I need to write some lessons learned from I Corinthians, but first a bit of whimsy with a point: are we aware of how much of the scripture we eagerly embrace versus how much we ignore? Chapters 11 – 14 are filled with things we just never talk about. For example:

• How many of our churches require women to cover their heads? (1 Corinthians 11.1 – 16)
• How many of us believe that EACH of us is given a manifestation of the Spirit? (1 Corinthians 12.4 – 7)
• Which of these manifestations from 12.8 – 10 is yours?
  • Word of wisdom
  • Word of knowledge
  • Faith
  • Healing
  • Miracles
  • Prophecy
  • Discerning spirits
  • Tongues
  • Interpretation of tongues

• Do any of our churches practice the form of gathering described in chapter 14? 

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. (1 Corinthians 14.26 – 33, ESV)

• Some of our traditions don’t require the women’s head covering of chapter 11, ignore all the manifestations of the Spirit in chapters 12 and 14, would never dream of a spontaneous Spirit-led gathering, yet strictly hold to women being silent in the church, in part because of the very next two verses in 1 Corinthians 14.

The women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Corinthians 14.34, 35, ESV)

• And some of the traditions that do exercise gifts of prophecy and tongues have had women preachers for decades!

Go figure. “The Bible says it; I believe it; that settles it!” Really?

• Can we exercise humility because none of us understands and practices all of it?
• Can we cut each other some slack for the same reason? 

In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity. – often attributed to John Wesley but first written in the early 1600s by Rupertus Meldinius, an otherwise unknown Lutheran theologian. (It’s not inspired scripture, but it’s not a bad practice!)

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls… (Romans 14.4, LSB)