Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. Let all things be decently and in order.
1 Corinthians 14:26-33
The key to this section is orderliness. Notice the number of times Paul says something related to everything being in order. (11)
- 1) One will . . . another will . . . one will . . . another will . . .
- 2) Everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
- 3) No more than two or three should speak in tongues.
- 4) They must speak one at a time,
- 5) someone must interpret what they say.
- 6) But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting
- 7) Let two or three people prophesy,
- 8) if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.
- 9) all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other,
- 10) those who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.
- 11) For God is not a God of disorder but of peace,
Eleven statements related to orderliness. Paul seems intent on bringing order to the Corinthian services. Inferring that things were not orderly. One is to assume there was not a sharing of all the different gifts going on, but some (and we know which ones) were dominant. Not all was being done to strengthen the body. More than two or three people were speaking out in tongues and it seems there was no interpretation to go with them. Paul said, if there is no one to interpret a tongue message then the tongue speaker should keep quiet. Difficult to do at the time because one speaks out in faith. But if consistently that is the case, then keep quiet. Everyone appears to have been speaking at once and at times speaking over the top of others as they were speaking. All should have a turn to speak but ONE AFTER THE OTHER. As an addenda to that comment Paul says those who prophesy are in control of their own spirit and CAN TAKE THEIR TURN. By inference it seems people were standing up to bring a “word from the Lord” and speaking over the top of others who were speaking at the time. “One after another please, take your turn”, says Paul.
The whole section is directed to restore order to the body as they meet in corporate worship.
Take particular note of the words “and let the others evaluate what is said”. When someone brings a word of prophecy, or word of knowledge, a word of wisdom, – in short any extra biblical “word from the LORD” it ought to be examined and evaluated. Scripture must be used to interpret Scripture and Scripture must be used to evaluate any words that “come from the Lord”. We must be discerning. It is folly to allow any “word spoken out” to be accepted as being from God without being examined for its consistency with the Biblical text. Just as the spirit of those who prophesy ought to be under control, so too the spirit of the prophet must also subject to the leadership of the body. I can tell many stories where that has not been the case and has led to disastrous results.
The things of the Holy Spirit are first and foremost orderly. Remember He brought order out of chaos at creation.
Big bang theory, you’ve got to be kidding.
God
I can do what you can’t do, & you can do what I can’t do; together we can do great things.
Mother Teresa
If you are going to build a bridge, you’ve got to be comfortable having permanent footings on both sides of the ravine.
Andy Stanley
Any Thought That Goes Left Unchallenged Is Established As Fact.
Robb Thompson