HOME MEETINGS
Pray-reading: “And no one can say, Lord Jesus!, except in the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:3b)
First Corinthians 12:1 says, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Paul was very wise, and he was a great teacher who possessed a deep and particular way.
When he referred to the spiritual gifts, he began in this manner. In our version the word gifts is in italics. This indicates that this word is not in the Greek text. Paul used the adjectival form of pneuma, spiritual. This expression has bothered all the translators, yet almost all agree to translate it as “gifts.”
Verse 2 continues: “You know that when you were Gentiles, you were led away to mute idols, however you were led.” Paul was saying: “When you were Gentiles you had a certain kind of service. You had a certain kind of worship, which was of the idols. All idols are mute.
This means that when you were Gentiles you did not worship a God who speaks. You worshipped idols that do not speak, the mute idols. Therefore, you became mute. But when you worship the living God who speaks, by this worship you will begin to speak.” Paul referred to this speaking when he used spiritual words in verse 1.
Although it is not incorrect to insert the word gifts in verse 1, we must study the reason why Paul wrote only “spiritual.” He was not speaking merely of spiritual gifts. When we touch or exercise the spiritual gifts, we touch a spiritual sphere; we touch the spiritual things, not merely the gifts.
We touch a situation that is completely pneumatic, a situation that is totally spiritual. Not only the gifts, but the situation, the environment, the atmosphere, the sphere, the details, and the content are spiritual. I believe that Paul used the word spiritual to indicate all these things.
Each time we touch or exercise the spiritual gifts, it brings with it a certain environment, situation, or atmosphere. The environment, the situation, the atmosphere, and even the people — everything must be spiritual. We must be spiritual persons in order to exercise spiritual gifts.
The environment must be spiritual, the atmosphere must be spiritual, the situation must be spiritual, what we speak must be spiritual, what is spoken must be spiritual, and even all our terms and expressions must be spiritual.
Verses 2 and 3 show this. When we were Gentiles, we worshipped the mute idols. Nothing was rooted in the spiritual sphere. There was no need for any spiritual environment, spiritual situation, spiritual atmosphere, spiritual person, spiritual words, spiritual components, or spiritual details. We needed nothing spiritual because there was no speaking.
Having been born into a Christian home, I do not believe I have gone to an idol temple more than ten times. In 1935, together with some co-workers, we stayed in a picturesque place for two weeks, resting and studying the Word.
While we were studying there, I visited the idol temples. At that time I saw that the worship of idols was completely mute. From that day I understood Paul’s word. In that kind of mute worship there is no need for anything spiritual.
But we Christians worship a living God who speaks all the time. Our worship to Him makes us speakers. Those mute worshippers did not have a Bible because their god is not the God who speaks.
But we have a thick volume of sixty-six books. There are many pages because our God is the God who speaks. Hebrews 1:1–3 says that our God speaks. He spoke in the Old Testament and now He speaks in the New Testament. He is the God who speaks, and we Christians also must speak.
If you are only mute worshippers, you do not appear to be Christians. You do not practice as Christians; you practice as mute worshippers, worshipping mute idols.
First Corinthians 12:2 and 3 say: “You know that when you were Gentiles, you were led away to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, Jesus is accursed; and no one can say, Lord Jesus!, except in the Holy Spirit.”
Apparently the composition of these two verses is not logical, but if you enter the spiritual sphere, you will see that Paul is more than logical. In verse 2 it is said that the worship of idols makes people mute. But when you come to God, God makes you speak. Then you speak, and the principle is that each time you say, “Lord Jesus,” you are in the Spirit.
Once and again I have seen some seeking Christians calling on the Lord: “Lord Jesus, I love You, but I feel empty, Lord. I must be filled with the Spirit.” Immediately after this person prayed, some come to them asking: “Have you received the Spirit?” Most answered: “No, I don’t feel it.”
What would you say? The reason they said no is that they did not feel they had received the Spirit. But after reading verse 3, what would you say? You have called: “Lord Jesus, I love You!” Have you received the Spirit? Yes! How do you know? “Because the Bible says so.” Do not say, “Because I feel it.” Tell them that feelings are like the weather. They come and go and fluctuate. They are like the air, the clouds, and the snow. They come and go. Do not trust your feelings. You must trust the Word.
“No one can say Lord Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” Can you say: “Lord Jesus”? Try to say it from the deepest part of your being. “Lord Jesus!” Have you received the Spirit? “Yes, I have received Him.” How do you know? “Because the Bible says so.” Where does it say it? In 1 Corinthians 12:3.
For the practice of the home meetings, we must learn to say “Lord Jesus.” Some brothers advised me: “The visitors, the new ones, are not accustomed to our way. When they enter and see someone say ‘Lord Jesus!’, this frightens them.” If everyone says “Lord Jesus” in the spirit, the visitors may not agree with what we are saying; nevertheless, after listening, something will have impressed them inwardly.
They may leave, but they will leave with a certain impression. If you do not say, “Lord Jesus,” but are courteous, cultured, pleasant, the visitors will not be frightened. They may stay, but they will remain with an impression that is completely meaningless. What they will say is: “Well, the home meeting is very courteous, very pleasant, and all those people are so cultured.”
It is better to have a meeting shouting: “Oh, Lord Jesus,” and to frighten people with an impression of something. They will say: “I don’t understand what that was, yet they had something there. That kind of speaking affected me.”
🌿 Enjoy more:
Hymn: Praise to the Lord – “His Name”
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