In  April 1992 we began Critical Issues Commentary. Issue 1 was about Binding and Loosing.  I recently found a printed copy of an article on the Corinthian Error that I wrote before CIC existed. We were able to recover that article and are blessed to publish it as Issue 141. The material in this article is as pertinent now, more than 30 years after it was first written. If anything, the advent of technology to instantly broadcast the false claims of the hyper-spiritual around the world accentuate the need to refute them.  In 1991, only highly funded ministries had access to such technology. This article, Spirituality and the Corinthian Error, shows that Paul’s rebuke of the false teachings which infiltrated the church in Corinth has often been twisted to promote what Paul rejected! This happens when ironic statements are taken as literal. We deal with signs and wonders, visions, false wisdom, claims of hyper-piety, new revelations, health and wealth teaching and others. This is the first time we have published this 1991 article. – Bob DeWaay

Spirituality and the Corinthian Error

Written in 1991

by Bob DeWaay

The Corinthian Error Today

"The Holy Spirit is revealing the deep things of God to the church in these end times. God has sent to the church special prophets and teachers who are so in tune with the Holy Spirit that God has been able to reveal to them His purpose for the church, which had been hid throughout church history until this time."

Enticing statements such as this commonly preface invitations to seminars or books on spirituality. Legitimately, Spirit-filled Christians hunger for a deeper walk with God. We long to better hear His voice and understand His ways. Occasionally we hear of a group which claims to have broken through to a new level of spirituality. What we may not realize, however, is that danger may lurk behind these offers of a higher spirituality.

I will seek to demonstrate this by using the problems in the Corinthian church and Paul's correction thereof as a pattern for comparison. Paul said he spoke "...God's wisdom in a mystery..." (1 Corinthians 2:7), what did he mean? Are there two or more categories of Christians? Are there levels of spirituality to be scaled by those who know the secrets? Do signs and wonders demonstrate the profundity of one's spiritual life? What does it really mean to be spiritual? The answers to these and other questions can be found by a careful study of Paul's controversy with the Corinthian church.

The church at Corinth prided itself in being spiritually progressed. They had spiritual manifestations and traced their spirituality to the teachings of certain leaders. Ironically, some of them felt that indeed they were more spiritual than Paul and were prone to not listen to him. This prompted Paul to "foolishly" (2 Corinthians 11:2, 16, 19; 12:11) engage in defending himself by lowering himself to their criteria (visions and revelations) for the sake of showing that even by such standards he was not found wanting in regard to his spirituality. Paul's preferred "boast" was in his "weaknesses" and distresses (2 Corinthians 11:21-30).

Continue reading the web version here: https://cicministry.org/commentary/issue141.htm

Download the PDF: https://cicministry.org/commentary/issue141.pdf