Right Ordering of the Church
1 Corinthians 14
Several themes from prior passages merge in
this section:
·
First, just because we have
the liberty to do something doesn’t make it profitable.
·
Next, that all that we do
should be done to benefit the church, not just
ourselves.
·
Finally, that the things of
God must be used in God’s way – the “right use”
principle.
If you will keep these three ideas in mind,
this passage will become much less difficult.
Edification of the Church
(1 Cor 14:1-19 NIV) Follow the way of love
and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of
prophecy. {2} For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak
to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters
mysteries with his spirit. {3} But everyone who prophesies
speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and
comfort. {4} He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he
who prophesies edifies the church. {5} I would like every one of
you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues,
unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. {6}
Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good
will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or
knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? {7} Even in the
case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or
harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless
there is a distinction in the notes? {8} Again, if the trumpet
does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? {9}
So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your
tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just
be speaking into the air. {10} Undoubtedly there are all sorts
of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.
{11} If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is
saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner
to me. {12} So it is with you. Since you are eager to have
spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
{13} For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray
that he may interpret what he says. {14} For if I pray in a
tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. {15} So what
shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray
with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing
with my mind. {16} If you are praising God with your spirit, how
can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say
"Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are
saying? {17} You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other
man is not edified. {18} I thank God that I speak in tongues
more than all of you. {19} But in the church I would rather
speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten
thousand words in a tongue.
This passage is one of the more hotly
contested ones. Pentecostals frequently use this to justify the
idea that “real Christians speak in tongues.” It is more
instructive to see, rather, just what Paul was talking about.
For that, we need a little background.
The problem of pride
Paul does not explicitly refer to it here,
for it is not something that everyone who was speaking in
tongues needed to deal with – but we should see it as a first
problem. If you speak in tongues, as Paul makes clear, you are
speaking with God. That point can be verified by having someone
with a different gift – interpretation – translate your words.
Imagine, for a moment, that you talked with
God on a regular basis. Would you not be viewed as one who was
very influential indeed? So you might be. But you might also
become inflated with pride – “I talk to God – and you don’t.”
Now, we know this is a sad perversion of the truth, for tongues
are a gift of the Spirit. But you can see the problem.
Paul’s answer to this, in this passage, is to
point out that he speaks in tongues much more than any of them.
So if you accept that as a sign of your closeness to God, then
he is much closer still. And therefore you had best listen to
what he has to say.
The value of the gift
The principle is simple: if you have a
spiritual gift, the value of that gift can be determined by its
benefit to the church. Note, please, not its value to you
personally, but its value to the church.
Are tongues beneficial to the church?
Certainly!
·
A man who speaks in tongues
utters mysteries in his spirit – in other words, he
understands that which is hidden (the meaning of
“mystery” in this context.)
·
Such a man edifies (teaches,
instructs, builds up) himself. As he is a part of the
body, this strengthens the body to that degree. This can
be particularly important to those whose needs are
unusual or unique. If you are the only one with leprosy,
it helps to hear from God directly.
But prophecy is more beneficial to the
church. Prophecy means either foretelling the future or a form
of exhortation. Paul tells us three ways it benefits the church:
·
It strengthens the church –
the word means to “build up,” as we would build a brick
wall. It adds to the strength bit by bit.
·
There is also encouragement
there – the word is paraklesis, which will be
familiar as one who comes alongside.
·
There is also comfort – the
word implies consolation – for times of grief.
So we see that, should we get the choice, we
are to prefer prophecy to tongues – for prophecy builds the
whole church.
The necessity of order
(1 Cor 14:20-33 NIV) Brothers, stop thinking
like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your
thinking be adults. {21} In the Law it is written: "Through men
of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will
speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,"
says the Lord. {22} Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers
but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not
for unbelievers. {23} So if the whole church comes together and
everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or
some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of
your mind? {24} But if an unbeliever or someone who does not
understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be
convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all,
{25} and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will
fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among
you!" {26} What then shall we say, brothers? When you come
together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a
revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be
done for the strengthening of the church. {27} If anyone speaks
in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a
time, and someone must interpret. {28} If there is no
interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and
speak to himself and God. {29} Two or three prophets should
speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. {30}
And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the
first speaker should stop. {31} For you can all prophesy in turn
so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. {32} The
spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. {33}
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
(Note: this is only the first half of verse 33. We’ll get to
the second half)
Tongues, however, can be abused. Even the
gifts of God can be twisted by sinful men.
·
Suppose someone comes in to
the worship service who is not a believer. What does he
hear, if all of us are speaking in tongues? The babble
of idiots, as far as he’s concerned. Have we helped, or
hindered, this unbeliever for whom Christ died?
·
We have already mentioned
the problem of pride, and the resultant jealousy that
can be caused by comparisons.
·
In our own time, we have
added a new problem. What if my “interpreter” has
something in mind which is completely different? His own
private agenda? Who checks on the interpreter?
If these things are to be kept from tearing
the church apart, there must be order – there must be rules. But
to obtain the right rules, we must understand the right use.
Right use of tongues
What should tongues be used for?
·
For the unbeliever, they may
be used as a miraculous sign – as at Pentecost. If I
know you don’t speak Greek (but I do), and I hear you
speaking Greek, then I’m bound to be impressed and want
to know more. But note: the aspect of the sign implies
that the tongue is known – and to me. If you’re talking
in an unknown tongue, how is that a sign to the
unbeliever? It’s the unbeliever who needs to know.
·
Tongues are used to
strengthen the individual believer. First, in that they
are a miraculous sign, they can be used to strengthen a
weak faith. Next, they can be used to deliver a lesson
to the individual believer. Finally, they can also
deliver consolation and comfort to the individual
believer. One reason tongues have declined since Paul’s
time is that these tasks are now allotted to the church.
·
When interpreted,
tongues can likewise strengthen the church. But clearly,
the better way is through prophecy.
Right use of prophecy
Prophecy has two uses:
·
For the unbeliever, prophecy
carries out the Holy Spirit’s task of convicting the
world of sin and judgment.
·
For the believer, prophecy
is used for strength, encouragement and instruction.
God the author of peace and order
The character of God should be displayed in
the manner in which his people worship him. Our God is the god
of peace and order, and therefore the worship service should
reflect peace and order.
But some would argue, “my gift of tongues (or
prophecy) just came upon me.” That’s why Paul makes it clear
that these gifts are under your control – you don’t just have to
blurt out your babble. And if you do, that’s just what it is:
babble.
The matter is kindergarten simple: take
turns, share, don’t hog the time (if someone else comes up with
a revelation, let them take a turn).
This appeal for order in the church now gives
rise to another controversial passage – about women.
Women keep silent in the church
As Oliver Hardy might have put it, “Here’s
another fine mess you’ve gotten us into, Paul.”
(1 Cor 14:33-40 NIV) …. As in all the
congregations of the saints, {34} women should remain silent in
the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in
submission, as the Law says. {35} If they want to inquire about
something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is
disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. {36} Did the
word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it
has reached? {37} If anybody thinks he is a prophet or
spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing
to you is the Lord's command. {38} If he ignores this, he
himself will be ignored. {39} Therefore, my brothers, be eager
to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. {40} But
everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
A woman’s life
It’s helpful to understand the context in
which this is written. First, remember that Paul is talking
about keeping order in the church – not necessarily the
possibilities for women two millennia later. Women at this time
have a very different life:
·
This is a hierarchical
society in which people “know their place.” A decent
woman stayed within her father’s home until she married;
then she stayed within her husband’s home.
·
This “male domination” (as
our liberated women would put it) was the commonly
accepted way of running an orderly society. We’re the
odd ones, not only in historical terms, but even today –
most non-Western societies still place the man as head
of household. It seems that everyone’s out of step but
us.
·
Some women didn’t conform to
this. These women were either prostitutes – or those
whose lives were so wicked that they might as well have
been such. So we see again the balance point between the
liberty women have in the church and the reputation of
the church in the world.
·
One other thing: when women
went to church, they were usually segregated into a
different area. I will leave it to your own experience
to determine what happens when you put all the women of
the church in the same room.
Evidently the women liked to talk. But see
how that would have impressed the world around them:
·
Since this was an occasion
of worship, it would signify to anyone who walked in
that these women were not under the control of their
husbands. He would see this as a gathering of
prostitutes, in effect.
·
It also would mean the
service would be in chaos. This effect has not yet
disappeared.
What does God say about this?
Do women have the liberty in Christ to speak?
Or are they forever condemned to absolute silence in the church?
The modern church is rather eloquent on the subject, by its
actions. There are still some denominations and congregations
that forbid a woman to teach – but I know of none which insist
that she be absolutely silent in church. Why? Because the times
have changed; what would have disgraced the church then is no
longer a problem.
But God is still the god of peace and order;
that’s why Paul issued this edict in the first place. The women
were talking and the problem was out of hand.
There is, however, a clear example given
here. Women were to inquire of their husbands if they had any
questions about the doctrine preached. From that one may draw
some conclusions:
·
There is no sense here that
women are not capable of learning what is to be taught;
the context is one of order in the church, not the place
of women in the world.
·
There is also the definite
sense that men are to be the spiritual leaders of their
families.
I put it to you simply: of all the households
you know in which there is trouble with the children, what
fraction are headed by a man who is truly the spiritual head of
house?
Perhaps the “fitting and orderly way” is not
so obsolete after all. In a society which is disintegrating
before our eyes we look for reasons. We might do very well to
look at the role to which we have consigned husbands and
fathers. Consider the movies and television: husbands are
simpletons to be cuckolded; fathers are hopeless dorks to be
rescued by their cool teenagers. Despite this, we wonder why the
decline of western civilization.
