IT IS LOVE THEN. Love is the "best of all," even greater than faith and hope! The Greek paints a picture of "hunters in the chase." "Strive for love with every means in your power!!!" Yet love does not replace the spiritual gifts. SET YOUR HEARTS. Striving for love does not mean forgetting everythin... [ Continue Reading ]
IN STRANGE TONGUES. Because the gift of languages gave the most chance to _show off,_ the Corinthians rated it the highest. Because they considered this gift the most honored, those who had it would _show off_ in the public meetings by speaking long and loud in foreign languages (strange tongues). O... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SPEAKS GOD'S MESSAGE. When Peter preached on Pentecost (_Acts 2),_ he spoke God's message. This was done in understandable language. Those who heard, were taught by it. HELP. To make their faith stronger. ENCOURAGEMENT. To stir them up to spiritual activity. COMFORT. To help them endure the prob... [ Continue Reading ]
HELPS ONLY HIMSELF. Speaking in strange tongues made this person feel close to God and gave him a sense of power (compare 2 Corinthians 12:1-10). HELPS THE WHOLE CHURCH. By speaking God's message in a form which they can understand. This also included inspired prayer (1 Corinthians 14:14) and inspir... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SPEAK IN STRANGE TONGUES. The tongues were a real and desirable gift. Paul could wish that each one had this gift. BUT I WOULD RATHER. Better is superior to good. The gift of speaking God's message (prophecy) serves the church better. IS OF GREATER VALUE. Because it communicates instruction. UNLE... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN I COME TO YOU. The gift of strange tongues, has no value when used in the public meetings, _unless:_ (1) it brings a revelation from God; (2) it brings some knowledge; (3) it brings some inspired message; (4) it brings some teaching. But this could not be done unless they were made to unders... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SUCH LIFELESS. Such things as the flute or harp must sound the notes distinctly to communicate the tune being played. What Paul says here may be directed mostly toward "ecstatic speech" which is gibberish.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BUGLE. Armies in all ages have been directed by the sound of a bugle. But the loudest blast means nothing, if it does not _communicate_ something which the hearers can understand!... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SAME WAY. The most important message from God will mean nothing if it is spoken in a strange tongue which no one can understand, not even the one who speaks it. This also applies to "old fashioned church language" when it is spoken to those who cannot understand it.... [ Continue Reading ]
MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. The Bible has been translated into more than 1,500 different languages!!! YET NONE OF THEM IS WITHOUT MEANING. Each of them is used for the purpose of COMMUNICATING with others!... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF I DO NOT KNOW THE LANGUAGE. Anyone who has tried to communicate across the _language barrier_ will understand what Paul is saying.... [ Continue Reading ]
SINCE YOU ARE EAGER. It was proper for them to be eager for the gifts from the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:1). WHICH HELP BUILD UP THE CHURCH. This is the key to the use of spiritual gifts. The Corinthians were more interested in _showing off,_ and so were misusing the gifts from the Holy Spirit. See n... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE GIFT TO EXPLAIN. This implies more than one gift was possible. _Lipscomb_ says: "Let him pray that he may have the gift of interpreting what he says in the tongue, else he will not profit those who hear." _MacKnight_ ties it in with 1 Corinthians 14:14_. "For which cause, let him who_ by ins... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I PRAY IN THIS WAY. Paul shows that for worship to be helpful, and for a sane and sound church life, the _mind_ must work together with the energies of the (human) _spirit._ In a sense, these next few verses counterbalance what he said in 1 Corinthians 1:18_ to_ 1 Corinthians 2:5. Paul is com... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT SHOULD I DO, THEN? Both his spirit and his mind will join together by using a known language. _Lipscomb_ says: "The thought evidently is: I will sing as the Spirit directs or inspires, and I will sing in a language that those who hear can understand.' This expression is often quoted in connecti... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW CAN AN ORDINARY MAN? This shows: (1) it was _standard practice_ for the people in a public meeting of the church to say "Amen!"; (2) there were ordinary members who did not have the gifts from the Spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE OTHER MAN IS NOT HELPED AT ALL. By Paul's "rule of thumb," the beautiful abstract must take second place to the practical.... [ Continue Reading ]
I SPEAK IN STRANGE TONGUES. Even at Corinth where this gift of tongues was widespread, Paul could still _outdo_ them! What he said about tongues was not out of jealousy!... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IN CHURCH WORSHIP. [The church is the people. Church worship is the public meeting.] Five words. This is Paul's scale of values. Five words that teach others are more valuable than thousands of words in strange tongues!!!... [ Continue Reading ]
DO NOT BE LIKE CHILDREN. The "competitive spirit" and the desire to "show off" are _childlike._ SO FAR AS EVIL IS CONCERNED. Little children are "innocent" in many ways. Compare Matthew 18:1-5. BUT BE MATURE. Compare 1 Corinthians 2:6; 1 Corinthians 8:9-11.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SCRIPTURES. Paul paraphrases Isaiah 28:11-12 to make a strong statement about the inferiority of strange tongues (glossolalia). Compare 1 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 1 Corinthians 3:19. The context of this quotation is "drunken Israelites mocking God's message as spoken by the prophe... [ Continue Reading ]
IS PROOF FOR UNBELIEVERS. This is the real point of the quotation in 1 Corinthians 14:21. Those who will not be _taught_ by God through understandable language, will become fixed in their unbelief and even justified, by the speaking in strange tongues. [_Lipscomb,_ et. al., takes this to be a proof... [ Continue Reading ]
WON'T THEY SAY THAT YOU ARE ALL CRAZY? "If strange tongues are the supreme gift from the Spirit, then to have the whole church speaking in these at the same time ought to be the very peak of spiritual power. But in fact, the church then would be like a group of crazy people!... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF ALL SPEAK GOD'S MESSAGE. This gift: (1) helps the church (1 Corinthians 14:3-5); (2) uses the mind (1 Corinthians 14:14-19); (3) can be safely done by the entire church; (4) will convince sinners. That "all" should speak God's message is a part of the Messianic ideal (compare Revelation 1:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WORSHIP GOD. When he hears God's Truth, and measures his life by it, his secret thought will be brought out into the open (to himself). As he sees "Christ on the cross," he will bow down and worship God!... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT DO I MEAN? Paul looks at the _use_ of gifts from the Spirit, as this relates to the church meetings. WHEN YOU MEET FOR WORSHIP. Compare 1 Corinthians 11:18-20. Each one tried to _get ahead_ of the other. ONE MAN HAS A HYMN. This implies they were all trying to speak at once! MUST BE OF HELP. Th... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO OR THREE AT THE MOST. This can mean: (1) not more than two or three who are given God's message by the Spirit, should speak at any one meeting (1 Corinthians 14:29). Most take this view. (2) Those who speak in strange tongues should speak two or three sentences at the most, and then someone else... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF NO ONE IS THERE WHO CAN EXPLAIN. In such a case, those who speak in strange tongues are to keep quiet. This, of course, applies to their speaking in tongues, not to the other parts of the worship.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE THE OTHERS JUDGE. Those who had the ability to "tell the difference" (1 Corinthians 12:10_ note)_ would be best able to do this, but _others_ could include every prophet there except the ones speaking. _F. I. Stanley_ brings up two important things: (1) "Paul does not discriminate between the... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF SOMEONE. The question is: Who is to decide this??? The answer must be: The other prophets who judge (1 Corinthians 14:29). They are to preserve order in the meeting.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL OF YOU. Those who speak God's message (1 Corinthians 14:29). ONE BY ONE. Only one speaking at a time. [All the prophets would have their turn, but only two or three at any one meeting. The "best speakers" would not be allowed to suppress the others.]... [ Continue Reading ]
UNDER THE SPEAKER'S CONTROL. 1 Corinthians 14:31 tells WHY the speakers must submit to regulation. _"So that all will learn and be encouraged."_ This verse tells HOW that is possible. One proof of the Holy Spirit's gift, is the ability to control it. The _unruly prophet_ is not genuine. This means,... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE GOD. _Disorder is_ contrary to God. Rather than being _unruly,_ one who speaks God's message must be peaceful.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WOMEN SHOULD KEEP QUIET. Which women??? Paul is dealing with the gift of speaking God's message. Then _the women_ of this verse must be _prophetesses. F. I. Stanley_ says: "He is speaking of what prophets are doing, and not of marriage! He has no thought about men and their wives, but about men... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THEY WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT SOMETHING. "We see two or three who speak God's message, and others who judge what is said (1 Corinthians 14:29). We see one of the "judges" rebuke one who "speaks," but we do not know why. It would waste valuable time for the judges to stop and explain, Those who have... [ Continue Reading ]
OR COULD IT BE? The Corinthians acted without thinking of anyone but themselves, as though they were the only church in the world, and that they ought to set the example for everyone else. _MacKnight_ thinks it means: _"What? Went the word of God forth_ into the world _from you women?_ Did Christ em... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MUST REALIZE. Paul was an inspired apostle. Whoever claims to have the gifts from the Spirit, and does not pay attention to the New Testament commands, proves himself to be a phony!... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF HE DOES NOT PAY ATTENTION. The one who proves himself a phony is to be ignored! Notice what Christ said in Matthew 7:22-23.... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEN, MY BROTHERS. "Speaking God's message is still the most important of the gifts, but strange tongues have their place also.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN A PROPER AND ORDERLY WAY. "These who have spiritual gifts must not fight and quarrel and try to outdo each other; and the women prophets must not judge the speakers or interrupt the worship with questions." THE RESURRECTION. The Greeks viewed the _body_ as the "prison of the soul," and expected t... [ Continue Reading ]