1 Corinthians 4:19-20 may be the most important of the neglected texts on spirituality:
"I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and will find out not the [God] talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God depends not on [God] talk but on power."
Notice what Paul does not say; he does not say that kingdom of God depends on faith and love, but rather on demonstrable Spirit power. He treats correct God talk (theology) as the relative booby prize that offers just enough spirituality to inoculate one against the real thing--the spiritual experience of divine power.
Paul does not articulate here the parameters of this experience of power. But elsewhere he makes it clear that this experience is evidentially demonstrable:
"My speech and my [Gospel] proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)."
The supernaturally demonstrable nature of this experience suggests that it cannot be limited to inner assurance of salvation, the fruit of the Spirit, or transformed lives. Rather, it includes clearly miraculous experiences of power:
"Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing? Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the Law or by your believing what you heard (Galatians 3:3-5)?"
The model provided by the Book of Acts suggests that speaking in tongues and ecstatic prophesying are at least included as intended demonstrations of Spirit power. But we must not infer from the experiential pattern in Acts that speaking in tongues is a necessary condition for claiming Spirit baptism. Precise delineation of this Spirit power is impossible due to the many ways the Spirit can perform demonstrable "miracles."
The uncertain parameters of this experience of Spirit power has led to a watering down of the Spirit's role in experientially initiating the seeker into the life of faith and thus a watering down of the supernatural implications of Jesus' promise in John 14:12-13):
"Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
Jesus' promise here means much more than the Spirit's role in Gentile conversions.
So much of the modern Pentecostal/ Charismatic movement is hampered by an unwillingness to subject their manifestations (especially messages in tongues) to the gift of spiritual discernment that I doubt that this movement as a whole fulfills Paul's vision of life in the Spirit. I say this as someone raised in Pentecostalism, who has experienced most of the gifts of the Spirit. A proper understanding of Paul's vision as evidenced in the quoted texts is in my view a key to the possibility of a massive revival that the world desperately needs.
"I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and will find out not the [God] talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God depends not on [God] talk but on power."
Notice what Paul does not say; he does not say that kingdom of God depends on faith and love, but rather on demonstrable Spirit power. He treats correct God talk (theology) as the relative booby prize that offers just enough spirituality to inoculate one against the real thing--the spiritual experience of divine power.
Paul does not articulate here the parameters of this experience of power. But elsewhere he makes it clear that this experience is evidentially demonstrable:
"My speech and my [Gospel] proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on power (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)."
The supernaturally demonstrable nature of this experience suggests that it cannot be limited to inner assurance of salvation, the fruit of the Spirit, or transformed lives. Rather, it includes clearly miraculous experiences of power:
"Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing? Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the Law or by your believing what you heard (Galatians 3:3-5)?"
The model provided by the Book of Acts suggests that speaking in tongues and ecstatic prophesying are at least included as intended demonstrations of Spirit power. But we must not infer from the experiential pattern in Acts that speaking in tongues is a necessary condition for claiming Spirit baptism. Precise delineation of this Spirit power is impossible due to the many ways the Spirit can perform demonstrable "miracles."
The uncertain parameters of this experience of Spirit power has led to a watering down of the Spirit's role in experientially initiating the seeker into the life of faith and thus a watering down of the supernatural implications of Jesus' promise in John 14:12-13):
"Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
Jesus' promise here means much more than the Spirit's role in Gentile conversions.
So much of the modern Pentecostal/ Charismatic movement is hampered by an unwillingness to subject their manifestations (especially messages in tongues) to the gift of spiritual discernment that I doubt that this movement as a whole fulfills Paul's vision of life in the Spirit. I say this as someone raised in Pentecostalism, who has experienced most of the gifts of the Spirit. A proper understanding of Paul's vision as evidenced in the quoted texts is in my view a key to the possibility of a massive revival that the world desperately needs.
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