Line Upon Line

Paul gives clear direction for orderly corporate worship in the church at Corinth, addressing the proper use of tongues, prophecy, and the role of women. The two governing principles are edification and order, because God is not the author of confusion but of peace.

Continuing in 1 Corinthians 14, Pastor Miles teaches that while the gift of tongues is genuine and useful for personal prayer and praise, it must take a lesser position in the corporate gathering because love seeks the edification of the whole body. He works through verses 13-25, arguing that prophecy (intelligible speech) is "greater" in the assembly because it builds up believers and convicts unbelievers, whereas uninterpreted tongues only mark a sign of judgment.

Paul exhorts the Corinthians to pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially to seek prophecy above tongues in the corporate gathering, because prophecy edifies the whole body while uninterpreted tongues edify only the speaker. The teaching defines New Testament prophecy as God's already-revealed word spoken for edification, exhortation, and comfort—distinct from preaching and from the Old Testament prophetic office.

Paul concludes his teaching on love in 1 Corinthians 13:8 by showing that spiritual gifts are imperfect and temporary, while love endures forever. Christian maturity is not measured by spiritual giftedness but by Christlike love, which flows from faith and hope and remains the greatest of the divine triad.

Concluding his study of the characteristics of Christian love in 1 Corinthians 13, Pastor Miles examines the final attributes of verse 7—love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things, and never fails—and applies them with reference to the 2011 Norway terror attack to show what genuine Christian love looks like in daily life.

Continuing through 1 Corinthians 13, Pastor Miles teaches that love—not doctrine or spiritual gifts—is the fulfillment of God's law and the true mark of a disciple, then examines several characteristics of love: it keeps no record of wrongs, does not rejoice in iniquity, and rejoices in the truth.

Continuing his study of 1 Corinthians 13, Pastor Miles examines the first eight of fifteen characteristics of agape love in verses 4-7, showing that biblical love is active rather than merely emotional and is ultimately found perfectly only in Christ. He argues that patience, kindness, freedom from envy and boasting, humility, courtesy, selflessness, and self-control are the evidence of God's Spirit living through the believer.

Working from Hebrews 10:19-25, Pastor Miles shows how the insufficient old covenant sacrifices point to the once-for-all, sufficient sacrifice of Jesus, which gives believers bold access to God. He unfolds three "let us" exhortations—draw near in faith (justification), hold fast our hope (glorification), and consider one another in love (sanctified community)—as the mark of Christian maturity: faith, hope, and love.

Continuing in 1 Corinthians 12, Pastor Miles teaches that the church is a living body—an organism, not an organization—in which God sovereignly sets every member, gifts them, and establishes an ordained order of service. He explains the meaning of God "setting" believers in their place, addresses the diversity of gifts, the rightful desire for the most useful gifts, and the call to servant leadership, closing with the ordination of Jason Brower.

Drawing from Zechariah 7:8-14, this teaching examines God's call to His restored people to execute true justice, show mercy and compassion, and defend the defenseless—and the wrath that came when they hardened their hearts and refused to listen. Pastor Miles applies these characteristics of God's own nature to how believers are to relate to one another today.