establish what we believe. Through four extensive classes of Systematic Theology we had to study and pray so we would establish our own school of thought about an entire list of subjects.

Yes…there were many many books written by genius theologians that we had to read in addition to scripture. We studied various schools of thought.

Then we were encouraged to pray and listen to God to establish what we believe.

We had to read the ancient languages. I had already been introduced to Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament and I had already had a working knowledge of how to understand the Greek. So, I decided to take Biblical Hebrew and learn the language of the Old Testament. After four intensive courses of Hebrew, I had a basic knowledge about how to use tools to navigate through the Old Testament text.

That was just the beginning.

Since that time I continue to study the text in the original language. I don’t have it memorized, but I know how to study it.

I came to a point of belief that because the original text does not specifically say there are gifts that will cease, all the gifts listed in scripture are available to us today.

The other part of my rational is based on knowing true believers today that have been given those  Spiritual Gifts today. They use those gifts well and have testified the presence of the Holy Spirit is alive and well. One of those gifts in question is the gift of prophesy.

I personally knew a man who had the gift of prophesy. He was a construction worker who had an eight grade education but when the Spirit came upon him, he told of things to come. The Spirit was speaking to him and through him.

The next time someone questions the availability of the gifts today, pray about it and ask the Spirit to teach you truth.

In God…through the Spirit,

Deborah

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