More thinking: “If a man is told not to exercise his spiritual gifts, he is to obey God rather than humans, even those in authority”
Why would someone, anyone, be told not to exercise their gifts? 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 lay out ground-rules: do everything out od a deep love for the rest of the body of Christ, do it for the edification of the greater body of believers and practice things in an orderly fashion. Whether I particularly agree with my leadership or not, I really must have the principles of these chapters in my mind. Would ignoring the presciption against using my gifts cause harm to the body, would it stir dissention or cause confusion? What are my own motives - do I have a problem with pride and want to be seen to practice something visibly among people?
If a man is told “he is to obey God rather than humans, even those in authority” it fuels a very independent mindset, placing the individual above the corporate body in importance. World cultures vary greatly, Asian communities (for instance) might vary the corporate far greater than the individual. Western culture tends to weigh more in favour of the individual. Question is, what was the apostle Paul’s cultural angle? What was his intention in writing passages of the New Testament? I think we have an indication from the book of Corinthians, given the fact that he addresses the issue of dissention and division within the body again and again, dealing with it prominently up front before he digs into the weighty matters that follow; get a right picture of our relationships within the body, our interconnectedness, and the attitudes causing misuse of gifts could well change.
Perhaps it’s time to challenge the cultural assumptions of our day, to remind that man that God is a God of order and relationship, remind his that God has a plan and the time might not be yet for exercising his gift. Perhaps the root of the problem may be the assumption that a man should alow his own will to triumph over that of the wider community of faith?