The apostle puts the truth of the case before their souls as he had it vividly before his own. The point primarily mooted is of her prophesying after the manner of a man, and this is done with the greatest possible wisdom. [Note: See Zane C. Hodges, "The Purpose of Tongues," Bibliotheca Sacra 120:479 (July-September 1963):226-33; J. Lanier Burns, "A Reemphasis on the Purpose of Tongues," Bibliotheca Sacra 132:527 (July-September 1975):242-49; and Harold W. Hoehner, "The Purpose of Tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:20-25," in Walvoord: A Tribute, pp. But, on the other hand, 2. So let there be two or three, let the others judge. Men. A truly Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men's souls, than to get the greatest applause to himself. A service may begin by humbling a man through showing him his sin, but it is a failure unless it ends by pointing him to the grace of God that can enable him to conquer it. Grace can forego all questions of right. a)Flee from idolatry (14) b)Communion is sharing in the body of Christ (15-17) c)In the OT, Israelites ate the sacrifices to share in worship (18) d)Believers must avoid sacrificing to demons (19-21) e)Committing idolatry leads to punishment (22) Principle repeated on food sacrificed to idols (23-32) a)Edifying others is most important (23) Let all things be done decently and in order ( 1 Corinthians 14:40 ). The best value in digital Bible study. (iv) It brings a man to his knees before God. This actually enhances the point that prophecy is to be used internally, for the stranger reacts positively when he see's the believers using it properly. How his heart would rejoice in that day with them! So the tongues, an interesting passage, are a sign for those who believe not. same verse tells that by this sign people will not listen not be saved . How much it must have called for self-denial utterly to decline that which he could have handled so well, and which people at Corinth would have hailed with loud acclamation. Tools 1Co 14:3 When persons are more or less free from the ordinary incubus of tradition, when they are not so much under the influence of excitement, and of those appeals to the love of being known and of pleasing this or that man, or the cause, or any of those human motives that often do operate, I apprehend that they are exposed to danger in a wholly opposite direction. In fact, the Lord Jesus also assumes the same thing in the gospels. There is no justification possible against Scripture; and the more fully the power is of God, the less will a man think of setting aside that perfect expression of God's mind. This was a simpler case and a humbler position, but very real before God, whatever the danger of being slighted of men. Let all things be done unto edifying. He sees that he must answer for what he has done. Joseph Twitchell tells how he went to visit Horace Bushnell when Bushnell was an old man. Present greatness was what he in no wise coveted; to suffer great things for His sake was what the Lord had promised, and what His servant expected in becoming an apostle. I thank God that I can speak with tongues more than any of you. 1Co 14:3. It is the death of shame pre-eminently. There was a miracle of languages at Pentecost (ibid). Evidently there was an unsubject spirit, and those ministered to thought they were just as good as the house of Stephanas. All that is done in it must be done for the sake of all. It was, therefore, better adapted to edify the church than to convince gainsayers. As I start speaking on a particular issue, start creating examples. The course of this chapter then touches on his apostolic place, and at the same time his refusal to use the rights of it. Is it really the Lord speaking, "Thus saith the Lord, 'Go out and sell everything, there is going to be a crash, get rid of all of your stock.'" This the apostle meets in a very blessed way. They weren't addressed to the people.They weren't being preached to in tongues in their own languages being preached to, but actually, they heard them glorifying God, praising God. Deuteronomy 28:49; Isaiah 28:11-12). Up to this it was not made known, It was a New Testament truth, as this indeed is what is meant by a "mystery." Tongues, as far as I can understand from the scriptures, are always, as Paul declared here in verse two, addressed to God.You remember as you go back in your mind now to the second chapter of Acts, and these men had gathered together there in Jerusalem because of the phenomena and these men and women were speaking in these other tongues. But he interpreted that as a command. I think that there can be a greater freedom in the use of tongues in those smaller groups, but when the whole church is gathered together, unbelievers present, then there are definite rules that apply.Here at Calvary Chapel, because of the size when the whole church is gathered together, for a person to get up and speak in tongues would be confusing. They would have preferred respectability, public and private, in one who stood in the position of a servant of Christ. It is regarded as a vessel of power for the maintenance of God's glory, and responsible for this here below. If the trumpet gives a meaningless sound who will prepare for the battle? If Paul even was exercising himself to have a conscience void offence; if Paul was keeping his body in subjection, how much more did these men need it? 1 Cor 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. And they start screaming at you and yelling at you in their language, and oftentimes I am glad I don't understand it. Let everything that is done, let it be done for the building up of the whole body of Christ. This was not merely a hypothetical situation or a warning . The apostle tells them how he thanks his God always on their behalf, but refrains from any expression of thankfulness as to their state. Finally, we observe another character of service lower down in "the house of Stephanas." Christians should desire those gifts that are going to be of help to others in teaching them and building them up in the faith (12).If people have the gift of tongues, they should pray also for the gift to interpret them. How many thousands of them perished in the wilderness? So Paul uses the argument that tongues were meant for a hard-hearted and unbelieving people and were, in the end, ineffective to them. Tools. 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? This seems to have been at work in, the minds of these critics of the apostle. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. Miracles and tongues were liked, because these made themselves of importance. The apostle urges the truth of that liberty in Christ which Christendom has well-nigh forgotten that if I am Christ's servant I am emancipated already. It was a figure, no doubt; but .still, writing to men who were at least wise enough to judge aright here, he gives all its weight, and the strongest expression of what was meant. Even if you wish to understand the use of tongues in Acts 10:46 to be Angelic tongues that the Gentiles were simply impressed by, it was still with the purpose of their conversion. Everything was informal enough to allow any man who felt that he had a message to give to give it. Were such going before the Gentiles? Holy orders make a man a sort of gentleman if he was not so before. Not only had the devil plunged the Corinthians into confusion upon moral points, but when men begin to give up a good conscience, it is no wonder if the next danger is making shipwreck of the faith. This is what decides all. The apostle sets aside the whole basis of the argument as false; and we must never hear reasoning which overthrows what God has ordained. It is a blessed experience, one that does build you up. 14:29 /) are constantly needful, in order to grow spiritually in faith and wisdom. They had not realized the total ruin of nature. They affected to think they might be pure in spirit, but do what they liked with their bodies. There was another case also: brother was going to law with brother. He must seek the good of the whole worshipping fellowship. At the same time, if my master allows me liberty, let me use it rather. 13 Therefore, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. a syllable here, a syllable there. 4 The one. Therefore, my beloved brothers, flee from idolatry. Now we don't follow the Jewish synagogue pattern anymore. Thus what the apostle insists on amounts to this, that their vaunted knowledge was short indeed. But there is the obvious danger that when a man becomes a professional preacher he may sometimes be in the position of having to say something when he has really nothing to say. In fact the resurrection must be of the body. How remarkable is such a reproach! for them which believe: it is for their edification, exhortation, and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:4 it is the means of building them up on their most holy faith; of quickening and stirring them up to the exercise of grace, and performance of duty; of comforting them under various distresses, inward and outward; and of establishing, strengthening, and settling them, and therefore much more eligible to be used in a church of Christ, than speaking with tongues. There aren't words to express the things of the Spirit. More than that, the first appeal is founded on the blood of Christ, the answer of divine grace to the deepest need of a soul found in its guilt before God and covered with defilement. They seem to have had no wish to deny the resurrection of Christ; but should not a Christian have at once used Christ to judge all by? And now he shows what he felt as to practical state and walk. So it was then at Corinth, that the meeting for the Lord's Supper became mingled with an ordinary meal, where the Christians ate and drank together. Not to them that believe - Not to Christians. Everything that is good may be perverted; and it never was intended to hinder abuse by extinguishing that which was only to be maintained aright in the power of the Spirit of God. He is unclean. "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person.". He had vindicated the glorious character of the resurrection; he had proved how fundamental, and momentous, and practical, is the truth that the body is to be raised again, which they were disposed to deny as though it were a low thing, and useless even if possible. Christ crucified is the death-knell on all man's wisdom, and power, and righteousness. He is not content with the pressing of responsibility on others; he had a solemn sense of his own place, which made him wonderfully independent of the judgments of men. If you are speaking in an unknown tongue, you are speaking to God. Even they were quite unprepared for so dreadful a conclusion. It is also of great importance to us; for there are those that continually cry out for increase of power as the one panacea of the church. This passage is further proof that "tongues" were not unintelligible gibberish but a foreign language. This phenomenon was very common in the early Church. This was rather what they would have said of the apostle or of his teaching. def art. It was not of God. Isaiah 64:8, Romans 9:21. A man did not come with the sole intention of being a passive listener; he came not only to receive but to give. Though the Jew and the Greek seemed opposite as the poles, from different points they agreed thoroughly in slighting the cross, and in desiring the exaltation of man as he is. The presence of apostles elsewhere in the earth, the beautiful display of Pentecostal grace at Jerusalem, the fact that so short a time had elapsed since they had been brought out of heathenism into their standing in God's grace, all made the present state of the Corinthians so much the more painful; but nothing can ever dissolve the responsibility of saints, whether as individuals or as an assembly. For additional information on the gift of prophecy-the endowment and speech of the Christian teachers (Thayer, p. 552)-see the commentary on 12:10a and 14:31. Paul now continues and explains the good reasons why the prophesying was to be preferred. Members of Christ no doubt compose it; but there is His body, the assembly as a whole, in which God works here below. "My little children, hearken unto Me, for I would call unto you today to praise Me. "I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already," etc. Yes, walking as men is a departure from Christianity. Then at the last he adds that he would show them a mystery. They say sometimes very wrong things, and sometimes wise, and often things that do not in the smallest degree apply to the case. , Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers. But if it produces simply a medley of meaningless sound, no man can know what to do. That is why Paul says in 1 Cor 14:14 "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful." Then he uses a very practical argument. In 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 accordingly, the apostle enters on a full statement of these spiritual powers. man's duty was altogether lacking. It is this alone which can lead us into the deep things of God. "I have judged already, as though present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh." Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. What is he saying amen to? It would not be a sign to the unbeliever at all, except the sign that you are all crazy. Here their consciences needed to be roused. Hence he calls on those who had wives to be as those who had none, on those who were selling and buying to be above all the objects that made up the sum of business. There is the unfolding of the assembly in a practical way; that is, the church of God is not viewed here in its highest character. So the Spirit helping us in our prayer life, either with groanings which cannot be uttered, or with words that are uttered, inspired by the Spirit, expressing prayer to God according to the will of God in a particular situation over which I am interceding.A gift whereby I am built up, I am benefited, I am blessed. It was not simply redemption, but along with this another order of truth. This is the meaning that the speaking in [foreign] tongues is a special miracle only for unbelievers, while the same miracle is redundant for those who already believe and have entered the life of faith. It means that the interpretation wasn't genuine. Do you think you originated the things of God? In the Greek world Sophocles had said, "Silence confers grace upon a woman." In what sense is speaking in tongues a sign to unbelievers? It was not merely getting rid of the obnoxious man. Paul said, "Look, if the guy is truly spiritual, let him acknowledge that these things that I am saying are from the Lord." At Corinth, the meeting place of the church was situated next door to the synagogue (Acts 18:7-8), thus unbelieving Jews would very likely attend the Christian services (Gromacki, p. 174). Expiation of sins by Christ, His death and resurrection, are given of God to be displayed before the saints, who needed to know the firm, immutable foundation of grace; but what the saints wanted most was to learn the gross inconsistency of turning to selfish ease, honour, and aggrandisement the privileges of God's church, and the power of the Spirit of God that wrought in its members. 13 So the Lords word to them will sound like He would rather in church speak five words in a known tongue, than ten thousand in an unknown tongue.Therefore, if he speaks in tongues more than all of them, it is obvious that he does so in his own personal private devotions, in his closet. And here the apostle does not fail to rebuke them, and in a manner trenchant enough. The man, on the contrary, has a public part a rougher and ruder task, no doubt one that may not at all bring into play the finer affections, but which demands a calmer and more comprehensive judgment. (ii) Worship must be intelligible. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. There is generally a root of evil doctrine where you find people wrong in practice. He who loved them well could not speak of them as spiritual. It is so cut down. The speaking in tongues would only be meaningless sounds. The "sign" of tongues (Jews seek after a sign) was an indictment against Israel due to their rejection of Christ and ultimately, the kingdom which was offered them. It was no question of one in a place of worldly superiority regulating the movements of another of subordinate degree. In fact, Paul says that even for the tongue-speakers themselves this miracle which they themselves perform is futile unless somebody interprets for them contents and meaning of what they say (again cf.1 Cor. They said, "Who is he going to teach? It was even forbidden to speak to a woman on the street. We're a little different from other sites. It was open to anyone who had a gift to use it. The man finds himself judged in the presence of God. Blessed is he who is given. They are all as such held responsible, according to the grace and holiness and glory of Christ, for the sin done in their midst, of which they are cognisant. "For I the Lord declared unto thee that today I am going to bless you," and all, and it comes out as a message from God to man.I have observed this over and over and over again in Pentecostal-type services. 1 Cor 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Hence he insists, that as it is the Spirit of God in the first place who reveals the truth to us, so it is the same Spirit who furnishes suitable words, as, finally, it is through the Holy Ghost that one receives the truth revealed in the words He Himself has given. The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (2:7) described this amazement as a mental condition of being outside oneself or of astonishment because of amazement or fear (this is the general definition for this term). Paul here does declare that you do have control over it. The apostle showed ere long that he had more love for this evildoer than any of them. First of all, he rebukes the unseemly way in which it was done the woman forgetting that she was a woman, and the man that he is responsible not to act as a woman. Here, as you're sitting together, if something is said you don't quite understand you might say, "What does he mean by that?" To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. As usual, the introductory words (1 Corinthians 1:1-3) of the epistle give us no little intimation of that which is to follow. 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. It would certainly be very wrong to take these words out of their context and make them a universal rule for the Church. 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 naturally leads from this into certain questions that had been proposed to the apostle touching marriage and slavery questions which had to do with the various relationships of life. Prophecy seemed to be somewhat despised amongst the Corinthians. Prophesying never means preaching. Should any one, however, prefer to extend it to the whole discussion, I have no objection, though I do not dislike the former interpretation. He recognises their rich endowments on God's part. It is not the apostle acting for them; for God took particular care that this case, demanding discipline to the uttermost, should be where the apostle was not. Paul does not deny that the gift of tongues exists. As to the supper of the Lord, happily I need not say many words to you. Observe here an important use of the expression, "the church." As far as the malice is concerned, but in understanding, seek to really understand, seek to really know. But this would not be the full truth. Number one: we don't know all of the people who might want to stand up.The other Sunday night we had some real winners over here. It is in vain, therefore, to plead circumstances as an excuse for sin. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are crazy? How can you spot MWBC's (multi-wire branch circuits) in an electrical panel. He had come there setting his face against all things that would commend himself. There are things that don't have life that give out sounds ( 1 Corinthians 14:7 ). As God's judgment was upon them for their turning their backs on Him. He himself could speak more tongues than they all. (i) It convicts a man of his sin. But not so. Why then, did God give the gift of tongues to the early Christians? Prophesying and the rest are brought in as all pertaining to the Christian assembly. Grace, as we know, can arrest these tendencies, and avert the evil results. Please consider incorporating punctuation and paragraphs into your answer. They had taken the place of being separate, "calling upon the name of the Lord;" but the remarkable addition should be noticed by the way "with all that in every place call upon the name of the Lord, both theirs and ours." As the proverb has it, "There are none so blind as those who will not see." world took them from all classes and all countries There were bondmen highly educated, and once in a high position of life. Paul speaks of tongues throughout chapter 14, reviewing the entire chapter will prove useful. Wherefore tongues are for a sign,. Of wrath and punishment inflicted on a rebellious and unbelieving people, and not of grace and kindness, as prophesying, or speaking to them by the prophets, was; and so this is an inference from what is said in the preceding verse, and shows, that there was no reason why believers should be so very desirous of them. So then if I do not understand what the voice is trying to say, I will be a foreigner to him who speaks and he who speaks will be a foreigner as fir as I am concerned. Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. He was free but watchful; and he was jealous over himself, the greater the grace shown him. Undoubtedly, in the midst of the difficulties of the church, in the face of the oppositions and disappointment, manifold griefs, enemies, and sources of sorrow and shame, it requires the power of God to go on without being moved by any of these things. 54-55 AD PLACEWritten from Ephesus (16:8). Famous professor refuses to cite my paper that was published before him in the same area, Blurry resolution when uploading DEM 5ft data onto QGIS, Rules about listening to music, games or movies without headphones in airplanes, Best regression model for points that follow a sigmoidal pattern. [Do you think that you set the standards? Still, what he valued most was prophesying. I am persuaded, beloved brethren, that it is no impeachment of the blessedness of the brotherhood to maintain the speciality of ministry in the Lord. They call people to assemble together. 1 Corinthians 10:14-33. And this very difficulty as no doubt it would be to many a Christian now (that walking as men should be a reproach) was no doubt a clap of thunder to the proud but poor spirits at Corinth. 1 Corinthians 14:5 gives us the things which for Paul were the background and the substance of all preaching. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? How delicate and considerate the grace of Paul who wished Apollos to go to Corinth then, and of Apollos who wished not to go under the circumstances! Now, you remember we pointed out when we were in the eleventh chapter that Paul speaks of a woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled. But, except, however. It was feebleness about that which, after all, lies at. 3. 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider e. Everyone of you have a psalm, an interpretation.Now because of the mistake in the punctuation, there are some people who say that when the church comes together, this is the order for the church. They had severed themselves from the power of service. It is, by the great mercy of God, familiar to most of us; we live, I may say, in the enjoyment of it, and know it to be one of the sweetest privileges God vouchsafes us here below. Therefore, brethren, desire to prophesy, and forbid not to speak in tongues ( 1 Corinthians 14:38-39 ). What Is the Abomination of Desolation Mentioned in Bible Prophecy? 1 Cor. Verse 22. Of course, it implies exclusion from the Lord's table, but from their table too "with such an one, no, not to eat." The great test of any part of worship is, "Will this help everyone?" (1) The guiding principles. Hence the apostle tells them that he could not speak unto them as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. We must not suppose that this gift simply means a man preaching. The Spirit doesn't take you out of yourself.Second rule: God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all of the churches of the saints ( 1 Corinthians 14:33 ). 14:26-33 What then emerges from all this, brothers? Outside of the United Kingdom, the KJV is in the public domain. This is confirmed in1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16, where the apostle reminds them of the manner in which the gospel had entered Corinth. They were under the influence of man. They did not mean to deny the person of Christ or His condition as risen from the dead; but, this is what the enemy meant, and into this their wrong notion tended to drift them. But the apostle lays it down, that the gifts which suppose the exercise of spiritual understanding have a far higher place. Accordingly the believers there were betrayed into their former uncleanness of life when the heavenly light got dim. They imagined the true way to be spiritual was to make much of the spirit of man.
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