In this sermon in the series, “Corinthians,’ Paul begins to address the Corinthian church on their misuse of spiritual gifts. One of the most popular gifts that were used in the church was the gift of tongues. Paul explains that not only are they exercising their spiritual gifts without love, but they are selfishly using them, and therefore misusing them.

Paul explains that there are three principles of spiritual gifts: edification, understanding, and order. Edification is the building up of the body of Christ. As Christians, we should be using our spiritual gifts within the church to glorify God and to build the church up. In order for us to properly do that, we must pair our gift with love. The principle of understanding shows us that in order for our gifts to build up the church, those who we are using it around, must be able to understand what we are teaching them through our gifts. If there is no understanding, we cannot expect them to receive our message and grow in Christ. Last, the principle of order shows us that our gifts should be used in order with the rest of the church and other gifts. Each of us has a place and a special gift from God, we are to use it the way God has designed us to use it, in the order that God has designed us to use it in.