Spirit of Order

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

SPIRIT OF ORDER

1 Cor 14:26-28

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.

NIV

Even more clarity regarding these vocal gifts. Although the Spirit is there, it would seem that He does not create chaos, but is a Spirit of order. It is also noted that we are in partnership with the Spirit, in that although we are inspired, or urged by the Spirit to sing a hymn, give a word of instruction, a revelation, a or a tongue, we wait for the time to speak. Because we love each other we would not be rude by speaking over another, or at the same time, nor would the Spirit want that to happen. Again, everything must be done to strengthen the church. However, this also raises the question if all these instructions of Paul, as he was inspired by the Spirit, were just for the church in Corinth, or because these words are part of the canon and because all scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training in righteousness, we would have to conclude these instructions are for the church at large, which includes the church today. This would lead us to think that first, gifts could be present in the church today if we do not quench the Spirit. Secondly, conducting our worship service with a sense of order is also being in partnership with the Spirit, however, the order should not be so controlled that it leaves no room for the moving of the Spirit among the people of God. These instructions make it clear that when the gift or tongues is present, interpretation must also be present. If there is no gift of interpretation present, then the Spirit would not manifest the gift of tongues. Certainly, the Spirit knows the heart of all men, for He is God, thus He would know if no one is willing to allow Him to move through them with an in interpretation, He would then not move through someone with tongues. The point is that all the gifts of the Spirit are for the common good, so that all gifts should be manifested within the wholeness of the church so that the good of all occurs. We also note, because of these instructions, that we cannot learn gifts, or they are not known through our human learning that we use for our careers, but they are all determined by the Spirit who manifests the gifts needed for the common good at the time and place of His choosing. Therefore, let us always be open and available for the Spirit of order, to be at work in and through us.