Heavenly Visions

COVETING GIFTS

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

“BUT covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.” 1 Corinthians 12:31. There are persons who claim that this scripture teaches a better way for the church than to have the gifts of the Holy Spirit. At this instant I remember a character of this kind. Aug. 23, 1875, as the writer was passing from Prescott, Ark., to Oklahoma, he had to wait at Monett two hours for a train. During the delay two ministers of churches in that vicinity were engaged in conversation. One, with much earnestness, said: “I believe if the church was walking in the light, as it ought, all the gifts of the Spirit of God would be manifested in the church.” “Oh,” said the other minister, “I don’t WANT any of the gifts. Paul said, ‘Ye desire spiritual gifts, but I show you a better way.’ I desire the better way. I don’t want any of the gifts.” Neither of the ministers had a Bible before him; so the matter passed without correction. It was a query to the writer what the last speaker would do with Paul’s statement, when, after giving a whole chapter on the “more excellent way” of “charity,” he said, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts.” 1 Corinthians 14:1. HEVI 18.3

Boothroyd and some others translate 1 Corinthians 12:31, “Ye earnestly desire the best gifts; but yet I show unto you a more excellent way.” Boothroyd says on this, “The apostle knew they were very desirous of excelling in these wonderful gifts of the Spirit.” HEVI 18.4

What seems apparent from Paul’s instruction is this: instead of getting the mind fixed on some particular manifestation of the Spirit, and indulging a longing desire for that gift to be given, the apostle exhorts us to follow charity-earnest love to God and to our fellow men. Then “desire spiritual gifts;” not simply that some one particular gift of our choice may be given to us individually; but rather, that the gifts of the Spirit may be in the church just as it pleases him; and especially that the gift of prophecy may be manifested for the instruction and upbuilding of the church. This is indeed a better way than to “covet” some gift for ourselves, thinking what great things we would do if we only had such and such gifts. Rather, let us desire the Lord to give us the Holy Spirit, that his work may be carried on in us, with us, and by us, just as it pleases him, and not we ourselves seeking to mark on how the Spirit shall work when given. As expressed on page 14 of “Special Testimonies to Ministers and Workers,” No. 3: “It is not you that work the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit must work you.” HEVI 18.5

When people, like Theudas, of New Testament record (Acts 5:36), begin to boast of “themselves” as “somebody,” or earnestly cherish the thought of what great things they would do if they had such and such a gift of the Spirit, then beware lest Satan come in. Selfishness is one of the widest of open doors he finds to human hearts. HEVI 18.6

During the forty-six years of my connection with the third angel’s message, there have come under my observation a few persons who have risen up with a spurious gift of prophecy,-the result, in each case, of fondly cherishing the thought that it would be a fine thing to be an instrument through whom such a gift should be manifested. I have in mind three persons, who were all sure that they were prophets, and that the Lord had some “great work” for them to do. HEVI 18.7

In “Testimony for the church,” No.32, published in 1885, is found some statements in harmony with what has been taught all the way along: “Men and women will arise professing to have some new light or some new revelation, whose tendency is to unsettle faith in the old landmarks.”-Page 51. HEVI 18.8

Of such persons we read, in the same book, that they will try “to destroy the influence of the watchmen upon the walls of Zion,” and to make the people “believe that the leaders in this work are designing, dishonest men, engaged in deceiving the people.”-Id., pages 50, 46. HEVI 18.9

Let the Lord place the gifts in the church as it pleases him, without our dictating what particular gift we must have, individually. HEVI 19.1

Notwithstanding all Satan’s efforts to deceive and mislead the unwary, it is the Christian’s privilege to plead with God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and to covet the gifts of the Spirit for the church. So let us heed the often-repeated admonition: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” and let him use us just as the Father wills. The Review and Herald, May 2, 1899. HEVI 19.2