Our Program Is The Common Grid Of Scripture

In this series of articles we are examining spiritual gifts. Now, if you want to understand spiritual gifts, then the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is extremely important and cannot be underestimated. The Spirit of God upon our lives and living through our hearts is what separates us from this world and makes us children of God (I Corinthians 2:12). The Spirit that raised Christ from the dead resides within our mortal bodies and makes us a temple of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11).

Now the experience of the Holy Spirit is real, but it's where we do have to be cautious because it can be very subjective, and we all experience that very personally. Paul never denies the reality of spiritual experience, but he consistently subjects it to theological and communal testing. We all have individual personalities and spiritual gifts that make us unique. Experience alone is never self-authentication in the New Testament. Spiritual experiences can be very subjective so let’s look at the difference between objective and subjective truth. In looking at objective truth and using the Bible I am going to call it sound doctrine. Objective truth is what I call foundational doctrine or our common grid as believers. Our program is the common grid of scripture.

Objective truth is not influenced by or based on a personal viewpoint since it relates to foundations.

I call objective truth the ABC’s of doctrine or the milk of the word as Hebrews 6:1-2 lays out which is the 6 foundational truths upon which our faith in Christ is supported. It is our common faith and objective truth that we should all find agreement around. Paul said in Ephesians 4:4-6 that: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” A simple math example would be that 1+1=2. This is true no matter how someone feels about math.

The apostolic fathers laid out a common grid for us all to plug into establishing us into a very objective truth based on the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, outpouring of the Spirt and second coming of Christ. Jesus is the prototype of the believer’s life, and the mission of his body is to live within the grid or body of objective truth clearly laid out in the New Covenant. Paul in II Timothy 1:13 said, “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me.” In Titus 1:9 he said, “hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine.” Sound doctrine refers to an established body of teaching shared by the churches.

If you look at I Corinthians chapter 3 what you will find is Paul is dealing with the cult of personality. In verse 4 he says they were dividing around factions when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?” Paul answers his own rhetorical question in verses 5-7 saying: “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” Paul then in verse 11 points us to Christ saying: “no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ”

It’s in I Corinthians 4:6 that Paul makes the statement “that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written.” The apostolic fathers established a grid; a plumbline or parameters centered on foundational doctrine. The word of God is the pillar of truth that holds the body of Christ together. Sound doctrine produces sound living and is like railroad tracks. Sound doctrine gives us structure, stability and keeps us safe. Sound doctrine is extremely important because it is the basis of our faith and conduct.

The living Christ who is the Spirit also illuminates, teaches and leads us, but never contradictory to the foundation.

The prophet Zechariah in 3:9 talks of a “stone with seven eyes.” You can’t separate the foundation of the word from the foundation of the Spirit and if you do then you are much more likely to trip, fall and be lost in the darkness. The Spirit is the glove that fits around the hand. The hand is the word that gives structure, and you can’t separate one from the other. Doctrine in the New Testament is public, communal, and transmissible – not private revelation.

Paul instructed us in 2 Timothy 2:15-17 to: “do your best to present yourselves to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Paul tells us the goal of all study and instruction in 1 Timothy 1:5 which is: “love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Simplicity is the main key to living the life of faith and godliness.

Christ centered living is learning to abide in Him, and it is our goal which should produce the fruit of the Spirit demonstrated through our character. In looking at spiritual gifts, character matters. You can operate in spiritual gifts and discredit all that you do because of bad character. It’s why Paul slid the love chapter of I Corinthians 13 in between his discussion about spiritual gifts because the Corinthians thought they could live immoral lives displaying defective character and say they were living for God.

You cannot separate the fruit of the Spirit from spiritual gifts because they come from the same source.

James said it this way in his epistle chapter 3:8-10: “No human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” It sounds like what Paul was saying to the Corinthians before he instructed them about operating in the Spirit’s manifestations. In chapter 12:3 Paul said: “no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, “Jesus is accursed!” He was telling us if we are moved by the Spirit then it should be demonstrated by the fruit of self-control.

The pagans had no control over the demons inspiring them, but those found in Christ should be demonstrating the love of Christ when being moved by the Spirit. We are moved by the Spirit but not driven nor overtaken. Demons take over people. The Spirit fills and empowers but produces godly fruit. Self-control is the fruit of the Spirit. A lack of self-control is the flesh and can move into demonic inspiration.

Paul in Ephesians 4:1-3 tells us about the vital issue of character before he gets into a discussion about spiritual gifts and our use of them. He says that we must “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” He then proceeds to tell us the only way to do it is “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

The only solution to taming the tongue and walking worthy of our calling is living the cruciform life dedicated to the cross. Our operational framework must always stay centered on Christ where we are washed by the blood, have our minds renewed by the word of God and are filled with the Spirit. We should never develop our spiritual gifts beyond the growing character of Christ in our lives.

The Bible is not validated by experience; experience is validated by the Bible.

The administration of our spiritual gifts is to be centered around the grid and parameters of Christ word. Scripture provides the canonical norm by which all experiences must be interpreted. In later chapters we will cover the scriptures concerning spiritual gifts and it cannot be overstated that the character of Christ should be wrapped in their presentation. You cannot say you are operating by the Spirit of Christ while living by the spirit of this age. The character traits of the Spirit are what separate the false from the true use of spiritual gifts.