Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. - Hebrews 12:28-29
The regular church services in Corinth were clearly disorganized and chaotic. Apparently any and everybody was permitted to speak whenever and however they wanted to. There were no guidelines or limitations on what people could say or how long they could speak. Numerous people talked at the same time and many spoke in tongues that no one could understand. In short, it was a confusing and jumbled mess.
Remember how screwed up their observance of the Lord’s Supper was (1 Corinthians 11:23-34)? Everyone treated it like some type of free for all banquet or drinking party? Well… here we go again. In today’s message, Paul instructs the church in Corinth on how to conduct an orderly and reverent church service that honors God.
I. FOSTER BELIEF (1 Cor. 14:20-25)
Paul urged the Corinthians not to think childishly, because infantile thinking is evil. Rather, they were to think maturely. He cited a passage in the Old Testament written by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 28:11-12). In those days, Israel was about to be given over to the Assyrians because they had sinned against the LORD and not listened to His calls to repent. During their coming captivity God would continue speaking to them through the strange tongues of the Assyrians, but they would still not listen. The point is that people - especially the immature - are unlikely to hear and follow a language that is difficult to understand (ie, unknown tongues).
Paul stated that speaking in tongues was a sign for unbelievers, while prophecy was a sign for believers. Mature believers who firmly trust in Christ do not seek or need further evidence or miraculous signs of His identity. Rather they long to abide in His clearly revealed word, that they may grow closer to Him. It is the immature believers with little faith and nonbelievers who continuously seek signs of assurance and affirmation.
If an unbeliever or someone who cannot interpret enters into a church gathering where everyone is speaking in unintelligible tongues or languages, they might conclude that the people of the church are crazy. But if that same person enters a church service where everyone is prophesying clearly, they might hear the word of God and come under conviction. They might realize their own accountability for sin as the secrets of their hearts are disclosed. In turn, they might repent, believe, acknowledge the Lord’s presence, and begin worshiping Him.
The main idea here is that church practices should foster belief. If an unsaved person is present, they should be able to understand the message being proclaimed so that they might believe and come to salvation. If immature Christians are present, they need to understand what is being said that they might grow in their faith. Such clarity is important for mature believers as well.
II. MINIMIZE CONFUSION (1 Cor. 14:26-33)
Paul set forth some basic guidelines for the Corinthians to follow whenever they met for church. He acknowledged that many who attended had various things they wished to share, including songs, teachings, prophetic revelations, and tongues. This desire to participate was good. All of these contributions would be appropriate if delivered in a manner that edified the church as a whole.
Concerning tongues, Paul stated that those who wished to speak in a tongue during church should take turns or go 1 at a time. There should be a limit of no more than 2 or 3 people speaking in tongues per gathering. Also, the tongues spoken must be interpreted for everyone present so that the message could be understood. If no interpretation was available or possible, the person who wished to speak in tongues should not be permitted to do so in a corporate setting. Instead, they should speak their uninterpreted tongues privately between themselves and God.
Concerning prophecy, again there should be a limit of 2 or 3 prophetic speakers per meeting. The prophecies spoken should be evaluated and judged for truthfulness by the listeners. If someone received a revelation while listening, they should be permitted to speak and be heard also. Those who spoke were to do so 1 at a time so that everyone present could hear and benefit from what was said.
Paul told the prophets to exercise self-control over their prophetic gift. Likewise, those who spoke in tongues were to exercise self control over their spiritual gift. They were to utilize it only as fitting for the church and act with discipline and restraint. The Holy Spirit does not overcome people and cause them to act uncontrollably. Such a concept is unbiblical. God is not a God of confusion, chaos, and disorder, nor should these be characteristics of His church.
III. BEHAVE PROPERLY (1 Cor. 14:34-40)
Paul wrote that women were to keep silent and not speak in church. However, earlier in this letter he said that when women prayed or prophesied in church they should keep their heads covered (1 Corinthians 11:5). By reconciling these 2 statements, it becomes clear that his instruction for women to remain silent doesn’t apply to all speech, as their prayers and prophecies were permissible. Women were allowed to speak in some instances. What then does it mean?
When read in the context of this entire passage, some Bible scholars understand this rule to mean that women were not to publicly interpret tongues or critique prophecies in a corporate worship service. To do either would be an inappropriate exercise of authority over or teaching of a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Other scholars apply this exclusion specifically to husbands and wives, and insist that Paul was instructing married women to remain silent in church in submission to and out of respect for their husbands. This harkens back to his earlier teaching on Christian order.
The word of God did not originate from Corinth nor was it delivered exclusively to them. They were but a single local congregation within the entirety of Christianity. These rules for proper worship services applied to all the churches and Corinth was no exception. As such, Paul advised the Corinthians to recognize and abide by these instructions. Those who refused to do so should not be allowed to participate in their meetings.
In the end, the Corinthians’ needed to decrease their inflated obsession with tongues and increase their desire for prophecy. When in balance, both had an appropriate place in their corporate worship services. That said, the prophecies and tongues which were spoken, as well as all of the other aspects of their church gatherings, need to be exercised in a proper and orderly manner.
CONCLUSION
While most church services today look somewhat different than those held during the New Testament era, they should still be conducted in an orderly manner. Structure promotes clarity, which in turn fosters belief and understanding, while diminishing chaos and confusion. True… we don’t want our services to be so rigid that they become stifling, yet they cannot be so loose that there is no edification. The way we organize and conduct our church services matters.
The regular church services in Corinth were clearly disorganized and chaotic. Apparently any and everybody was permitted to speak whenever and however they wanted to. There were no guidelines or limitations on what people could say or how long they could speak. Numerous people talked at the same time and many spoke in tongues that no one could understand. In short, it was a confusing and jumbled mess.
Remember how screwed up their observance of the Lord’s Supper was (1 Corinthians 11:23-34)? Everyone treated it like some type of free for all banquet or drinking party? Well… here we go again. In today’s message, Paul instructs the church in Corinth on how to conduct an orderly and reverent church service that honors God.
I. FOSTER BELIEF (1 Cor. 14:20-25)
Paul urged the Corinthians not to think childishly, because infantile thinking is evil. Rather, they were to think maturely. He cited a passage in the Old Testament written by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 28:11-12). In those days, Israel was about to be given over to the Assyrians because they had sinned against the LORD and not listened to His calls to repent. During their coming captivity God would continue speaking to them through the strange tongues of the Assyrians, but they would still not listen. The point is that people - especially the immature - are unlikely to hear and follow a language that is difficult to understand (ie, unknown tongues).
Paul stated that speaking in tongues was a sign for unbelievers, while prophecy was a sign for believers. Mature believers who firmly trust in Christ do not seek or need further evidence or miraculous signs of His identity. Rather they long to abide in His clearly revealed word, that they may grow closer to Him. It is the immature believers with little faith and nonbelievers who continuously seek signs of assurance and affirmation.
If an unbeliever or someone who cannot interpret enters into a church gathering where everyone is speaking in unintelligible tongues or languages, they might conclude that the people of the church are crazy. But if that same person enters a church service where everyone is prophesying clearly, they might hear the word of God and come under conviction. They might realize their own accountability for sin as the secrets of their hearts are disclosed. In turn, they might repent, believe, acknowledge the Lord’s presence, and begin worshiping Him.
The main idea here is that church practices should foster belief. If an unsaved person is present, they should be able to understand the message being proclaimed so that they might believe and come to salvation. If immature Christians are present, they need to understand what is being said that they might grow in their faith. Such clarity is important for mature believers as well.
II. MINIMIZE CONFUSION (1 Cor. 14:26-33)
Paul set forth some basic guidelines for the Corinthians to follow whenever they met for church. He acknowledged that many who attended had various things they wished to share, including songs, teachings, prophetic revelations, and tongues. This desire to participate was good. All of these contributions would be appropriate if delivered in a manner that edified the church as a whole.
Concerning tongues, Paul stated that those who wished to speak in a tongue during church should take turns or go 1 at a time. There should be a limit of no more than 2 or 3 people speaking in tongues per gathering. Also, the tongues spoken must be interpreted for everyone present so that the message could be understood. If no interpretation was available or possible, the person who wished to speak in tongues should not be permitted to do so in a corporate setting. Instead, they should speak their uninterpreted tongues privately between themselves and God.
Concerning prophecy, again there should be a limit of 2 or 3 prophetic speakers per meeting. The prophecies spoken should be evaluated and judged for truthfulness by the listeners. If someone received a revelation while listening, they should be permitted to speak and be heard also. Those who spoke were to do so 1 at a time so that everyone present could hear and benefit from what was said.
Paul told the prophets to exercise self-control over their prophetic gift. Likewise, those who spoke in tongues were to exercise self control over their spiritual gift. They were to utilize it only as fitting for the church and act with discipline and restraint. The Holy Spirit does not overcome people and cause them to act uncontrollably. Such a concept is unbiblical. God is not a God of confusion, chaos, and disorder, nor should these be characteristics of His church.
III. BEHAVE PROPERLY (1 Cor. 14:34-40)
Paul wrote that women were to keep silent and not speak in church. However, earlier in this letter he said that when women prayed or prophesied in church they should keep their heads covered (1 Corinthians 11:5). By reconciling these 2 statements, it becomes clear that his instruction for women to remain silent doesn’t apply to all speech, as their prayers and prophecies were permissible. Women were allowed to speak in some instances. What then does it mean?
When read in the context of this entire passage, some Bible scholars understand this rule to mean that women were not to publicly interpret tongues or critique prophecies in a corporate worship service. To do either would be an inappropriate exercise of authority over or teaching of a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Other scholars apply this exclusion specifically to husbands and wives, and insist that Paul was instructing married women to remain silent in church in submission to and out of respect for their husbands. This harkens back to his earlier teaching on Christian order.
The word of God did not originate from Corinth nor was it delivered exclusively to them. They were but a single local congregation within the entirety of Christianity. These rules for proper worship services applied to all the churches and Corinth was no exception. As such, Paul advised the Corinthians to recognize and abide by these instructions. Those who refused to do so should not be allowed to participate in their meetings.
In the end, the Corinthians’ needed to decrease their inflated obsession with tongues and increase their desire for prophecy. When in balance, both had an appropriate place in their corporate worship services. That said, the prophecies and tongues which were spoken, as well as all of the other aspects of their church gatherings, need to be exercised in a proper and orderly manner.
CONCLUSION
While most church services today look somewhat different than those held during the New Testament era, they should still be conducted in an orderly manner. Structure promotes clarity, which in turn fosters belief and understanding, while diminishing chaos and confusion. True… we don’t want our services to be so rigid that they become stifling, yet they cannot be so loose that there is no edification. The way we organize and conduct our church services matters.