An Exegetical Glimpse into the Pauline Usage of Charismata and Oikodomen in 1 Corinthians 12:1-7: A solution for Ecclesiastical Disunity in 21st Century
Gordon Fee opined that charismata does not necessarily refer to Spirit activity and when it does, it seems, in the opinion of Paul, to refer to specific visible ways in which the Spirit manifests himself in the believing community, granting them “gracious bestowments” to meet their various needs and thus to build them as the eschatological people of God.[9]
Spiritual gifts (charismata) constituted an important subject in the liturgy of the early church. The term charismata was used sparsely in secular work and it occurs only rarely before the New Testament era.[10] The implication of this is that, the expression of Holy Spirit and His gift in Old Testament era is scarce when compared to the New Testament era. This in turn implies that the Holy Spirit is sent after the ascension of Christ for the purpose of teaching and building the church.
There are many views as to whether the charismata are related to the ministry of the church or not. A view claims that charismata had ceased with the first generation of Christians in the early church while the second view maintains that the gifts are relevant to the today’s church ministry. One of the biblical support upon which the ceasationists argue their view is the 1 Corinthians 13. As explained by Adeyanju James, P.G Steve opined that the gifts of the Holy Spirit gradually began to disappear from the life of the church. They later ceased completely and gave way to what is better than them in the church now.[11] This view is not without its flaws and it is a parochial view of the promise of Jesus in sending the Comforter who will teach and guide the church of Christ. Besides, Holy Spirit is the hall mark of the church, it is on His presence that the church was found on the day of Pentecost. Suffice to say that the mark (seal of ownership) with which God place His authority and ownership on the church is Holy Spirit and this Holy Spirit is characterized by the expression of His Gifts (Charismata).
On the other hand, there is a view that the spiritual gifts are still relevant and present today. This is refer to as continualists’ theory. It argues that ceasationism is baseless and unbiblical. Tom Guy says that the spiritual gift are still available to the contemporary church as they were in the early church. This view is the most biblical and theological, from exegetical and objective perspective. First, according to Ferguson,[12] the claim that the gifts had ceased in the past would implies that there are two dispensations in which the gifts of God are given by God. He asserts that the NT knows only one age which is inaugurated by the Holy Spirits. Secondly, Charismatic movement have spread throughout the world, this worldwide expression of Holy Spirit in ministries of some people around the world, attest to the continual existence of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit who gives spiritual gifts is immutable, the gifts would continues to be available for the church until the Parousia.[13]
The view that the spiritual gifts have ceased can be said to be reactionary and it can quench the spirit. The spiritual gifts are still in existence and are relevant to the church today. However, the usage of these charismata (e.g word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, gift of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, discerning of spirit, tongues, interpretation of tongues and others) is to be accompanied by a great deal of orderliness and with the purpose of oikodomen, that is, building the body of Christ. If this is left out, what suppose to be a unifying factor can become a divisive factor, like the case of Corinthians church which Paul corrected in Corinthians 12. The practical applicability and relevancy of Pauline response to the contemporary church is noteworthy. To this we now turn.
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