The
First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Church at Corinth
Chapter
14:12
12
Even so, forasmuch as ye covet spiritual gifts, seek that ye may
excel unto the edifying of the Church.
Brethren:
In
all gifts of the Holy Spirit, those which lift up others are the best
to seek after. In particular, our speech. Recall if you will the
words of the Apostle James, on the role of the tongue, and how it is
used, both for blessing and for cursing, and how he admonishes us,
that it should not be for the latter, but always for the former.
Likewise, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, had also said that what
proceeds out of the mouth, are the issues of the heart.
(Read
Matthew 6:21, 12:34-35, 15:18-19; James 3:10)
Henceforth,
friends, seek you, all things that edify and lift up those that hear
your words and all deeds that you do during your day.
“‘If
spiritual gifts,” says he, ‘delight you’, let the end be
edification. Then only may you reckon, that you have attained an
excellence that is true and praiseworthy; when the Church receives
advantage from you. Paul, however, does not hereby give permission to
any one to cherish an ambition to excel, even to the benefit of the
Church, but by correcting the fault, he shows how far short they come
of what they are in pursuit of, and at the same time lets them know
who they are that should be most highly esteemed. He would have a man
to be held in higher estimation, in proportion as he devotes himself
with eagerness to promote edification. In the meantime, it is our
part to have this one object in view; that the Lord may be exalted,
and that his kingdom may be, from day to day, enlarged.”
John
Calvin
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