The most important use of spiritual gifts is for the benefit of others.

Spiritual gifts should be all about Jesus … what he has accomplished in his death and resurrection … the greatest gift of all. In their use however there have been not only good experiences but also some bad ones. In this passage the first gift mentioned is prophecy (forthtelling prophecy or what is more commonly called preaching). The second one is tongues (heavenly/ ‘angelic’ language or ordinary ‘earthly’ language).

Prophecy is to be preferred among the gifts because through it the church is built up and unbelievers are saved. Because a preference for one particular gift is good is not to say that all other gifts are bad. Prophecy, however, has the potential to build up the whole church. The reason for the writer’s comments about the problem with tongues is that they had taken priority in Corinth and no one could interpret them. This is why people who have this gift are encouraged to use it in private. The language of the church should never be ‘tribal’.