Lesson 33

The Priorities Of Our Assembly

I Corinthians 14:1-40

The forty verses that comprise I Corinthians 14, our text for today's message, and the end of the section of the letter to the Corinthian church dealing with spiritual gifts, is a comparison between the gifts of prophecies and tongues.

You should know, that the premise through which we understand this chapter and these gifts was the subject of last Sunday night's message. From the book of Acts we established that the gift of tongues was a supernatural ability to speak foreign languages that you had not learned and I Corinthians 13:8-12 we established that when the mirror of God's perfect word was complete, then the supernatural gifts of prophecy, knowledge and tongues ceased. That is the premise through which we understand prophecies and tongues, the subject of I Corinthians 14.

There were still apostles, men who had visibly seen the resurrected Christ, when Paul wrote to the Corinthian church. There are no apostles now. There was no New Testament then. There is a complete New Testament now. The Corinthian church existed during a time in which supernatural sign gifts were available; we do not.

Paul's writing to the Corinthian church in chapter 14 about prophecies and tongues is similar to Paul's writing in chapters 8-10 about eating meat offered idols. It deals with a specific problem that that church faced but one that we do not specifically face. However, that being said, there is still plenty for us to learn from I Corinthians 14. This chapter has some practical principles about life in the church - about our edification of each other and our witness to unbelievers in the assembly of the church.

A few cursory comments that will hopefully help you to understand this chapter.

First, there are three basic truths about tongues that this chapter teaches.

#1- Their position- Tongues are secondary to prophecy, 1-19.

#2- Their purpose- Tongues are signs to unbelieving Jews, 20-25.

#3- Their procedure- Tongues should be done systematically and orderly, 26-40.

It seems to me that these things alone reveal the error the modern day charismatic movement. In the mind of most charismatics, tongues is not secondary; it is the most sought after, the most desired "gift". In attempting to better understand the other view, I picked up at the bookstore a couple of booklets. One is called "Why You Should Speak In Tongues" and the other is "The Bible Way To Receive The Holy Spirit". Both of these booklets state that tongues was the most desirable gift. The modern charismatic movement often does not follow the clearly laid out commandments of I Corinthians 14 (v. 37b). For instance, the most that could speak tongues in an assembly was two or three (v. 27) and then only one at a time and there must be an interpreter present or there should be silence (v. 28). According to verse 34, women were forbidden from speaking in tongues and prophesying in the assembly. In general, the assembly was not to be chaotic, but orderly. Although I cannot speak about every charismatic church or service, generally speaking, from my limited knowledge, these commandments are not adhered to in the modern charismatic movement. I conclude therefore that since they do not follow the clear commandments of scripture, it only reveals that the modern day tongues movement is in doctrinal error.

Now, there are a few statements which, if lifted out of I Corinthians 14, and read alone will give a very sympathetic sound to tongues. For example, 1 Cor 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues - sounds good alone. But you should understand that Paul is wishing the impossible (see 12:11;30) for the purpose of emphasis. Verse 18 , taken alone sounds sympathetic to tongues. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all. In context however, it is clear that all Paul is saying is that God had supernaturally empowered him to speak in foreign languages as he traveled proclaiming the gospel and that he was qualified to comment on tongues. The only other verse that sounds sympathetic to tongues is a phrase from verse 39 - "and forbid not to speak with tongues." Paul is making a concluding, summary statement to the effect of, "If you meet all the standards that I have stated and follow all the commandments and guidelines that I have written, then I do not forbid you to speak in tongues.

Some people take the some of the words of this chapter and describe tongues as for private devotional use and personal worship. Notice, verses 2-4, 14a-b, 28b. However, what you must understand is that the entire purpose of any spiritual gift is not to worship God but to minister to others for God, 12:7. Thus, the statements which I have just read may be intended to be sarcastic. It is hard to see sarcasm in the scriptures but it is definitely present. Verse 36 is an obvious example. It seems that in these verses Paul is saying that the whole purpose of spiritual gifts and the whole purpose of speaking is to communicate something that can be understood by everyone who hears it. Why speak in the presence of the assembly something that everyone cannot understand and why speak in private words that you yourself cannot understand? Paul is not commending their tongues as a private worship language but criticizing their tongues as, at best, something which only God can make any sense of.

One other thing, as a comment. As you read this chapter carefully, you will notice that at times the word "tongue" is used in a singular form and and times the plural word "tongues" is used. It was pointed out by many of the scholars who wrote commentaries on I Corinthians as a help in interpreting Paul's words, that the word tongue (singular) refers to the Corinthian misuse form of the gift and the word tongues (plural) refers to the proper expression of the spiritual gift. Further, that is why the word "unknown" is italics appears each time the tongue (singular) is used. The translators added that word for the purpose of clarify and making a distinction between the misuse form and the proper form. The only exception is verse nine where the word tongue (singular) refers not to a language but to the organ in your mouth and verse 27 which refers to a single man speaking a single language.

Now I know that this is a lot of background stuff. And while I do not hesitate from identifying doctrinal error, I prefer to preach about what I am "for" over what I am "against". Hopefully, I have laid down a helpful doctrinal foundation. I want us to read the text and identify those practical principles that will help us in ministering one to another and in winning the lost to Christ.

Principle #1 - Edification, vs. 1-5, 12, 26b.

Some seven times in the chapter, Paul uses a form of the word edification. It is one of Paul's favorite words in other letters as well. This word comes from the world of architecture and means to build up. There should be an emphasis in the church on building up believers, that is on causing them to grow, on strengthening them in their walk with the Lord. And edification is not a selfish thing. It has others in mind. Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things wherewith one may edify another. Our ministry, our teaching, our preaching, our singing, our fellowship, our time together, our assembly must have the priority of edification.

Understanding, vs. 6-25.

Eight times in this section, Paul uses some form of the word "understanding." The emphasis of Paul is that we communicate with simplicity and with clarity. We need to use "words easy to be understood" (v. 9). Our message must be clear (v. 8). Our prayers and our songs should have a clear message (v. 15).

We must recognize that in the assembly of the congregation not everyone is on the same spiritual level. Three times Paul uses the word "unlearned" (vs. 16, 23, 24). Some who attend the church are unlearned.

Verse 19 makes the point!

These verses also have several references to unbelievers beginning in verses 22- 25. While the assembly is primarily a place for Christians to worship, to learn and to be edified, we must also recognize that there are likely to be unbelievers present in the assembly. Our worship is a witness to the unbelieving. The unbelieving will be confused by languages that he doesn't understand and think that the church is a madhouse. But he will be brought under conviction and will perhaps be won by words that he understands. If he, as a result, worships God, it means that he has gotten saved and he will spread the word to others of the presence of God in the church.

In the church, there is a priority of edification those who do understand, there is a priority communicating clearly and with simplicity.

Principle #3 - Order, vs. 26-40.

There is, admittedly, a point of tension between order and participation. It is difficult to discover that balance between the two. And it is impossible to satisfy everyone present. The extremes are cold and formal versus emotional and chaotic. Do we tone down a fanatic or resurrect a corpse?

It is clear from the words of Paul in these verses, that the church is not the place for emotionalism and exhibitionalism where everyone is invited to sing a psalm or teach.

In building a building, you have to have a plan and an order. The same is true in building a church. That's why we don't typically say, "Who wants to sing?" That would be like saying, "Who wants to preach today?" The work of God needs to be planned and ordered, not confused and chaotic. A form of structure is necessary, not in order to stifle and suppress the Spirit, but in order to reflect our God who is a God of order. Structure should not be such that there is no room for spontaneity or for some kind of divine interruption. Order is not equivalent to coldness and formality. I don't just preach without study and preparation and the rest of our service is not without planning and preparation. Spontaneity is not the equivalent to spirituality. The same God who moves in the public service can move during our private preparation. We must find the balance. The emphasis in this text is on order.

These three principles must be priorities in the public assemblies - edification, understanding and order. God's word is obeyed by such and thus, God is honored in such.