The Age of the Spiritual

Posted on August 4, 2026 
Filed under Resources, Theology

From Phillip Jensen:

“In 1 Corinthians 12-14, we come to a passage that has dominated Christian discussion for the last 60 years. It is one that Peter and I have been thinking and preaching on for most of our public ministries. But I hope that you find this fresh take on the passage to be a helpful way of understanding Paul’s letter.”

In the discussion, Phillip recalls writing his book, The Coming of the Holy Spirit –

“In the writing of that book was a verse which held up the whole of my writing for 12 months, for there was a translation problem which one of the editors pointed out to me. That verse was 1 Corinthians 14:12, ‘So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.’

The trouble is, the Greek doesn’t say, ‘the manifestations of the spirit’. What it really says is, ‘since you are eager for spirits’, plural. The Holy Spirit is never spoken of in plural form, so it can’t be referring to the Holy Spirit—thus it should be written with a lowercase ‘s’. But then that raises the question: what spirits is it talking about?…”

– Hear Phillip and Peter Jensen discuss these key chapters – at Two Ways News.

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