The Gift of Prophecy

[TK421]

When Paul is addressing the various spiritual gifts given to members of the church (1 Corinthians 12:28), one of them is the gift of prophecy. St. John the Baptist is said to be the last of the prophets, so how does this gift of prophecy continue to function in the Church?

 

[TimothyH]

When Paul is addressing the various spiritual gifts given to members of the church (1 Corinthians 12:28), one of them is the gift of prophecy. St. John the Baptist is said to be the last of the prophets, so how does this gift of prophecy continue to function in the Church?

St. John the Baptist is the last and greatest of the Old Testament prophets who prophesied about the Christ who was to come.

-Tim-

 

[Loving_disciple]

Well speaking from personal experience the gifts a prophecy doesn’t mean you are a prophet. A prophet is a life style in a sense while prophecy is saying whatever The Lord puts in your heart. In my case Jesus will give me things to say or knowledges that is to be used to better the church. Sometimes it is similar to knowing the future or what could possible happen.

 

[po18guy]

The gift of prophecy is used for the building up of the Church. All prophecy prior to the Incarnation, from the protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15 and onward, pointed in some way to Christ. All prophecy now points to Him via the building of His Church (1 Cor 14:12).

And, post-Messianic prophecy is not primarily about the future or future events. It is understood (even by the charismatic movement) as relating to encouragement of believers, the calling of believers to a deeper faith, and the occasional admonishment of those who are weak in faith.

Those who are predicting future events are oftentimes simply making things up or following a worldly spirit. For this reason, all charisms are subject to the Church (CCC 801).

 

[TimeToGrow]

When Paul is addressing the various spiritual gifts given to members of the church (1 Corinthians 12:28), one of them is the gift of prophecy. St. John the Baptist is said to be the last of the prophets, so how does this gift of prophecy continue to function in the Church?

 The NT Prophets would understand that Prophecy had a basic two part premises or nature. As the Church Grew they could see its fulfillment and basically track fulfillment by what was written. 
 The old testament prophecies and stories served another purpose that the Israelites couldn't see to properly interpret them.

 

[Beryllos]

The CCC has this to say about our role as prophet (the bold emphasis is mine):
785 “The holy People of God shares also in Christ’s prophetic office,” above all in the supernatural sense of faith that belongs to the whole People, lay and clergy, when it “unfailingly adheres to this faith… once for all delivered to the saints,” and when it deepens its understanding and becomes Christ’s witness in the midst of this world.

 

[COPLAND_3]

Well speaking from personal experience the gifts a prophecy doesn’t mean you are a prophet. A prophet is a life style in a sense while prophecy is saying whatever The Lord puts in your heart. In my case Jesus will give me things to say or knowledges that is to be used to better the church. Sometimes it is similar to knowing the future or what could possible happen.

Very good post, I believe this is the kind of answer that specifically targets the OP. There is a general function of prophecy for every layperson, and then there is the gift that not everyone has been gifted with, and that is to speak God’s word and proclaim it as admonishment, warnings, and encouragement to people who God guides the prophetic speaker to speak to. That is what the OT prophets did. And today a prophet is also hated as the OT prophets were because it usually ends up being that the audience gets their toes stepped on and their feathers ruffled. There are obvious distinctions between an OT prophet and a NT prophet because the OT prophet dealt with people under a different covenant and different circumstances.