I’m having a problem understanding “prophesying.”<\/p>\n
In Romans 12:6 Paul said, “let us prophesy.”\u00a0 Is\u00a0I Corinthians 14:3-4 teaching that\u00a0during the days of the early church one form of prophesying was not in a “miraculous” sense but rather a “natural” ability\u00a0 (cf. Romans 12:4-6)?<\/p>\n\t
In Romans, Paul makes the point: “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function<\/em>” (Romans 12:4). He then lists out several gifts or abilities granted to people by God: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and mercy. Very quickly we notice that only the first gift is miraculous, the rest are what we would typically call natural abilities or opportunities.<\/p>\n Today we tend to define prophesy as predicting the future, but in the Bible, it referred to a person who spoke the words of God by inspiration. It is possible that Paul is using this word in a very broad way in regards to speaking the words of God (i.e. preaching), but if such was the case it is the only time that I know of it being used in that way.<\/p>\n When people think about gifts from God, most of us immediately latch on to the miraculous gifts. Paul even spoke of such gifts at length in I Corinthians 12 while making a similar point to what we find in Romans 12. But here in Romans 12, I think Paul is using one miraculous gift as a representation of all such gifts. After all, the list presented, like most lists, is not exhaustive but representative. If you are given a miraculous gift from God, it should be used to the fullest of your ability. “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership<\/em>” (I Timothy 4:14).<\/p>\n However, I think Paul is putting those miraculous gifts into perspective. It is only one part of the many gifts we receive from God. Those non-miraculous gifts are no less important. In fact, you could argue that they are more important because they will not end like the miraculous gifts. “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away<\/em>” (I Corinthians 13:8).<\/p>\n We refer to these gifts as natural abilities, but each one involves both skill and opportunity. A generous man can rarely display his ability if he never has enough to give. A leader cannot display his skills if there are few around to follow him. A merciful man can’t show mercy if no one becomes indebted to him. It is a gift of God when a person has both the ability and opportunity to use what God makes available. “As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor-this is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart<\/em>” (Ecclesiastes 5:19-20). In both the skill and the opportunity, each is a gift from God.<\/p>\n Hence, Paul is emphasizing that we are all different and those differences are advantages when used for the good of all. Gifts are not limited to just the miraculous, God makes us different in many ways and gives us each different opportunities. Romans 12 is a great place to counter the idea that we need miraculous gifts in order to serve each other and God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: I’m having a problem understanding “prophesying.” In Romans 12:6 Paul said, “let us prophesy.”\u00a0 Is\u00a0I Corinthians 14:3-4 teaching that\u00a0during the days of the early church one form of prophesying was not in a “miraculous” sense but rather a “natural” ability\u00a0 (cf. Romans 12:4-6)? Answer: In Romans, Paul makes the point: “For as we have…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[363,169],"class_list":["post-25109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-miracles","tag-prophecy"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45644,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-prophecy-always-involve-the-miraculous\/","url_meta":{"origin":25109,"position":0},"title":"Does “prophecy” always involve the miraculous?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I was wondering if you could tell me if there are any New Testament examples of \"prophesy\" or \"prophesying\" being uninspired? Our preacher said that whenever you see the word \"prophesy\" or \"prophesying\" is always referring to the miraculous or inspired. Are there any examples in the New Testament\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":34016,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/were-the-prayers-in-i-corinthians-11-referring-to-praying-in-an-unknown-tongue\/","url_meta":{"origin":25109,"position":1},"title":"Were the prayers in I Corinthians 11 referring to praying in an unknown tongue?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 10, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day, Regarding I Corinthians 11:3-16, where women commanded to cover their heads while praying and prophesying. Some argue that the prayer mentioned in that verse was a miraculous activity connected with prophecy. God talked to man through the Spirit. In I Corinthians 14:14, Paul mentioned praying with an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37362,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-kind-of-tongues-are-meant-in-i-corinthians-12\/","url_meta":{"origin":25109,"position":2},"title":"What Kind of Tongues Are Meant in I Corinthians 12?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 23, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Clem Thurman in\u00a0Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 47, Nov. 20, 2009. The apostle Paul writes of various \"gifts of the Holy Spirit\" in I Corinthians 12-14. Notice the reading in I Corinthians 12:7-11: \"But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. For to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/tongue-300x251.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1734,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/must-you-speak-in-tongues-to-have-the-holy-spirit\/","url_meta":{"origin":25109,"position":3},"title":"Must you speak in tongues to have the Holy Spirit?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 24, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it true, as most Pentecostals say, that if you do not speak in tongues, you do not have the Holy Spirit? Answer: \"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: ... There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":68065,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-god-not-give-us-an-equal-amount-of-faith\/","url_meta":{"origin":25109,"position":4},"title":"Does God not give us an equal amount of faith?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thanks for the excellent website. I hope and pray that it will continue for many years to come. My question is regarding: \"For by the grace given to me I bid every one among of not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":38247,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-difference-between-spiritual-gifts-and-miraculous-gifts\/","url_meta":{"origin":25109,"position":5},"title":"What is the difference between spiritual gifts and miraculous gifts?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Could you give me information that points to the differences between spiritual gifts and miraculous gifts? Answer: Spiritual gifts refer to the gifts given by the Holy Spirit. They usually refer to the miraculous gifts as explained in I Corinthians 12. These gifts were not given to every Christian\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25109"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25109\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}