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Rochford Community Church Resources
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Worship
Seminars
Part
5 : Practicalities in the New Testament
Contents
1.
Introduction
2.
The Chapter Context
3.
The Church Context of Chapter 14
4.
The Use of Tongues
5.
The Use of Prophecy
6.
Conclusions
Each
of these pages about prayer form part of a series of Worship Seminars.
To that end we hope that they will be used to stimulate worship and
not merely provide information.
1.
Introduction
We now move back into the New Testament to consider the
wider picture of what takes place when Christians come together to “worship”.
The theme of worship is not addressed as such in the New
Testament, although as we have seen previously, worship does arise in
Jesus' teaching and in the throne room of heaven as seen in the book
of Revelation.
However, as most Christians would associate the practice of worship
with the meeting together of the church, no study on this subject would
be complete without a study of 1 Corinthians 14. The fact is, when we
look at 1 Cor 14 and the preceding chapters, Paul must be writing because
of wrong ideas and wrong practices within the Corinthian church.
All that follows therefore, is in respect of the picture
given by the apostle Paul in chapter 14 of his first letter to the Corinthians.
2.
The Chapter Context
| Chapter
12 |
- the
subject of spiritual gifts v.1-11
- all
Christians are part of the body of Christ and all are important
v.12-30
|
| Chapter
13 |
- gifts
without love are meaningless v.1-3
- the
nature of love v.4-13
|
Thus,
as a preliminary to looking into chapter 14, we should note the following:
This
supernatural dimension, operating in an
environment of love, is thus assumed by
Paul to be the norm when Christians gather together. It therefore
raises two obvious questions for modern worship when the body of Christ
comes together:
1.
Do we expect and experience a supernatural
dimension when we come to ‘worship'?
2.
Do we ensure that we do all we can to
ensure there is this environment of love – that
is caring and inclusive?
To
work through this latter question, please go to our sister site and
look up these things in Book 2 of 'Creating a Secure Church'. To do
that CLICK HERE.
3.
The Church Context of Chapter 14
The
chapter tells us quite clearly that all that is being said is being
said in the context of the church:
v.4
|
He
who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies
edifies the church. |
v.5
|
He
who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless
he interprets, so that the church may be edified. |
v.12
|
.
Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in
gifts that build up the church |
v.18
|
in
the church I would
rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than
ten thousand words in a tongue. |
v.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? |
v.26
|
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. |
v.28
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If
there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in
the church and speak to himself and God. |
v.33
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As
in all the congregations of the saints |
v.35
|
it
is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church . |
Thus
we find ten references here that give us no room to doubt the context
– these are instructions for when the church comes together.
4.
The Use of Tongues
Tongues were clearly an issue of contention, and so much
of what is here is about the use of this particular gift that was
previously referred to in 12:10 ,28,30,
and13:1,8.
Let's
consider what this chapter says about tongues:
| v.1
|
eagerly
desire spiritual gifts |
Use
of Tongues : Paul
wants us to know where he stands on all the gifts (including
tongues). He repeats what he said in 12:30
|
| v.39
|
do
not forbid speaking in tongues. |
There
may be problems with careless or thoughtless use of tongues
but that isn't a reason to forbid them. No, get the use right!
|
| v.2
|
anyone
who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God |
Tongues
are Prayer : There
is no room for doubt here – tongues are to God, i.e. prayer.
On the Day of Pentecost tongues were the literal language of
people there (Acts 2:4,6). It seems it was simply prayer praise
(v.11). When the same thing occurred in Acts 10:46
, in respect of the Gentiles, it
was clearly prayer praise.
|
| v.14
|
if
I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
|
v.2
is confirmed by Paul as he speaks of tongues as prayer in the
spirit.
|
| v.15
|
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.
|
He
repeats himself – he is praying with his spirit as well
as with his mind AND he will also sing with his tongues
(implied), in the spirit as well as singing using the words
of his native tongue.
|
| v.16
|
If
you are praising God with your spirit…..
|
What
is praising God but prayer? |
| v.17
|
You
may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
|
What
is thanks except prayer? That's five times he's made the point!
|
| v.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 |
Tongues
are an unknown language.
On the day of Pentecost the tongues were discernable languages
(Acts 2:8,11). Here, there is no doubt in this verse and in
what follows that these are not languages that might be known.
|
| v.13
|
For
this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he
may interpret what he says. |
The
whole of his argument from v.6 to v.23 is actually on this point
– the languages (tongues) being exercised are unknown so only
the person praying in the spirit is edified (v.4), on it's own
it brings no edification to others (v.6), no one knows what
you are saying (v.9), and it is just confusing for others coming
in who don't understand (v.24)
|
| v.27,28
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If
anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should
speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is
no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church
and speak to himself and God. |
Ordering
Tongues . Paul isn't
going to stop tongues (v.39) but he will bring order: 3 people
at the most, so it doesn't just run on, and that to be interpreted,
so that everyone else understands what the spirit of the person
is saying. |
Some
Practical Points
Bearing in mind what Paul has been saying, the question
might reasonably be asked, so what is the point of tongues then, if
only 2 or 3 are allowed to exercise it in a public meeting and it
is prayer that must be interpreted? The following are simply some
comments offered having observed it in operation in a good manner:
1.
Tongues is a faith act.
Faith
comes from hearing God speak (Rom 10:17
). Tongues are a response to the prompting
of the Holy Spirit within the spirit of the person praying. It is
a sovereign prompting of God which requires as act of faith to express
it. God requires faith of His people (Rom 14:23
, Heb 11;6) and this is just one expression
of it.
2.
Tongues and interpretation is a holy act
When
the tongue and the interpretation are by the prompting of the Holy
Spirit, it reveals normally, a level or depth of prayer that is rarely
heard in the church. There is a deep heart yearning or praising that
raises the awareness of the holy presence of God like few other things
do in the normal run of church services. It seems that it enables
the individual to express something that is far deeper in them than
they would normally be able to do when praying with their mind.
3.
Singing in the Spirit
Although
Paul says that if everyone together is speaking in tongues, if there
are outside speakers there, they will think you are out of your mind,
he is (by implication) advising against it by suggesting only 2 or
3 praying in tongues with interpretation. It is arguable that he might
say the same about singing in the spirit (v.15) but he doesn't actually
pick this point up. Where there is a God-centredness and the environment
is love, it has to be said that corporate singing in tongues:
•
is frequently a beautiful experience for participators
and observers and
•
as such has been indicated to be so by onlooking
seekers and
•
often stirs a hunger in believing onlookers to
move more into things of the Spirit.
i.e.
while not justifiable by use of Scripture, neither is it denied by
Scripture and its good practice seems to bear excellent fruit in terms
of the work of the Holy Spirit both within the believing congregation
and onlooking seekers.
5.
The Use of Prophecy
Although much of chapter 14 is Paul bringing directions against
the negative or poor use of tongues, when we come to prophecy we find
he only speaks positively.
v.1
|
Follow
the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially
the gift of prophecy. |
Significance
of prophecy . Paul
indicates that this is a gift he especially recommends to the
church.
|
v.39
|
be
eager to prophesy |
At
the beginning he exhorted them all to eagerly desire… to
prophesy , and now he repeats it.
|
v.3
|
everyone
who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement
and comfort. |
The
Purpose of prophecy. Here
Paul declares its primary purpose – to strengthen, encourage
and comfort the people of God. This is the God of love exercising
His love for His people.
|
v.4
|
he
who prophesies edifies the church. |
Here
he repeats the purpose – to edify or strengthen and build up
the church.
|
v.31
|
you
can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed
and encouraged. |
Another
way of saying the same thing – so the church is instructed and
encouraged.
|
v.24,25
|
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!"
|
Now
we have a secondary purpose of prophesy, almost a bye-product
if you like. Where there are seeking unbelievers in the congregation
God can speak to them through the revelatory prophecy and they
will be convicted. |
v.29
|
Two
or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh
carefully what is said. |
Control
of prophecy: As with
tongues Paul gives guidance on good practice. Limit it to 2
or 3 (again so it just doesn't go on and on) and let those with
the gift weigh or check that it is right.
|
v.32
|
The
spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
|
Prophecy
should be controlled and judged by those with the gift – see
below. |
Some
Practical Points
1.
More details of the ordering of prophecy is given
in “Creating a Secure Church ” (see the sister site).
2.
Specifically it should be noted that not only
should the prophecy be judged by others with mature gifting, but it
is now always subject to the Scriptures themselves, i.e. it should
never run contrary to the Scriptures.
3.
Again, although there is no mention of it as
such, either for or against, the experience of prophetic song frequently
brings a new level of awareness of the holy presence of God.
4.
It is interesting to note that Asaph, David's
chief musician (1 Chron 15:19 , 16:5,7) was also called to bring prophetic
praise (1 Chron 25:2). Interestingly he was one of those who presided
over the dedication of the Temple when the glory of the Lord filled
the place (2 Chron 5:12 -14).
5.
It is further interesting to speculate whether,
when worship is Spirit-led, ordered and Spirit-anointed, using those
called of God, we will see a greater manifestation of the presence
of God filling the temple (the church – 1 Cor 3:16,17) than we have
ever seen before.
6.
Conclusions
- Where the body of Christ come
together in worship, the New Testament example is of a church that
operates with a supernatural dimension
in an atmosphere of love , and all things
being subjected to the Scriptures.
- In chapter 14, tongues
and prophecy are two gifts that can be exercised in orderly but Spirit-led
ways for the blessing of the assembled congregation and to the glory
of God.
If
you want to ask anything further about these things, contact Tony Thomas:
tony.thomas@rochfordcc.co.uk
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