August 04, 2024
REPEATING HISTORY: CONFUSION IN CORINTH
Teaching Pastor Charles Billingsley
August 04, 2024
In last week’s sermon on 1 Cor. 13, Paul has given us an expose on the topic of love. He continues his thought on love in the opening of Chapter 14—not hampered by punctuation or chapters—by telling the Corinthian believers, caught up in the frenzy of the world of immorality and idolatry found in Corinth, that love is the foundation of our life in Jesus Christ. Paul takes love a step further than chapter 14, showing that love is the essence of God, with all of His attributes, and should be the spiritual fruit of our lives, whether in church, our daily family life, at work, relaxing—whatever we do, we should do it all to bring God glory, for everything should be done in love. Without love, the spiritual gifts are not active. He exhorts in this chapter that worship in the body of Christ should be a time of peace, order, and encouragement, not disruptive, chaotic or confusing.
Focal Passages: 1 Corinthians 14.
Pursue Love:
- Read 1 Cor. 14:1-2. What is special about the word pursue? Love is a spiritual gift, as well as a fruit of the Spirit—why must we “pursue” it rather than it being a well-spring flowing naturally out of us? Why would it have been difficult for the Corinthians to separate godly love from sinful lust and immorality?
- What is meant by “spiritual gifts”? List some of them. What were the “sign gifts” that may have ceased except in rare circumstances? Read 1 Cor. 12:7, 11. Why were spiritual gifts given? Who gives them and how much?
- What is the difference between prophesying and speaking in tongues? Why did Paul say that the gift of prophecy was to be coveted more than tongues? How was/is the gift of prophecy verified that it was/is authentic? Has this gift ceased? Why?
- Can someone explain what the gift of tongues were, as in this chapter and in Acts 2 (the only two places in the Bible)? If someone spoke in tongues, what was the restriction under which it had to be done in the church? Could the same person speak in tongues, then interpret? Then why would they not have spoken in the language of the church to begin with? Did it ever include indiscernible babble? Why not?
- What are the three predominant views on speaking in tongues? Why is there so much controversy about it? Why do ‘Cessationists’ believe it to be a discontinued gift, except in rare instances that God dictates? What has replaced the need for the gift of tongues?
- “Paul lays down four principles that the Corinthians had to observe: tongues should be interpreted; they must edify the members of the church; they ought to be intelligent in the context of love; orderliness must characterize believers at worship”.[1]
The gifts of the Spirit never contradict the fruits of the Spirit:
- Read 1 Cor. 14:20-32. Paul put himself on their level of fellowship by calling them “Brothers” as he was about to reprimand them. What was the problem? Read Jer. 4:22. The Greek indicates these Corinthians were susceptible to the entertainment provided by the babble of tongues, enjoying the chaos. Why is something that results in chaos not of God?
- Who were the tongues to be a sign for? Why? In vs. 27, what was the limited number of those to speak in tongues? If there was no one to interpret, what was the person to do?
- In vv. 23-25, who was prophecy for? Why? What should be the result of prophecy? Read vs 26b. What is the ultimate purpose?
- Read vv. 29-32. What were the restrictions on prophesying? Read vs. 33. What point does Paul make again?
The case of women speaking in church:
- Read 14:33b-35. In this passage, we have to focus on the original Greek which gives more insight than English. Paul gives commands where trouble has been brewing, therefore we are to assume women were getting out of hand during the services. Charles exegeted this by putting forth the circumstance that women were questioning the prophets, not only for their content but also going off on tangents as to the authority or background of the prophet, causing chaos, discord and confusion. This behavior is contrary to Scripture.
How has that impacted the church today? Could there be cases where raucous behavior by women could cause discord, that might apply today? The majority of churches won’t face the issue, but in some circumstances might elders need to step in?
- Read verse 40. This is the conclusion that Paul continually comes back to: if it is something causing disorder, what is the church to do about it?
Close:
When there are brilliant scholars and theologians on both sides of an issue from the Scripture, it behooves everyone involved to study God’s word (as the Bereans did) to “see that these things are true.” So, it is with today’s sermon. Tongues, prophesying, and women speaking in church are all hot topics. Yet, each, in their own way, can be settled simply. Tongues: if it is completely within the guidelines Paul has set, it should not cause division as to judging one’s salvation, although many churches believe the true gift of tongues has ceased. If the speaking in tongues causes chaos, it isn’t from God. Prophesying: If it comes true, the prophet was from God; if it doesn’t, he wasn’t. Women in the church: women—more than men—tend to speak out in services. If they cause disorder, unruly behavior, or discord, the elders should escort them out, and perhaps that’s all it would take. If the church is filled with women of this type, the elders need to perhaps rethink establishing rules such as Paul had to dictate for the church in Corinth. If anything in the church causes chaos, it isn’t from God.
By Sandy Day August 04, 2024
[1] Simon Kistemaker, 1st Corinthians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1993) page 488.