Being A Sign

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

BEING A SIGN

1 Cor 14:22-25

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!"

NIV

This does sound a little confusing in that first we are told that tongues are a sign for the unbelievers, but then we are told that if an unbeliever does come into the church and hears people speaking in tongues, they will think the people are crazy. What kind of sign is that? Then we are told that prophecy is more profitable as far as a sign to the unbeliever because he will be convicted of his sin. We would think that speaking in tongues is surely a sign of the miraculous power of God and His work among His people. However, whether we speak in tongues or words of prophecy, that should not be the only reason an unbeliever would say, “God is really among you”. What if, like it was among the Corinthians, there is total chaos, with everyone speaking over everyone else, with no order, or proper mutual respect. Still, there is another truth we should take note of in that this is a church in Greece, and not in Israel where the Apostles came from. This is a church that will go beyond the life of the Apostles and with this church being so filled with the Spirit and His gifts, specifically tongues, interpretation, and prophecy, it gives us this clue that the Spirit continues to be poured out upon people and we should see the evidences in the church and would still be a sign to those who do not believe that God is among us. We think that we the church might have taken on too many of the ways of humanistic methods of “Good works” to show we are Christians. Some churches do things in and for the community in an effort to show them, God is at work among them. However, we do not find that type of evangelism in the word of God. How is the power of God revealed if we do the same kind of things any human organization could do and even does? It would seem right to us to believe the power of God is revealed through His miraculous divine power being expressed in us, therefore being a sign to the unbeliever. Yes, love will always be at the forefront of our attitudes and behaviors toward both the believer and the unbeliever. Yet, it is difficult to always see love in action, and again, unbelievers are capable of expressing some form of love. We see evidence of that when at weddings of those who may know about God, and perhaps have some form of faith, yet would by all accounts, not be considered believers, or born again, bible token, Spirit-filled believers exhibiting all the power of God in their lives, quote the love chapter 13. They still look to love as the basis of a good marriage. But the miraculous power of God as the Spirit moves among His people and empowers them with many gifts that would be a sign to the world that God exists and is among His people. Let us not keep that Spirit at bay, holding him back from what He is intended to do, empowering the people of God to be a sign to unbelievers. 

The Child and the Adult

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

THE CHILD AND THE ADULT

1 Cor 14:18-21

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. 20 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.

NIV

There are going to be some strong words of pastoral counseling, still to come, however, Paul has already been giving his pastoral advice and now he makes that point about the way they are thinking. For the most part, little children do not know about self-control or how to behave in a respectful manner, therefore, they must be taught. We are to stop being like children who do not know right from wrong. We only have to observe a classroom of children when the adult leaves the classroom and are left alone and we would soon see chaos ensue. This must have been what was happening in the Corinthian church regarding the gifts of the Spirit with many of them all speaking in tongues at the same time, with no one listening to each other. This is not a church, not a unity in the Spirit, not worship, but it was children behaving badly without an adult present. However, there is something that we should be as innocent as an infant about and that is about that which is evil. If we think as an adult, we will know that it is damaging to our spirit to allow evil to enter our thinking. It is not just that we look good and appear holy and proper when we gather together, in one sense, looking for the approval of men. It is what is within our heart, or our thought life that makes all the difference. It can be difficult to keep some form of evil out of our minds at all times. They must have been out of control, and maybe acting in the flesh rather than operating under the influence of the Spirit. It makes us think if our worship time when we gather together is being influenced by the Spirit, or by the flesh. Are we holding back the Spirit, quenching him from working in and through us when we gather as a church, and even when we are alone? It would seem if we are holding the Spirit back, is that being childlike in our behavior in the sense of looking only to our own interests, as children are prone to do. If our thinking is mature, as adults are supposed to be, then we will allow the Spirit full access to our worship time both when we are gathering together and when we are alone. Although we are not fully privy to the alone time of Jesus, we have to believe He was fully engaged with the Father through the Spirit. If we are living the mature Christian life, we are living completely under the influence of the Spirit, rather than under the control of our flesh. Then worship will be fully spiritual and the operation of the gifts of the Spirit will be under His control and there is never chaos in the heavenly realm. Are we the child or the adult? 

The Spirit and the Mind

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

THE SPIRIT AND THE MIND

1 Cor 14:13-17

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.

NIV

We continue to get more clarity on the gift of tongues. First, we notice that when the Spirit manifests the gift of tongues, He will accompany it with the gift of interpretation. Of what value is speaking in an unknown language if no one understands what is being said? But this is not up to people, or the flesh, it is the working of the Spirit, and He works all things for the common good. Therefore, we must think that tongues will not be heard unless an interpretation is available. We cannot know this in our humanity, but the Spirit knows all things and works always in union with the Father and the Son. We could then be sure that any manifestation of tongues will always be perfectly aligned with the word of God as the speaker in tongues gives praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. When what the speaker in tongues is completed, then what he said to God, in praise and thanksgiving, is shared in our native tongue so the whole congregation knows the words the speaker in tongues was saying to God. This fits right in with the other instructions telling us that tongues is man talking to God and prophecy is God talking to man. It is also interesting that Paul makes this point about when we pray in tongues our spirit is praying, but our mind should be praying as well. Again, this fits with other instructions in that tongues is not just babbling in the air with meaningless sounds, but it is an intelligible language that someone could understand if they were a member of the language group. There are hundreds if not more different languages and dialects throughout the world. Once again, speaking in tongues is not flapping of the tongue and lips into the air with just noise. So then, when the Spirit urges one or manifests the gift of tongues while speaking in an unknown language, we will be praising and glorifying our Lord God Almighty with our minds. The fact is that the Spirit does not take control of our mouths or our minds, we partner with the Spirit when we are inspired to speak in tongues, and we use our mouths and our mind to give praise and thanksgiving to God.  Then in partnership with the Spirit, someone understood, and that may even be the same person who spoke in this unknown language will give the proper interpretation so that all men are edified or built up. Everything when done in conjunction with the Spirit will always edify, it will always build up, reconfirming our faith. everything about these gifts fits well with offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable, which is our spiritual act of worship. Therefore, we worship God with our words, whether in tongues or English and with our spirits and our minds. Then we will be loving God and worshipping God with our whole being. 

Building up the Church

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

BUILDING UP THE CHURCH

1 Cor 14:6-12

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.

NIV

We are going to get more clarity regarding the gift of tongues and prophecy in the following instructions from Paul to this church in Corinth. From what we see here this church had gone wild with the idea of tongues and what appears is they were simply babbling away, all speaking in tongues with no purpose even from the inspiration of the Spirit. As we determined before, they were just speaking into the air. When the disciples were filled with the Spirit on that day of Pentecost and spilled out into the streets of Jerusalem, they were all speaking in some foreign language they had not learned. Still, there were men from all over the world, so to speak, whose native tongue was one of those the disciples were speaking. That is, someone understood their tongues, and men from all over heard the disciples praising God. This is what Paul is talking about in that tongues are certainly a gift of the Spirit, however, correct instruction for the church should be in the form of intelligible words. We must speak in a language that is understandable in order to build up the church. This is a call for all believers to speak in a manner that builds each other up. The fact is that we should not be foreigners to each other, speaking words that have no meaning, but rather have the singular purpose of edifying the church. Certainly, the gift of prophecy is to build up, whereas the gift of tongues, as we will see later, lifts up the glory of God with praise and thanksgiving, no one will know what is being said unless someone interprets. However, all this should be done in order and not in chaos, which it seems was what was going on in the Corinthian church. Since we have pretty much set aside the gifts of tongues, interpretation, and even prophecy, we are left with our own words that should be based on scriptural truth. We are called to give spiritual instructions to each other in order to build each other up. These instructions, these intelligible words are to be for the edification of the church. Certainly, we know that although gossip can be understood, it does not build up others, but rather tears them down. Let us look to the Spirit to give us a revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or a word of instruction so the church will be edified. 

Always Building Up

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

ALWAYS BUILDING UP

1 Cor 14:1-5

14:1 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.

NIV

Having somewhat dealt with the way of love, although we doubt that we will ever grasp the fullness and depth of how to follow the way of love, and we considered that we should eagerly desire spiritual gifts, we now should look at the differences between prophecy and tongues.  It cannot be any clearer than from these verses, that when the gift of tongues is manifested in a worship service, the one speaking in that language given to him by the Spirit is a form of worship and praise to God. Never ever can someone who the Spirit gives the gift of interpretation speak about anything from God, for that person who understands that language spoken can only speak of what that person said in praise, giving God all the glory. This is where some have gone astray and decided to manufacture their “Gift”, which then is no gift, but the flesh just jabbering meaninglessly into the air. This can apply both to the gift of tongues, interpretation, and prophecy. As we already discovered that when the gift of prophecy is present in a worship service the words given by the Spirit will always build up, strengthen, encourage, and comfort the people of God hearing those words. Anything else spoken that does not accomplish those three aspects is again, simply the flesh yapping away, flapping their lips into the air. The speaker who is speaking the words of God given by the Spirit will always edify the church, or as a more wooden translation of the Greek word oikodomeoo, is to build. However, it is also to restore a building, to repair, and when taken metaphorically means to promote growth in Christian wisdom, affection, grace, virtue, holiness, and blessedness.  It is always spiritually correct to edify the church, to build it up, and perhaps to even repair it, which could be seen through correction or maybe even rebuking, however, in the truest sense of repairing a building, no correction of the worn part is done, but rather it is replaced with a good part. So then when the church is edified through a prophetic word, the church, or the people of God, will get goodness, good parts, that strengthen them, encourage them, and comfort them. These are all positive activities within a worship service. However, tongues, although Paul says that it edifies the speaker are only true if there is no interpretation, for when that language is spoken, and interpreted God is lifted up and glorified and that is what worship is all about. Once again, let us desire these spiritual gifts, so God and the people of God are lifted up. 

Following the Way of Love

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

FOLLOWING THE WAY OF LOVE

1 Cor 14:1-5

14:1 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.

NIV

It almost seems that way of love has escaped somewhere. We say that we love each other, and it does show in most marriages where we make every effort to put our spouse before ourselves. But even then, how does that look like when both members of a marriage put the other before themselves? Someone is going to be served and someone is going to serve, although we would think it would always be reciprocal in nature. However, when we come to the whole of the church, how do we follow the way of love? Are we to put all others before ourselves? We do have to refer back to what Paul just gave as the standard for following the way of love. Love is patient and kind and it does not envy, and boast, it is not prideful, rude, and self-seeking, it does not keep a record of wrongs nor does it get easily angered. That is the trick if we can pull it off in regard to every member of the local church. We would think that if we spend our whole life putting others before ourselves, we will never have any time for our own desires or needs. Somehow, love has to be balanced with the life we need to live to supply our sustenance and to enjoy the fruits of our labor. Yet, we need to follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts. Here is where it can get a little dicey in the sense to which spiritual gifts are being referred. Of course, Paul lists some other gifts then he wrote to the Corinthians, in his letter to the Romans. Nevertheless, the point is we should eagerly desire spiritual gifts rather than ignore them. As far as knowing which spiritual gift or gifts the Spirit will give, or manifest within us, is totally up to the Spirit. However, in these verses, Paul says that we should especially desire the gift of prophecy because when the Spirit manifests his gift of prophecy within us, we will speak words that strengthen, encourage, and comfort others. We should consider the difference between speaking tongues and prophecy, which we will get to that difference, but first, we should take a closer look at the result of the gift of prophecy that we should especially desire. One of the ways the Greek word profeeteuoo, which is translated as prophecy, is to break forth in lofty speech under the inspiration of the Spirit, declaring the praises of God. This is thus seen as God speaking to men. When God speaks, His word builds us up, which is a more wooded translation of oikodomee, translated as strengthen. It lifts us up, making us stronger in our walk with him. When God speaks, he exhorts us, or the direct meaning of the word parakleesis is to summons near but can also be used as an admonition. His words also comfort us, as paramuthia has this meaning of stimulating to calmness and consoling. These are ways in which we should desire to speak to each other, allowing the Spirit to work through us with His gift of prophecy. If we spoke to each other to strengthen, encourage and comfort each other we would be following the way of love. 

Love is Forever

 DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

LOVE IS FOREVER

1 Cor 13:8-13

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

NIV

This is where those vehemently opposed to the gifts of the Spirit being active in the church today get their misguided doctrinal position, specifically about prophecy, tongues, and interpretation. We believe this because of the misunderstood interpretation of what Paul is saying here. The first clue that the gifts are still at work in the church is that the Spirit is still active today. Because faith, hope, and love remain, Paul is speaking about a world to come. Someday, this present world will pass away and when that happens there will be no need for prophecies for everything will have been fulfilled, and everything will be made perfect, as it said right here when the perfection comes, and the imperfect disappears. This is the present world, even the present church which is now imperfect and while this imperfection still exists the Spirit is active in the church, and prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will continue until perfection comes. Jesus is the perfection that Paul is speaking about and when Jesus comes back for us, all the imperfections of this world will fade away and we will live in a new world and a new city where there is no darkness at all for God is the light. The childish ways in the world today are all about this foolish debate about when prophecies, tongues, and knowledge will be stilled. A child simply does not understand the truth of God. A child plays with truth, reasoning about the scriptures like a child, and it is time to put away that folly and be the man or woman of God that He wants us to be. Once again, Paul speaks about the difference between this world and the world to come when he says that we only see a poor reflection as in a mirror, but in the world to come we will see Jesus face to face. There is no question that in the world to come love will be all that remains, for it is the love of God who has brought us to this place we are in now and it is the love of God that will take us into the place Jesus promised we would be. Let us set aside childish ideas and think soberly as the person of God he desires us to be. Therefore, until this perfection comes, this new world where we live in the physical presence of our Lord, we will continue to have prophecies, tongues, and knowledge, as well as all the gifts of the same Spirit who works them in all men. However, we will always have faith, hope, and love because of the coming perfection, and love will continue throughout eternity.