Talk:1 Cor 12:1-14:40

Verses 13:6-10

Joe, super interesting post. A couple of questions:

• are you aware of some LDS theology of prophecies that would conflict with what you are saying? If so, I would take that as a good reason to reject this view of prophecies. However, I am not aware of that. Is what you mean by LDS theology a view most members have about prophecies? Though I agree that most members may say that prophecies do not fail if you ask them point blank, if you explain it in the way you are here, I think most members would agree that prophecies do fail. For example, I think most people would agree that promises in a patriarchal blessings (prophecies as you are using the word here) are contingent on faithfulness/obedience. If we are unfaithful or disobedient they may not come to pass. And, once you accept that, I don't think most members would have difficulty accepting the corallary (is that the right word?) that a prophecy of destruction can be averted by faithfulness and obedience. Many such prophecies make their contingent nature explicit, but for those that don't I think most would agree it is implicit.
• I do get the idea from this scripture that a prophecy can fail. And I agree with your overall point that when a prophecy of destruction fails it fails due to charity. And I also agree that the Book of Jonah is a good example of such. However, I don't agree with this statement:

Paul here provides much the same reasoning for the failure of prophecy: as Jonah 4:2 suggests, prophecies fail when they are motivated by charity

what in this text suggest that Paul attributes failure to charity? would you also say that Paul is saying tongues cease because of charity? that knowledge vanishes away because of charity? To me it seems that Paul is contrasting a characteristic of charity (that it doesn't cease) with other things we might take as quite important (that they do cease).

--Matthew Faulconer 14:37, 2 Jun 2006 (UTC) PS Here is some related stuff on the question of failing prophecies. See the commentary on 3 Ne 14:16-20. That page refers to Deut 18:21-22 and Deut 13:1-3. Both are also interesting and relevant to this discussion.

Matthew, I have tried to address these points in the commentary now. There remain some questions... --Joe Spencer 18:59, 2 Jun 2006 (UTC)