Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Dr. Jay A. Quine on 1st Corinthians 12:7


Jay Quine's  legal experience includes working as deputy prosecuting attorney and municipal court judge in Washington State. Dr. Jay A. Quine has also been in private legal practice focusing on business and corporate law and continues to provide consulting for religious and non-profit organizations concerning legal issues.

Dr. Jay A. Quine received his Masters in 1990 and Ph.D. in 1997 from the Dallas Theological Seminary; J. D. from the University of Idaho College of law in 1983 and his B. S. from Washington State University in 1980.

Marylyn worked as an assistant manager in an insurance office.  She worked hard, both in business and at home.  When she was first divorced, she was overwhelmed by the double duty as a single parent to raise her daughter alone.  SURVIVAL was all she could think about.  Every day was a struggle.  But when she started going to the church’s singles ministry she felt welcomed and supported as new friends reached out to help her. 

As she realized she wasn’t alone, her SURVIVAL mentality lessened.  She journeyed from a ME oriented person to feel like she belonged to a group.  As one of US, she soon volunteered in the church’s outreach events.  It wasn’t about mere survival anymore.  It was working with others to make a CONTRIBUTION. 

It didn’t take long for her to kindly suggest some improvements in the organization of the ministry.  Within a year she was the ministry’s lay director.  Under Marylyn’s leadership she and the other leaders began teaching seminars at church conferences on successful singles’ ministry platforms.  Her team volunteered their giftedness, experience and expertise even when it didn’t benefit them or their own local church ministry.  She found herself speaking to larger and larger groups about the ministry, and entertained going into full time ministry herself for the sake of training others.  She journeyed from ME to US to YOU.  She was a leading INFLUENCE in shaping the world.  By getting involved, she used her spiritual gifts, contributed to the needs of the body to equip those like her to change the world.  She matured in a way that could be seen and measured.

Not surprising then that the third purpose of spiritual gifts is SERVICE.  It is an aspect of maturity.  Service to others is clearly stated as an overall purpose in 1 Corinthians 12.

The Corinthian church was a troubled church—they did everything wrong.  They were full of zeal, but way off base.  They were allowing gross and public sin to continue unchecked; their leadership was divided; there were apparently two men who were once in a Christian business together, now suing each other; their worship service was chaotic, full of confusion, not reflecting the Character of God, and therefore not honoring to God.  It was a church speeding straight for a brick wall.  Before they splattered their spiritual life all over the road, Paul wrote to arrest them. 

Regarding the use of their spiritual gifts, he first confirms that they have received spiritual gifts, as have all Christians.  But then Paul gives an overall governing principle for the use of these gifts.  Two passages convey this same principle.

1 Corinthians 12:7
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

1 Corinthians 14:12
“Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the body.”

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