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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. 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. 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!" (1 Corinthians 14:1-25, NIV)People all over the world are searching for significance. This drive for significance is so strong that people will even do terrible things, if they perceive that this is the only way they will ever leave a mark on history.
Even Christians fall into the trap of feeling like their lives don’t count–– that they are not important. But Christians, of all people, ought to understand just how significant they are, because it impossible to read the Bible and fail to see just how much value God places on every life. Perhaps they do not read the Bible. Or perhaps they do not understand what it means. I have certainly met my share of people who have a knack of misunderstanding even the simplest Bible verse.
We have been studying just how important you are to God and to the Body of Christ, his church. We come now to 1 Corinthians 14, a wonderful chapter concerning the practical use of the gifts of the Spirit in the church. In chapter 12, we discovered that each person has been given a spiritual gift. We also discovered that the spiritual gifts are given for the common good. In other words, the gifts are not for you–– they’re given for the benefit of all.
Then in chapter 13, the love chapter of the Bible, we saw how without love none of what we do really amounts to much in God’s eyes. Love makes it all work. Without love, you may do great and mighty things, and people may be impressed, but God is not. So we see that the gifts of the Spirit and love go together. This is why Paul begins this chapter by saying, "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts..."
In the text we have before us, we will see that the priority of edification in worship is what should motivate our use of gifts. You see, the gifts are not for you–– they are for those around you, that through their use in the atmosphere of love, others may be encouraged and edified.
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Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. (14:1)We are told to desire all the gifts–– desire spiritual gifts–– but that there is one gift we should desire more than all the rest. We should desire especially the gift of prophecy.
In the church in Corinth, there was a significant controversy over their practice of the gifts of the Spirit. Some among them had made a big deal over the gift of tongues. Even today, some may much more out of this gift than the Scripture warrants. To be fair, I might also say that there are some who discount this gift altogether. There are guilty of making less of this gift than the Scripture warrants. Tongues has a place in the church. The question concerns what place it should have.
Perhaps it would help us to look at the definition of the spiritual gift of tongues. The gift of tongues is the ability of speaking a divine utterance, unintelligible to both the speaker and the hearer. Is this utterance a language? Some would say it is. And it certainly could be. In chapter 13, Paul mentioned speaking in the tongues of men or angels. Obviously, there are hundreds, if not thousands of different languages and dialects among humans, without taking into account angelic languages. And on the day of Pentecost, people from various nations heard the disciples speaking in their own languages. Was this because they were actually speaking the language, or was the miracle in the fact that the hearer was enabled to understand what they were saying in his own language? Either interpretation would seem to fit.
But the point is that tongues is divine communication to God and that it must be accompanied by the companion gift of the interpretation of tongues, as we shall see. Prophecy, on the other hand, is a forth telling of a "now" word from God. It is not merely preaching, although I would argue that there is a prophetic element in preaching–– at least anointed preaching. So why does Paul say that we should especially desire the gift of prophecy?
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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. (14:2)The reason is that tongues are directed to God. This is absolutely crystal clear from the text that he does not speak to men but to God. And lest there be any misunderstanding, he goes on the say that no one understands him. As he speaks in this unintelligible manner, he utters mysteries with his spirit. From this we can conclude that the direction of tongues is to God and not to those assembled in the meeting. This is even consistent with what we hear reported on the day of Pentecost. Those listening said that they heard the disciples glorifying and praising God. Even the tongues manifested that day were in the form of prayer and praise.
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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. (14:3-4)Here, in verse 3, we notice that the reason we should desire to prophesy is that it speaks to men. In other words, the one who prophesies is speaking in the known language of the people gathered and there is no need for the companion gift of interpretation.
We also see the three benefits he points out: (1) strengthening, (2) encouragement, and (3) comfort. Prophecy has a powerful potential to edify or build up all the people present. Tongues can edify as well, but we are told that the one using that gift edifies himself only, whereas the one exercising the gift of prophecy edifies the church, not just himself. Now it might be said that there is some value in personal edification. But the point he is making is that there is more value in corporate edification.
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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. (14:5)Paul is saying that the spiritual gift of tongues is great. As a matter of fact, he personally wished that everyone could speak in tongues. But he had a greater desire for them to prophesy. Indeed, the one who prophesies is greater than the tongue speaker, unless he interprets. Why? Because the value lies in how many people were being edified, or built up in their faith.
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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? (14:6)The case that Paul is building here is that in the church the goal is bringing as much understanding to as many people as possible. Unless people received some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or word of instruction in a language they could understand, what good would it be to them? None.
Paul gives them an illustration of this:
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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? (14:7-8)Have you ever heard an orchestra preparing to play? As they are tuning up their instruments, what you hear is a cacophony of conflicting sounds. It is anything but harmonious music. But it is not meant to be. Each individual is focusing on his or her instrument, making sure that it is functioning properly and that they are warmed up and ready to play. But when the conductor calls them to attention and they begin to play, then they come together in a wonderful symphony of music that everyone can enjoy. Similarly, soldiers in the battle will have no idea what to do if the one who is responsible to sound the trumpet does not do so with precision. The trumpet signaled went to charge and went to retreat. You did not want to get those signals mixed up. Again, the point being made is that everyone needs to understand what is being communicated.
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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. (14:9-14)It is clear from the argument Paul is making that in the church the gift of tongues is never to be alone. It is to be accompanied by the gift of interpretation so that everyone may benefit from what is being said. Languages have meaning. But if you don’t speak the language, you don’t know what it means. If you pray in a tongue, and there is no interpretation of that prayer, you may be blessed, in that your spirit prays, even though your mind is unfruitful, not knowing what you have said. But the problem is that no one else knows what you have said in that prayer either.
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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. (14:15-19)The correction to the problem that existed in their fellowship over the issue of speaking in tongues was a simple one. Make sure you do not abuse this gift. The clear emphasis is that in the church intelligible words should be used. Paul said that he spoke in tongues more than all of them. That is an incredible statement, especially since he was speaking to the church in Corinth. If Paul would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than 10,000 words in a tongue, when did he do all of this tongue speaking? The obvious answer is that he did it in private prayer. That is one place where there is no need for the gift of interpretation. But in the church, tongues must be interpreted.
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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!" (14:20-25)Paul reminds them of the judgment God brought upon his people through the Assyrians. The Old Testament Scripture he refers to had to do with the strange tongues the foreign invading armies spoke. Those who refused to trust God, the unbelievers, were literally "spoken" to by the foreign army. It was a sign of God’s judgment.
Those who have a heart to hear God, however, may be spoken to by the prophetic word. But when we gather together as a church, if everyone is speaking in tongues, the very people we are trying to reach are going to conclude that we are crazy, because they don’t understand. On the other hand, through words that they do understand, God may speak to them in a powerful way. Many of you can testify of how you felt that the preacher was speaking directly to you. It was as if he knew all of your secrets sins. And there may come a prophetic word that actually identifies something in a person’s life that will bring conviction and repentance.
We must remember that we are here, not for ourselves, but for others. We have been redeemed from the powers of darkness and translated into the kingdom of light. And we have been given the key is to that kingdom, the Gospel message that has the power to set people free. Yet, the church often gets caught up in peripheral issues when we should be majoring all the majors.
God is God, and we can’t put him into a box. Often, people who propose that we follow the Scripture on the issue of the gifts are accused of trying to put God in a box. That charge is untrue. God wrote the Scriptures. He gave them to us so that we could follow them, and to do so is not to put him into a box, it is to unleash the power of the Holy Spirit to work in our midst.
God has given every Christian at least one gift and he expects you to use that gift, not simply to bless yourself, but to bless others and build them up in their faith. The gifts are not for you. They are to be used to edify one another in the Body of Christ.
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