Speaking to Edify

I have decided that I really like Paul’s way of speaking. I especially like how he is always talking about doing things by the Spirit. we should teach by the Spirit, serve by the Spirit, and listen to the Spirit in all things.  Sometimes, though, I find myself unsure of how what he say applies to me. This was a struggle for me as I worked through 1 Corinthians. Yet, there were also times where what he said couldn’t be more clearer. I especially felt this way while reading 1 Corinthians 14. This chapter just made so much sense to me.

In chapter 14, Paul goes on to talk about the difference between edifying and speaking in tongues. There were a couple things that came to my mind while I was reading this section. First, I thought about how important it is to keep the lessons and thoughts that we share when teaching simple. Paul said, “So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?” (1 Cor 14:9) This scripture had me reflecting on my calling as a teacher for the women in my ward. As a teacher, I am not supposed to discover hidden, unrevealed truths. I am supposed to teach the gospel, in its simplicity by the Spirit. I am supposed to speak so that those that hear me are able to feel the Spirit and understand the gospel.

This scripture by Paul also had my thinking: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret” (1 Cor 14:27). It reminded of my time living abroad in a country, and attending church, while not being able to speak the language at all. For about a year, my family lived in South Korea. We knew no Korean upon arriving and only slightly more upon leaving. We lived in the area for long enough that we had to speak twice. It was intimidating at first because, even though the congregation was small, no one understood us and we didn’t understand them. The missionaries stepped up to translate our talks for us each time we spoke. I understood at the time that we were part of the congregation, despite the language barrier, and that it was important for us to share what the Spirit spoke to us.

This same experience in Korea also taught me the reverse side of this principle: “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?” (1 Cor 14:23). While we didn’t think that the congregation was “mad” not having each of the meeting interpreted for us definitely made it hard for us to understand what was being taught and for us to feel the Spirit behind the speaker’s words. We could feel the Spirit but it was diminished because of our lack of understanding. Both of these were neat experiences and demonstrated exactly what Paul was trying to teach, that words should be in languages and words understandable to those that are present.

This post may seem like just a bunch of self-reflection but I intend it to be more than that. I hope that through my experiences, others can see the importance of speaking in ways that are understood by those that are being preached to. Paul taught “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church” (1 Cor 14:4). It would serve us well to remember this. If our goal is to spread the Word and to help others unto salvation, it would serve us and them best if we do so in ways that all are edified.

Testimony

One of my favorite passages of scripture is in Acts 17 verses 23-33. This is commonly known as Paul’s declaration of the unknown god.  I include it now because I feel that my discussion of the verses loses some of the beauty in his words.

“23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

 29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

 31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

 32 ¶And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

 33 So Paul departed from among them.”

As Paul is in Athens, he sees people on a hill worshipping a statue with the inscription, “TO THE UNKNOWN GOD”. He then gives them a beautiful testimony of who God is. This testimony speaks to the creation of the world, the divinity of each of us and the love the He has for us, His call to repentance and the resurrection of the Savior. It is simple in its message and pure in spirit.

How do our testimonies measure up to this? When we share the Gospel, how do we witness of Christ or the Father? I can’t help but feel that we can each put a greater focus on the truth in the gospel instead of our interpretation of it. Are we sharing the Truth or what we feel is right? Maybe we need to share our testimonies more.

I know that I want to speak with Paul and declare that God created us and knows us. He asks nothing of us except that we do the things necessary that we may see Him again. We are His children; He is the father of our spirits. Just as an earthly father would not leave his children, He will not leave us. We may not always understand what he asks of us but He will always guide us.

Just as those who heard Paul had the choice to mock him or to listen to the spirit, so do you and so do all of those that hear your testimony. 

Just know that I KNOW these things. I do not doubt them.

We Are More Than Our Mistakes

Who are you? How would you describe yourself? When you talk about yourself to others, what do you say?

Too often we are defined by our mistakes, by ourselves and others. We are guilty of labeling others as well. He is an addict. She can't control her anger. They can't hold down jobs. Are these mistakes really who we are? Are they the sum of us?

One of the acts that Peter, the Apostle and Prophet, is best known for is his denial of Christ on the night of His betrayal. Is that all that he is, a follower turned faithless man? Obviously not! Would Christ later have trusted Peter with the welfare of His church as well as with all of the keys of the kingdom if that were all he was? Unfortunately, who Peter was gets lost in his moment of wavering commitment to the defense of his Master.

Peter's life was filled with faith. He walked on water on faith. He jumped to Christ's defense in the Garden of Gethsemane, slicing off the ear of a guard. He was among the first to visit the sepulchre on the morning of the resurrection. He led the Church, growing and strengthening it through his ministry and up to his martyrdom. He served in the face of adversity and death, never regretting his decision. Peter was more than his mistake.

Am I?

Are you?

We are children of our Father. We have the potential to be as He is. We have the power to overcome our mistakes and to learn from them. These mistakes may not define us but they do provide opportunities to humble ourselves and to repent. They provide us with the motivation to change and to become better than we are. Like Peter, we must act on faith, doing what we know to be right and following the Lord's example. Our mistakes are in our past and our future is spread ahead of us. It’s up to us to be more than our mistakes.